Geneva Car Show Special: Nissan Patrol

The Nissan Patrol has never been an astonishing-looking car, but this latest version has definitely put an end to the car’s bad-looking history. Nissan applied its grill design to the front of the car, and made it big. This makes the Patrol easy to recognize no matter where it goes.

The new generation has a massive engine. 400hp are extracted from the 5.6 liter petrol-fueled V8 engine, and all this power is delivered to all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. Even though the boxy design has not been abandoned, the interior has been made much more comfortable for the passengers.

All Patrols will come with standard GPS Navigation system, Bluetooth radio with an auxiliary jack, power windows and a sunroof. This large SUV sits seven, but the 1^st and 2^nd row seats are the only ones that have heating (heating and cooling on the front row). But there is a three-zone air conditioning system to please everyone.

André's Opinion

This car, as massive as it might be, does not win me over. It might have astonishing specs, but I’d much rather have a Cadillac Escalade, for the status it gives its owner. The prices haven’t been revealed yet, but I’m guessing they won’t be much different from the Cadillac Escalade’s and the Chevrolet Tahoe’s.

Source: World Car Fans

Geneva Car Show Special: Mini Countryman

The Geneva car show will take place in March 2010. It will be the debut place of many automobiles, including the Mini Countryman. This new compact (and very compact) SUV does not have any direct opponents, but it should compete with the Tiguan, from Volkswagen, and the Q5, from Audi.

This small, yet nifty SUV is available with five different engines, and two different types of traction. There are five different trim levels, each with its engine choice. The One Countryman delivers 98 hp from a 1.6 engine, while the One D Countryman delivers 90 hp. The Cooper Countryman delivers 122hp, while the Cooper D Countryman delivers 112 hp. The top-of-the-range Cooper S Countryman delivers 184 horsepower, going from 0-100km/h in just under 8 seconds. All trim levels have the option of 2 or 4 wheel drive.

This new Mini features all fuel-efficiency apparatus as the other minis, such as start/stop, brake energy recovery and a light which tells you when it is the best time to change gears. All trim levels have the option of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed semiautomatic transmission. Fuel consumption is low in both cases.

André's Opinion

I really like this car. It is small, powerful and let’s face it, it’s a Mini. The build quality is top notch. I would buy it, but Mini hasn’t decided yet if they will bring this model to Brazil.

Source: World Car Fans

2010 VW Fox and 2010 VW Crossfox

This was one of the most expected releases of the year. VW has recently re-modelled its Fox and Crossfox models. They are best-sellers inside the VW range, and on this re-styling VW listened to consumers' complains, which concerned mainly the models' fit and finish.
The Fox follows VW's new design, which was introduced in Europe with the Mk6 Golf, a model which is not available yet in the Brazilian market. The sides of the Fox were not altered, but the rear-end was granted new tail lights and bumper. The Fox is avaliable in nine different trim levels, with an engine choice of 1.0 or 1.6 liter power sources, and a gearbox choice of either manual or automated, this last one called I-Motion.

This so called new generation of the Fox has new optionals, such as the forementioned I-Motion transmission, and sunroof. The radio system now has a USB and iPod connections, and the dashboard now has plastics that feel nicer to the touch. The instrument pannel is now the same as in other VW models, such as the Polo and the Gol. It has a blue illumination, and when equiped, the I-System on-board computer screen. Prices start at R$ 29'993 for the basc, 3-door, 1.0 liter trim level, and can get as high as R$ 39'400 for the 5-door, 1.6 liter I-Motion trim level.

VW has also announced the adventurous brother of the Fox, the VW Crossfox. The improvements from the previous model concern mailny the same issues as the Fox: fit and finish. Its design is also "cleaner" as the outgoing model's, due to the loss of the transversal roof rails and the front cross-bar.

The Crossfox is avaliable in only one trim, the 1.6 liter manual, but the owner may equip it with items that range from a simple air conditioner to a complexsunroof. The higher suspension and the off-road tyres enhance its off-road appearance, but the lack of a 4x4 system or any other off-road apparatuses put off any serious off-roading pretensions.

In the interior, the same changes as the Fox's can be found. The only difference is the seat lining, which as a different saliance and a different fabric as the ones found in the Fox. VW says that 60% of the Crossfox owners are women, and that only 5% of the owners actually take the car off-roading regularly. With prices starting at expensive R$ 45'550 (and getting as high as R$ 62'510 when fully equipped), the Crossfox is pretty expensive, but its improvements over the previous model are a reasonable sales argument.

André's Opinion: The Crossfox is from now on my favorite car. It is high enough off the ground to face the speed bumpswe have in São Paulo; small enough to fit into any parking space and agile enough to make a quick stoplight getaway. The Fox is also a very good car, but I would look at the Polo, it's "older brother", with a lot of attention.

Source: Quatro Rodas

Fifth Gear Crashes - Part 3

The third and last post of the crash test series kills the myth that bigger cars will always perform better in crashes than smaller cars. It shows that if an old big car crashes into a modern supermini, the driver runs serious life-threatening risks when being in the older car.

Of course this does not apply to modern big cars, but when buying a used car, it is surely something to consider: whether to buy a recent supermini or an old station wagon, for example. I would much rather be in the supermini, not only for safety reasons, but also because it is cheaper to run and easier to park.

Source: Fifth Gear

Fifth Gear Crashes - Part 2

The second video of the crash-test series proves right the myth that badly repaired vehicles won't do as well as well-repaired vehicles in a second crash.

This is a very big issue for people who buy second hand cars. It is very important that the car's past is investigated, because it bay be hiding serious safety threats. Here in Brazil, this cannot be forgotten, and there are already companies such as "Auto Visão" that perform this investigation (at a certain cost, of course.)

Source: Fifth Gear