Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) present 2012 Moto3 machine in Catalunya

On Thursday, 2nd, June 2011 at the Catalunya Circuit, Barcelona, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will present the NSF250R 4 stroke machine to be used for the future Moto3 class in 2012 that will replace the current 2 stroke, 125cc model used in the GP125 class. This high performance, lightweight and compact racing machine inherits important elements from the RS125R and will allow users to ride with the same sense of comfort whilst learning the basics to move up from entry level to the premier class, serving as a springboard in creating future MotoGP Championship riders.



From 1976's MT125R to the RS125R, which finished production with the 2009 model, Honda has produced an accumulative total of 15,000 market racing machines and over this long period of 34 years, Honda has broadened the base of 2 wheel motorsports both in Japan and Worldwide whilst also supporting a number of riders.


During this time, Honda has nurtured all 29 Japan Championship 125 cc class champions, a grand total of 130 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP) victories, 11 manufacturer championships and 9 champions with the RS125R.


Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso, currently riding the RC212V in MotoGP, both won World Championships aboard the RS125R and built up a great deal of experience.


Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has also supported customers by selling kit parts to make the engine and other components more powerful while continuing with sales of base vehicles, thereby expanding constructor business opportunities.


Later, environmental challenges for mass production models were pushed to a global level, accompanied by a similar shift to 4 strokes for motorcycle racing machines.


The shift came from the the pinnacle of World Championship Grand Prix racing, moving from the GP500 (2 stroke, 500 cc) to the MotoGP (4 stroke, 990 cc or less at the time; currently 800 cc and next year returning to 1000cc) in 2002 and starting the Moto2 (one make 4 stroke, 600 cc Honda engine) in place of the GP250 (2 stroke, 250 cc) in 2010.


The new NSF250R will be presented at the Catalunya Circuit at 15h30 on Thursday, 2nd June in the Relax Area of the MotoGP Paddock.


This will be followed by a demonstration lap ridden by Alex Criville at approximately 17h00 on Friday 3rd June and a further demonstration lap after the MotoGP warm-up session on Sunday 5th June.


Source: MotoGP : Honda Racing Corporation to present 2012 Moto3 machine in Catalunya











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KTM celebrates IDM Superbike victory with the RC8 R

From ATV Quads News: KTM RC8 R Superbike riders were on top of their game on Sunday at the Oschersleben circuit in Germany when a double pole on Saturday from Matej Smrz and Stefan Nebel of the Inghart KTM Superbike Team Germany set the stage for a double victory in Sunday’s races by Smrz of the Czech Republic.With Martin Bauer of KTM Motorex having won both races in the opening event at the Lausitzring, the riders and the Austrian manufacturing company has hands firmly on the lead of competition and Manufacturer’s Standings. Smrz set the tone for the weekend in the opening timed training on Saturday when he put in the fastest ever lap on the circuit by a motorcycle. But it was to be a weekend with mixed fortunes for the other Orange riders. The first race of the day was stopped after six laps when Dario Giuseppetti of Germany high-sided. Nebel was unable to avoid the fallen rider, crashed himself and injured his shoulder. At the time of the accident Martin Bauer (KTM Motorex) was in the lead 1.9 seconds ahead of Smrz and Nebel was fourth and it looked like a possible triple orange podium. Bauer continued to lead after the race was restarted and had put distance between himself and Smrz but four laps before the close he had technical problems and had to retire. The way was then clear for KTM’s new Czech rider to take the glory. The second race was less complicated for Smrz who led from start to checkered flag. Bauer made a heroic attack on the front of the pack after missing the start thanks to clutch problems and eventually finished in third to add some more valuable points to his double victory on the opening IDM race weekend at Lausnitz. The three riders on the podium were only separated by one second.
KTM Superbike riders have had a sensational start to the International German superbike championship series with four straight victories from four races to take a lead in the rider standings and the Manufacturer’s title.



Matej Smrz: “The first race was very difficult. I didn’t get a good start and I was caught up in a group of fast riders. They there as the crash and its not nice when a team mate gets injured. When the race s started again I kept a bit of distance from Martin (Bauer) and then he dropped out of the race and I was able to go on and win. In the second race I attacked right from the beginning and was able to defend my lead right up to the finish.


Martin Bauer: I was in front in the first race right up to a handful of laps before the end. Then there was a technical problem that began in the start –finish straight. I held up my hand and rolled into the chicane and I can be lucky that I didn’t crash because the back wheel blocked. I was naturally very disappointed and I thought about how it was at Hockenheim last year when a possible triumph slipped through my fingers. In the second race there was a problem with the clutch on my second bike so I had a bad start. I thought ‘this cant be possible!’ but then I fought back and I gave it everything. In the end I just had Smrz and Muggeridge in front of me and with a cramp in my right thigh I wasn’t able to manage anything else.”


Stefan Nebel: I was in fourth place after a few rounds and then the guy in front of me crashed and I wasn’t able to avoid him. I crashed too but I managed to roll into the pit area but I had pain in my shoulder and at the Magdelburg hospital they said I have broken my collarbone.


The IDM 125 race was also one of mixed fortunes with KTM rider Toni Finsterbusch crashing out while in the lead to leave it to Sweden’s Alexander Kristiansson to be the fastest KTM on the track in third place. The Swedish rider was also third at Lausnitz and is third in the standings. Other creditable performances by KTM riders came from Austria’s Deni Cudic in sixth place while Germany’s Philipp Oettl was eighth.


Results

Race One Superbike

1, Matej Smrz, Czech Republic, INGHART KTM SUPERBIKE Team Germany,

2, Michael Ranseder. Austria, BMW

3, Damian Cudin, Australia, BMW

4, Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Honda

5, Sascha Hommel Germany, Yamaha


Race Two Superbike

1, Matej Smrz, Czech Republic, INGHART KTM SUPERBIKE Team Germany

2, Karl Muggeridge, Australian, Honda

3, Martin Bauer, Austria, KTM Motorex

DNS Stefan Nebel


IDM Superbike Championship Points

1, Smrz, KTM 73 points

2, Bauer, KTM 66

3, Muggeridge, 62

4, Ranseder, 50

5, Cudlin, 48

8, Nebel, KTM, 26 points


*After four from 16 races, KTM leads the Manufacturers title with 145 points ahead of BMW with 98 and Honda with 76


IDM 125

1, Luca Amato, Germany, Aprilia

2, Jack Miller, Australia, Aprilia

3, Alexander Kristiansson, Sweden, KTM (also third in standings after 2 races)

4, Bryan Schouten, Netherlands, Honda

5, Max Eckner, Germany, Aprilia

6, Deni Cudic, Austria, KTM

8, Philipp Oettl, Germany, KTM

(KTM rider Toni Finsterbusch crashed out while in the lead)











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New MotoGP Tire For Le Mans Debut

The 2011 MotoGP Championship heads to France this weekend for the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, which will occur May 15. At the Le Mans (French) GP, Bridgestone, the sole tire supplier in MotoGP, will introduce a new asymmetric rear slick tire. Bridgestone says the soft option rear is Bridgestone's first soft asymmetric offering, and features soft compound rubber in the right shoulder with extra soft compound in the left side. The MotoGP tire was initially schedule to make its debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, which was postponed due to the March 11 Earthquake. Bridgestone says the MotoGP tires provide better initial grip and warm-up performance and will provide better performance in the cold conditions that can be expected in France. The nature of the Le Mans circuit is also slippery which demands softer compound rubber to generate good grip.

w
Asymmetric rear slicks are required to provide good durability and stability through the nine right-handed MotoGP corners at Le Mans while not sacrificing warm-up performance in the left side of the tires, which is only used five times each lap.


Bridgestone says Le Mans can be called a stop-and-go MotoGP circuit, which is to say that rather than being a flowing lap it is punctuated by a succession of heavy braking points followed by hard acceleration.


Heavy braking places emphasis on the center section of the front tires, while the hard acceleration out of corners means good edge grip is important. Having said that, with its smooth tarmac and low temperature Le Mans is the least severe circuit of the 2011 MotoGP year for tires which is why the soft and medium front and rear slicks have been selected by Bridgestone.


The weather in the region is unpredictable and whilst last year was dry, in recent years the race has been interrupted by rain so Bridgestone have selected the soft wets for the fourth time this year in MotoGP.


Hiroshi Yamada (Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department) says: "The French GP is always popular with fans and is a large and important race for Bridgestone and our local sales companies too. I'm also pleased that we have developed a new tyre over the winter that we are using for the first time at Le Mans. It shows that we are not resting on our laurels and still working hard and constantly developing our MotoGP tires, listening closely to the riders in an effort to provide them the best possible tyres in terms both of performance and of course safety."


Hirohide Hamashima (Assistant to Director, Motorsport Tire Development Division) says: "Le Mans is a slippery and smooth circuit, and run early in the year when the track temperature is low, so softer compound tires are required to generate grip and this is why we will use our new soft asymmetric rear tire in France. We developed the extra soft compound at the end of last year and used it in Portugal and Valencia, but over the winter we have incorporated it into a soft compound asymmetric tire which is totally new. It is designed to work when the conditions are colder to warm-up faster and provide riders with better feeling in the first stages of use.


"The circuit has quite a stop-and-go nature, although the last part of the lap is high speed. Lateral loads placed on the tyres are relatively low but good stability under braking is crucial, especially into turns three and nine which come at the end of the two straights. The circuit has an asymmetric layout that uses the right shoulders harder, hence our choice of asymmetric rear slicks."


Bridgestone slick compounds available: Front: Soft, Medium. Rear (asymmetric): Soft, Medium











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Where to Buy a Custom Motorcycle in Red Hook

Via: Racked NY and for complete reading, you can go to: Where to Buy a Custom Motorcycle in Red Hook, for more information about "Buy Motorcycle"

New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle. Austin Sherbanenko, founder of label Odyn Vovk, may live in Los Angeles, but he comes to NYC every fall for Fashion Week, and whenever he's here, he makes sure his trip includes The Brooklyn Invitational. TBI is an annual motorcycle show put on by Sherbanenko's favorite shop in Red Hook. It's a massive gathering, all in the effort to show off craftsmanship and customization in the world of kick-ass motorcycles. And at the epicenter of TBI is Keino Cycles, one of the last standing customized bike shops around.



Keino is a Japanese motorcycle builder from Fukuoka, Japan who is one of the best builders in the USA. He's also part of the WKITHOK (White Knights in the House of Kolor) along with Wes Lang and other great New York artists which is fucking cool. Plus, he worked alongside the legendary Indian Larry.


Keino and the White Knights put on an amazing motorcycle show in Brooklyn every September (right after Fashion Week, so I extend my stay just to stay for the show!) called The Brooklyn Invitational. I recommend visiting the shop just to see the true craftsmanship behind every single part of the bikes he builds, and I find our approach to design is quite similar. He's an amazing guy who continues to put the boundaries in customizing killer bikes. 90% of the bikes that he builds from the ground up are hand-made. Every single aspect of the process is customized. This is one guy who take tremendous pride in what he does.











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Alfa Romeo Offer SUV, Expects to Stimulate Sales

After years of selling niche vehicles like the Spider, Brera, and GT, Alfa Romeo is planning to add an SUV to its lineup (Autocar reports). The idea of an Alfa-branded SUV isn’t new though, dating back to at least 2003 with the Kamal concept. But the plan to turn Alfa into a volume manufacturer, hatched by Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, is what really pushed the idea into reality. With an SUV in its lineup, Alfa will be better equipped to compete with the likes of BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. Parent-company Fiat expects 500,000 Alfa sales per year by 2014, adding an SUV could be vital to the brand’s future success, especially with the brand planning to reenter the U.S. market by 2013.



The C-SUV’s underpinnings, Fiat’s new Compact Plus Global Modular Architecture, will support four-wheel-drive and Fiat engineers say that the chassis can be tuned to better suit Alfa’s sporty nature, despite being a modular platform. According to Autocar, the C-SUV’s off-road capabilities will be similar to that of the Euro-market Nissan Qashqai, a relative of the U.S.-market Rogue. Autocar also speculates that the C-SUV will receive similar engines to those used in the Guilia, including a 1.8-liter direct-injected gasoline I-4 with Fiat’s Multiair 2 technology, producing around 200 hp and a 140-hp 2.0-liter diesel engine featuring Multijet and Multiair technologies. Autocar also believes a 273-hp 3.3-liter version of Chrysler’s Pentastar V-6 might be used in the range-topping model, while a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 producing anywhere from 220 to 250 hp could be used in the higher-end diesel models.


Based on a stretched Giulia platform that will underpin the forthcoming BMW 3 Series-sized sedan, Alfa’s new SUV, codenamed C-SUV, will be built next to its sister car, a Jeep model to replace both the Compass and the Patriot, in late 2012. Produced at Fiat’s Mirafori plant in Turin, Italy, 280,000 Jeep- and Alfa-branded SUVs are expected to roll out every year. Of those units, at least 100,000 will be Alfa C-SUVs—half of which will be destined for the U.S.


With only four models in its current lineup, adding an SUV to its offerings will help strengthen Alfa’s appeal for American audiences. While the C-SUV will likely be the brand’s entry-level SUV, a Jeep Grand Cherokee-based SUV is also planned to go into production shortly after Alfa’s reentry into the U.S. market. Combined with the rest of Alfa’s future lineup, including the flagship 4C sports car and upcoming variants of the Giulia and Mito subcompact, these SUVs will help Alfa reach Marchionne’s goal of selling 85,000 units in the U.S. as soon as 2014.











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Hertz And MotoGP For Another Year's Extension

MotoGP rights holder "Dorna Sports", have extended their contract for another year with the rental company, Hertz. The original contract was done in 2010 and with a further extension now, Hertz will be seen providing Dorna with a range of services throughout the 2011 campaign. Managing Director of Dorna Sports, Pau Serracanta, said, “We are very happy to be working together with Hertz for a second year. It also demonstrates that we are working with a clear vision of the future in which the alliance between Dorna and Hertz can last for many years.”



The partnership between the two companies developed well during the 2010 season. The premier class organizers will avail services from Hertz rental cars and also use the company’s offerings from the Hertz Equipment rental company, Hertz Energy Services. HES, provides portable power units and temperature control solutions for sports events, concerts, festivals and industries. Hertz Energy Services will provide vital services, as generators for power supplies to the MotoGP Paddock, which includes climate control equipments and units to the VIP Village.


Hertz holds a name internationally, in providing services for the events on a wide global scale. The company will facilitate each event of the FIM’s World Championship, to run un-interrupted for the occasion. For Hertz, this is the best platform to show their reliable services, which they can provide for an international event.


Vice President Marketing of Hertz Europe, Olivier Lecoq, while speaking on the occasion, said, “We have extended this agreement with Dorna for a further year as MotoGP provides a platform which is helping us to be one of the best known brands, and the understanding between the two parties has been very positive.”


The VP Marketing added that extending a partnership with Dorna, which is a strong name in the motorcycle racing world, means that Hertz is looking forward to further joining hands with firm, for a long period of time. The dreadful economic crisis has complicated financial stakes around the world and a partnership with Dorna, is surely a positive step for Hertz.


The next MotoGP event on the year’s calendar is the Grand Prix of France, to be held at the Le Mans circuit, on May 15. The race will be an opportunity for everyone, to avail the benefits of Hertz’s services.


The World Championship will see its’ fourth round of the season in the extended partnership. As the third round of the season was pure drama, when Dani Pedrosa passed the defending world champion, Jorge Lorenzo in the last and fourth lap of the race, more can be expected in the upcoming clash on the world famous circuit, in France.











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KTM ensured of stability in MX World Championship factory team right through to 2013

The Red Bull Teka KTM Racing Team enjoyed its most successful season ever in 2010 and has made of very positive start to racing in 2011 thanks to the passion, skill and dedication of the entire factory team and the ongoing commitment to the company's unique racing DNA by KTM's CEO Stefan Pierer. KTM has secured stability for its top class MX World Championship factory racing team right through to 2013, Motorsports boss Pit Beirer has reported.



Going into the new season, Pit Beirer has also paid tribute to the "great cooperation" with Claudio De Carli, the manager of MX1 World Champion Antonio Cairoli.


De Carli and Cairoli came into the team together at the beginning of the 2010 season and Tony went on to win the MX1 title riding the KTM 350 SX-F bike in its first year of release.


"We have enjoyed a great cooperation with Claudio De Carli and we very much appreciate and respect his work with the factory team," Beirer said, speaking from the company headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria. "Now we can look forward to continuing to work closely with Claudio and Tony right through to the end of the 2013 season."


Pit Beirer said he was particularly pleased that as well as acquiring the extended services of MX1 world champion Tony Cairoli for the coming seasons, also his teammate Max Nagl and the team's MX2 duo Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings would remain with Red bull Teka KTM Factory Racing until the close of the 2013 season.


He underlined that it was also very important for the continuity of the team's development that KTM had secured the extended services of factory team manager and multi world champion Stefan Everts right through the 2013 season.


Beirer said the entire Red Bull Teka KTM factory team could now settle down, work hard and move forward to the next stage of its development. "We have both continuity and commitment for the team and this is very important for building our future," he said.


Source: http://www.fullnoise.com.au/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_full&news_id=10239&Ntitle=Motocross%3A%20KTM%20ensured%20of%20stability%20in%20MX%20factory%20team%20right%20through%20to%202013











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2011 Ducati Monster Challenge Contest

Ducati Motorcycle (North America) Announcement:


Cupertino, Calif. (May 6, 2011) - Ducati North America is set to launch the 2011 Monster Challenge customization competition to identify the most creative Ducati riders in the nation. All 2008 and later new-generation Ducati Monster owners are encouraged to enter for a chance to win the grand prize  a weeklong trip for two to the Ducati factory in Bologna, Italy including travel, accommodations, a Ducati factory experience, loan of a motorcycle and more.



Interested Monster owners can enter in the amateur or professional category at www.ducaticommunity.com , from May 11 to July 15, 2011. The competition will take place in two stages; first, contestants will submit entries online to be voted on by members of the Ducati Community through July 31, 2011. The two contestants from each category with the highest votes will win an exclusive Ducati MotoGP experience at the 2011 Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, hosted by Ducati. The four custom Monsters will be on display on Ducati Island at the Grand Prix where attendees will then vote to select the grand prize winners of the trip to Italy.



"The Monster is Ducati's best-selling line of motorcycles and with thousands of Ducati Monster owners across the nation, the competition is sure to be impressive," said Ducati North America's General Manager Dominique Cheraki. "As the most iconic ?naked' motorcycle of all time, Monster owners in the U.S. have particularly taken to personalizing these bikes which is already evident on our new Ducati Community social media site. We are looking forward to seeing the variety of personalization and talent that is revealed by this competition."


Entries for stage one of the 2011 Monster Challenge will be accepted from May 11 to July 15, 2011, and judging for stage one will take place online. Interested Monster owners should log on to www.ducaticommunity.com for full competition details.


This just in from DNA:


Ducati North America To Kick-Off 2011 Monster Challenge Customization Competition


Ducati Owners Invited to Compete for a Chance to Win Dream Ducati Experience to Bologna, Italy











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A123 Systems signs in as sponsor of 2011 TTXGP electric motorcycle racing series

A123 is title sponsor for the series kickoff May 15 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., and a sponsor for the remaining three races in New Hampshire, Oregon and Virginia. The company supplying batteries for the soon to be released Fisker Karma electric car is sponsoring the 2011 TTXGP North American Championship electric motorcycle racing series.



Massachusetts-based A123 Systems, which also has development deals with General Motors and BMW, is the first company to become a title sponsor for the TTXGP, which began on the Isle of Man in 2009 as a single race and expanded last year with a racing circuit in the U.S. and Europe.


In a statement released Thursday, Robert Johnson, A123 vice president of energy solutions, said the company's sponsorship of the series is designed to "help promote its goal of moving vehicle electrification forward by showcasing the potential of high-performance technology like A123's lithium-ion battery systems."


A123 is the developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries. It was the recipient of a $249-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009. The money was used to build the country's largest lithium-ion manufacturing facility in Livonia, Mich.


Seven teams will compete in the A123 Infineon Round on May 15, including Mission Motors (based in San Francisco), Brammo Racing (from Ashland, Ore.) and the winner of last year's North American Championship, Lightning Motors (in Woodside, Calif.).


This year's TTXGP is the first to be sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Assn., as well as the International Motorcycling Federation, or FIM, North American union.


"We're not renegades anymore," said Azhar Hussein, founder of the TTXGP, which two years ago was the world's first electric superbike race on the Isle of Man. "The renegade is in the fold".


Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/05/ttxgp-a123.html











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Waypoints And GPS

Although the term waypoint has only come into common use in recent years, the equivalent of a waypoint in all but name has existed for as long as human beings have navigated. Waypoints have traditionally been associated with distinctive features of the real world, such as rock formations, springs, oases, mountains, buildings, roadways, waterways, railways, and so on. Today, these associations persist, but waypoints are more often associated with physical artifacts created specifically for navigation, such as radio beacons, buoys, satellites, control points, etc.


Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. Coordinates used can vary depending on the application. For terrestrial navigation these coordinates can include longitude and latitude. Air navigation also includes altitude. Waypoints have only become widespread for navigational use by the layman since the development of advanced navigational systems, such as the GPS and certain other types of radio navigation. Waypoints located on the surface of the Earth are usually defined in two dimensions (e.g., longitude and latitude); those used in the Earth's atmosphere or in outer space are defined in at least three dimensions (four if time is one of the coordinates, as it might be for some waypoints outside the Earth).


In the modern world, waypoints are increasingly abstract, often having no obvious relationship to any distinctive features of the real world. These waypoints are used to help define invisible routing paths for navigation. For example, artificial airways“highways in the sky” created specifically for purposes of air navigation often have no clear connection to features of the real world, and consist only of a series of abstract waypoints in the sky through which pilots navigate; these airways are designed to facilitate air traffic control and routing of traffic between heavily traveled locations, and do not reference natural terrain features. Abstract waypoints of this kind have been made practical by modern navigation technologies, such as land-based radio beacons and the satellite-based GPS


Abstract waypoints typically have only specified longitude and latitude or UTM coordinates plus the reference datum, and often a name if they are marked on charts, and are located using a radio navigation system such as a VOR or GPS receiver. A waypoint can be a destination, a fix along a planned course used to make a journey, or simply a point of reference useful for navigation.


for more details About Waypoints And GPS, you can read "here"


while for samples of his equipment-examples you can go "here"











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2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

It goes without saying, but we're going to go ahead and say it anyway: Crossovers are so hot right now. According to data compiled by Ford, the CUV industry has expanded 220 percent since 2006, which is the year the Blue Oval introduced the world to the Edge, its main player in the hotly contested market.

Ford also contends that the over 400,000 Edge CUVs have sold since late 2006, making it the best-selling mid-size crossover over that period of time. Don't expect that growth to slow down any time soon, either, as Ford projects the CUV segment will increase another few percentage points in 2011. In fact, the market for CUVs will grow to be as large as that of full-size pickup trucks.

In order to meet the increased demand it expects for CUVs, Ford has sharpened its Edge (sorry, couldn't resist) for the 2011 model year. Of special note are the two new drivetrain choices that join the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 285 horsepower and a 3.5-horsepower 3.7 Ti-VCT V6 in the newly beefed-up Edge Sport.

The House that Henry Built is also quick to point out that its next-gen Edge will come with a full suite of technology options, including Sync and MyFord Touch. So, will all of this added goodness equal a worthwhile improvement to the hot-selling previous-generation Edge?

2011 Ford Edge begins shipping to dealers as model hits 400,000 units

It goes without saying, but we're going to go ahead and say it anyway: Crossovers are so hot right now. According to data compiled by Ford, the CUV industry has expanded 220 percent since 2006, which is the year the Blue Oval introduced the world to the Edge, its main player in the hotly contested market.

Ford also contends that the over 400,000 Edge CUVs have sold since late 2006, making it the best-selling mid-size crossover over that period of time. Don't expect that growth to slow down any time soon, either, as Ford projects the CUV segment will increase another few percentage points in 2011. In fact, the market for CUVs will grow to be as large as that of full-size pickup trucks.

In order to meet the increased demand it expects for CUVs, Ford has sharpened its Edge (sorry, couldn't resist) for the 2011 model year. Of special note are the two new drivetrain choices that join the standard 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 285 horsepower and a 3.5-horsepower 3.7 Ti-VCT V6 in the newly beefed-up Edge Sport.

The House that Henry Built is also quick to point out that its next-gen Edge will come with a full suite of technology options, including Sync and MyFord Touch. So, will all of this added goodness equal a worthwhile improvement to the hot-selling previous-generation Edge?

General Motors and SAIC to jointly develop small engine and dual clutch transmission

General Motors has reached an agreement with one of its primary Chinese partners, Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. (SAIC), on the joint development of powertrains for small vehicles.

GM and SAIC will develop and produce a family of four-cylinder engines ranging from 1.0- to 1.5-liters with direct injection and turbocharging. The GTDI engines should cut fuel consumption by around 20 percent compared to similarly-sized engines with equivalent output.

The engine will be used in GM and SAIC vehicles in China and around the world, and to go along with the new engine, the partners will also develop a small dual-clutch transmission that should provide a 10 percent boost in efficiency over current six-speed torque converter automatics. Work on the engine and transmission will occur at GM's powertrain engineering center in Pontiac, MI and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai.

GM has yet to announced when the new powertrains will debut in production, but mid-2011 is a safe bet.

[Source: General Motors]

General Motors and SAIC to jointly develop small engine and dual clutch transmission

General Motors has reached an agreement with one of its primary Chinese partners, Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. (SAIC), on the joint development of powertrains for small vehicles.

GM and SAIC will develop and produce a family of four-cylinder engines ranging from 1.0- to 1.5-liters with direct injection and turbocharging. The GTDI engines should cut fuel consumption by around 20 percent compared to similarly-sized engines with equivalent output.

The engine will be used in GM and SAIC vehicles in China and around the world, and to go along with the new engine, the partners will also develop a small dual-clutch transmission that should provide a 10 percent boost in efficiency over current six-speed torque converter automatics. Work on the engine and transmission will occur at GM's powertrain engineering center in Pontiac, MI and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai.

GM has yet to announced when the new powertrains will debut in production, but mid-2011 is a safe bet.

[Source: General Motors]

Leaked! 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS peeks out before official debut

Whoops! The men and women in Stuttgart weren't planning to unveil the new Mercedes-Benz CLS just yet, but the crew from eMercedesBenz snagged these leaked images showing the new four-door coupe in all its production-ready glory.

As expected, the new CLS takes a lot of its styling cues from Benz's Shooting Break concept (they're name, not ours) notably the upright grille and more aggressive front fascia. The sectioned-off headlamp design has also remained intact, and from these photo-realistic renderings, it looks like someone shot the CLS in the eyes with lemon juice. Still, we're eager to see how this mix of LEDs looks out on the road at dusk. The CLS also uses the more shapely rear hips of the Shooting Break concept, rounding out the revised rear end. It's certainly more stylish than the outgoing CLS, which says a lot.

Inside, the CLS continues to use its four-seat arrangement with a center console that extends the full length of the cabin, and we fully expect the overall refinement to fall somewhere between the E-Class and S-Class sedans. Plush stuff, we're sure.

When the CLS launches, eMercedesBenz reports that a new 3.5-liter direct-injected V6 will be offered, as well as a twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 good for around 430 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Of course, an AMG version won't be far behind with the all-new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 underhood.

Now that these leaked shots have hit the web, don't be surprised if the official images and details are published in the very near future

[Source: eMercedesBenz]

Leaked! 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS peeks out before official debut

Whoops! The men and women in Stuttgart weren't planning to unveil the new Mercedes-Benz CLS just yet, but the crew from eMercedesBenz snagged these leaked images showing the new four-door coupe in all its production-ready glory.

As expected, the new CLS takes a lot of its styling cues from Benz's Shooting Break concept (they're name, not ours) notably the upright grille and more aggressive front fascia. The sectioned-off headlamp design has also remained intact, and from these photo-realistic renderings, it looks like someone shot the CLS in the eyes with lemon juice. Still, we're eager to see how this mix of LEDs looks out on the road at dusk. The CLS also uses the more shapely rear hips of the Shooting Break concept, rounding out the revised rear end. It's certainly more stylish than the outgoing CLS, which says a lot.

Inside, the CLS continues to use its four-seat arrangement with a center console that extends the full length of the cabin, and we fully expect the overall refinement to fall somewhere between the E-Class and S-Class sedans. Plush stuff, we're sure.

When the CLS launches, eMercedesBenz reports that a new 3.5-liter direct-injected V6 will be offered, as well as a twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 good for around 430 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Of course, an AMG version won't be far behind with the all-new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 underhood.

Now that these leaked shots have hit the web, don't be surprised if the official images and details are published in the very near future

[Source: eMercedesBenz]

2012 Saab 9-4X confirmed for LA debut in November

We've been expecting this announcement to come sooner or later, though we didn't exactly count on it coming from the LA Auto Show's own Twitter page. But there it is anyway, straight from the horse's mouth: "Saab has confirmed that the 9-4X Crossover will make its world debut at the LA Auto Show this Nov."

We're also expecting some sort of official word that the new crossover 'ute, which will share its Theta Premium underpinnings with the Cadillac SRX, should hit the market sometime in the spring of 2011... perhaps around April.

While we're on the subject of expectations, we'd also imagine that Saab will offer its premium crossover with the same powerplants as the recently released 9-5, which means we could see a 2.0-liter turbocharged four and a 2.8-liter turbocharged six, both likely mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and available all-wheel drive. We'll apparently find out for sure soon enough.


[Source: LA Auto Show's Twitter]

2012 Saab 9-4X confirmed for LA debut in November

We've been expecting this announcement to come sooner or later, though we didn't exactly count on it coming from the LA Auto Show's own Twitter page. But there it is anyway, straight from the horse's mouth: "Saab has confirmed that the 9-4X Crossover will make its world debut at the LA Auto Show this Nov."

We're also expecting some sort of official word that the new crossover 'ute, which will share its Theta Premium underpinnings with the Cadillac SRX, should hit the market sometime in the spring of 2011... perhaps around April.

While we're on the subject of expectations, we'd also imagine that Saab will offer its premium crossover with the same powerplants as the recently released 9-5, which means we could see a 2.0-liter turbocharged four and a 2.8-liter turbocharged six, both likely mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and available all-wheel drive. We'll apparently find out for sure soon enough.


[Source: LA Auto Show's Twitter]