When Hyundai recently unveiled the all-new 2011 Sonata in South Korea there was no mention of a V6 engine, but that’s not unusual for markets outside North America. Now word is out that there won’t be a V6 at all.

Instead, the company will offer a base four-cylinder engine as well as a direct-injection version of the same engine. As a result, expect a significant improvement in fuel-economy. Currently, the 2009 model with the 3.3-liter V6 gets 19/29 mpg.

Hyundai says that V6 models account for a small percentage of overall sales with just a 15 percent take rate. The remaining 85 percent are four-cylinders. The Korean automaker is not the exception either as in 2008, 76 percent of Honda Accords were 4-cylinder models while 90 percent of non-hybrid Toyota Camry’s were 4-cylinder models.

The V6 option is also expected to be dropped from the upcoming Tucson.

The 2011 Hyundai Sonata will get its North American debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

GALLERY: 2011 Hyundai Sonata

[Source: WardsAutoWorld]

The Ram appears destined to break free of its Dodge moorings to run solo as a stand-alone brand. According to a report on Inside Line, the plan to market Ram as its own brand is part of Fiat’s new corporate strategy, that will see other SUVs and some commercial vehicles branded with the Ram, leaving the Dodge nameplate to focus squarely on more performance-oriented yet affordable vehicles.

It is expected that some future Dodge vehicles will be shared with Alfa Romeo.

Included in the new Chrysler corporate strategy will be the elimination of the Dodge brand from Europe, where in launched back in 2006.

Fiat an Chrysler are expected to make an announcement about the company’s future product strategy in Detroit in November.

[Source: Edmunds]

Bentley officially launched its new Mulsanne flagship at the Frankfurt Auto Show last week and now word comes that the massive luxury sedan will also spawn a coupe and convertible model.

The news is hardly a surprise, as the car it replaces (the Arnage) was used as the basis for the Brooklands coupe and Azure convertible. It also suits Bentley’s three-pronged approach with its “entry-level” lineup of vehicles, the Flying Spur sedan, Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible. The new lineup of Mulsanne-derived vehicles will also compete head-on with similar products from Rolls-Royce, which will be based on that company’s latest model, the Ghost.

Full specifications on the Mulsanne aren’t yet available, but we do have most of the details, including a  new 6.75-liter V8 motor that makes 510hp and an astonishing 752 ft-lbs of torque.

GALLERY: 2010 Bentley Mulsanne

[Source: AutoExpress]

Mitsubishi of Australia is the first to show off the 2010 Outlander with its sporty new look. As the automaker not so subtly hinted at with the Outlander GT Prototype at the New York Auto Show, this revised model gets the company’s “jet fighter” grille.

Mitsubishi is increasingly using the EVO-esque grille on more of its models, to not only cohesively brand its vehicles, but to do so under the company’s performance flagship model.

Additional Evo-inspired traits include optional aluminum pedals and a sports steering wheel. More importantly, however, for 2010 the Outlander V6 gets a version of Mitsubishi’s Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system.

We won’t get too far into the details, as the North American Outlander may differ quite a bit. But it does appear as though the styling and addition of S-AWC are the crossover’s two major changes for 2010.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

After debuting the all-new 2011 F-Series Super Duty yesterday, Ford has now confirmed that the F-150 will be available with the company’s new EcoBoost motor. Specific details aren’t yet available but Ford says the engine will be tuned specifically for truck applications, which we imagine means upping the torque and turning down the horsepower.

Currently, the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine appears in the Taurus SHO model and in the Flex. In the SHO it makes 365hp and 350 ft-lbs of torque – 300 of which is available from just 1500 rpm.

The F-150 EcoBoost will be available in late 2010 as a 2011 model.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Toyota chose the Texas State Fair and its truck friendly audience as the venue to debut its latest 4Runner model. For 2010 this body-on-frame SUV is both wider and longer, further differentiating it from the Highlander crossover.

Toyota has opted to drop the V8 engine for the new model, instead offering a 4.0-liter V6 that makes 270 horsepower and 278- ft-lbs of torque. That’s a total of 36 more horsepower than the old V6 engine, and 10 more ponies than the old V8. Fuel economy has been improved, but isn’t exactly stellar, with 17/23 mpg (city/highway) for the 4×2 and 17/22 mpg for the 4×4 model. The tow rating for V6 models is 5,000 lbs.

Also new for 2010 is the addition of an entry level 2.7-liter four cylinder engine with 157-hp and 178 ft-lbs of torque. The four-banger is only available on the 4×2 SR5 model and, oddly, doesn’t offer much improvement in fuel-economy with a rating of just 18/23 mpg.

Three model choices will be offered, including the SR5 model, an on-road-friendly Limited model with added creature comforts and 20-inch wheels and a Trail grade model that offers true off-road capability with higher approach and departure angles, more ground clearance and a standard locking rear differential.

Additional off-road features include Toyota’s A-TRAC system on all 4×4 models, that can send power to any one wheel. Trail grade models get the CRAWL feature with five low-speed settings for different terrain. A Multi-Terrain Select system also lets the driver choose how much wheel slip is needed. All 4×4 models get Downhill Assist control, while all V6 models get Hill-start Assist Control.

The market for real SUVs like the 4Runner has all but dried up in North America as consumers switch to car based crossovers. That being said, Toyota seems to be taking the right approach by catering more to the off-road crowd than to soccer moms who are more likely to find themselves in a Venza.

GALLERY: 2010 Toyota 4Runner

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

As promised, Ford officially unveiled the 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup at the Texas State Fair today. Truck-lovers have been anticipating this release ever since Ford announced that the Super Duty models would be available with an all new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8. Unfortunately, Ford still hasn’t released any info on how much power or torque this revolutionary new motor makes.

In addition to the Power Stroke diesel option, a 6.2-liter gasoline V8 will also be offed. A new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission is standard for 2011, which has Ford’s SelectShift function so drivers can choose gears just like on a manual transmission. This new tranny also gets a Tow Haul option with integrated engine exhaust braking.

Another amazing feature is what Ford calls Live Drive PTO (Power Take Off), which allows auxiliary equipment like snowplows or salt spreaders to be powered through the transmission. Ford is the first company to bring this technology over from agricultural machines.

Of course, the Super Duty will also get a long list of Ford’s impressive truck technology, like Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Trailer Sway Control, Trailer Brake Control and, of course, Ford’s AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control.

In addition Ford will offer it’s exclusive Ford World Solutions program which now comes with a 4.2-inch LCD screen between the truck’s gauges, which will display relevant information to the driver about things like fuel-economy or the status of the fifth wheel hook-up.

Now if only Ford would release those diesel ouput numbers.

GALLERY: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

For those with the means, RM Auctions is offering the chance to own not one, but two Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR street cars. Essentially road legal versions of the FIA GT1 race cars, just 25 of these incredible exotics were built to meet FIA regulations, which clearly state that any race car must be based on a production model street car.

As a result, these street cars are actually based on the race cars, and not the other way around.  They boast 612-hp 6.9-liter V12 engines, six-seed sequential transmissions with paddle shifters and carbon fiber brakes.

The CLK GTR race cars competed in the FIA GT1 class in 1997 and 1998, taking the championship in their first year.

As mentioned, just 25 of these cars exist with only five of the roadster models ever made.

Both cars will hit the auction block on October 28th at RM Auction’s Automobiles of London sale.

We’ll take both!

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Street Cars

More on the CLK GTR street cars after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Just days after Audi released its V10-powered R8 Spyder, news has emerged that the German automaker is planning to do away with the massive ten cylinder engine. In its place will be a turbocharged V8 powerplant, that will offer as much (if not more) power with improved fuel economy.

The news, as reported by Germany’s AutoBild magazine, is not surprising considering numerous rumors that as BMW will also move away from a V10 powerplant, opting for a turbocharged V8 for the next M5.

Audi has already started to downsize its engines across the board, choosing a supercharged V6 in the S4, rather than the old 4.2-liter V8. The automaker has also done away with V6 options in many of its vehicles, choosing to only offer the more popular turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder.

Currently Audi offers a V10 in the Audi R8 Coupe and Spyder and a turbocharged version of that same engine can be found the RS6 (pictured above). The same Lamborghini-sourced V10 comes in the S6, while the S8 model was recently put on hold.

There is no word on if the V10 will continue on in the Lamborghini models.

[Source: Autobild via LeftLaneNews]

Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motorsw says it will close either a Jaguar or Land Rover factory in England by 2014. The decision as to which of the company’s three U.K. plants will be shuddered has not yet been made, but Tata has said which two are on the chopping block.

The first candidate is the Jaguar facility in Castle Bromwich and the second is a Land Rover facility in Solihull. The plan is to consolidate the two facilities over the next five years, with a decision being made in the next 12 to 18 months. Currently JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) employs 5,000 staff in Solihull, 2,000 in Castle Bromwich and 1,800 at the Halewood plant (pictured above) in northwestern England. There is no word on how many jobs will be cut, but Tata did say that800 additional jobs will be created in Halewood when production starts on a new small crossover based on the LRX Concept.

JLR suffered considerable losses during the recent economic downturn, with reduced demand meaning that JLR production facilities were only working at 60 percent capacity. So far, in order to meet the decreased demand the automaker has cut production by over 100,000 units while cutting 25,000 jobs.

[Source: Automotive News]