New for 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet receive new powertrains: The E350 is powered by a new 3.5-liter direct-injection V6 engine generating 302 horsepower; and the E550 gets a bi-turbo direct-injection 4.6-liter V8 producing 402 horsepower. The 2012 E-Class line also features a new transmission with a more advanced torque converter lock-up clutch that provides better fuel mileage, more responsive driving, quieter operation and increased durability.

2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

For the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz adds the S350 BlueTEC to its S-Class lineup. The S350 BlueTEC features a 3.0-liter 240-horsepower V6 turbodiesel and standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive. In addition, the S550 receives a new 4.6-liter twin-turbo direct-injection 429-horsepower V8, producing more power and better fuel economy. The S63 AMG also gets a new engine, a 5.5-liter 536-horsepower biturbo V8 that features twin turbochargers. Most 2012 S-Class versions are equipped with a new, more fuel efficient 7-speed automatic transmission.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan is updated and a new C-Class coupe is added. Exterior changes for the sedan include new headlights, grille, bumpers, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights. The new two-door couple features AMG styling, standard panorama sunroof, steering wheel shift paddles, split-folding rear seats, front seats with integrated head restraints and a 7-speed automatic transmission. Sedan and coupe versions of the C250 are powered by a new 201-horsepower 1.8-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. The C300 4MATIC sedan is powered by a 228-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 with standard all-wheel-drive. The C350 sedan and coupe are powered by a new direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 producing 302 horsepower. Both body styles offer a C63 AMG version powered by a 451-horsepower naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V8 combined with a 7-speed Multi-Clutch Transmission. The most powerful C-Class ever produced is the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series, powered by a 510-horsepower 6.3-liter V8 engine combined with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed transmission.

Mazda MX5 Auto - From idea to production Part 1

In 1976, Bob Hall, a journalist at Motor Trend magazine who was an expert in Japanese cars and fluent in the language, met Kenichi Yamamoto and Gai Arai head of Research and Development at Mazda.
In 1981, Bob Hall moved to a product planning position with Mazda US and again met Kenichi Yamamoto, now chairman of Mazda Motors, who remembered their conversation about a roadster and gave Hall the go-ahead to research the idea further. At this time Bob Hall hired designer Mark Jordan to join the newly formed Mazda design studio in Southern California. There, He and Bob collaborated on the parameters of the initial image, proportion and visualization of the "light-weight sports" concept. In 1983, the idea turned concept was approved under the "Offline 55" program, an internal Mazda initiative that sought to change the way new models were developed. Thus, under head of project Masakatsu, the concept development was turned into a competition between the Mazda design teams in Tokyo and California.

Mazda MX5 Auto - First generation (NA)

The original MX5 came with a 1.6 L (98 cu in) dual overhead cam inline four-cylinder engine, producing 90 kW (120 bhp) at 6,500rpm, and 136 N·m (100 lbf·ft) of torque at 5,500rpm. The engine employs an electronic fuel injection system using a vane-type air flow meter and a camshaft angle sensor instead of a distributor. This engine, codename B61P, had been previously used in the 323 series. Standard transmission was 5-speed manual. Japan and the USA got an optional automatic transmission which proved unpopular; these markets also received an optional viscous limited slip rear differential, although were only available for cars with a manual transmission. To achieve the low introductory price, the base model was stripped. It had steel wheels, manual steering, roll-up windows, and no stereo or AC. Power steering, AC, and stereo were added as standard equipment in later years.

The NA could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.4 seconds and had a top speed of 190 km/h (120 mph). This first generation of Miata (often referred to as the NA) included a special edition in 1991, produced in British Racing Green with the first use of tan interior.

Mazda MX-5 Auto Models Mazda Miata MX-5 Cars Parts 3

M2-1002 Vintage Roadster (Nov-92) Limited 1/300 M2-CORP released it's second Roadster in late 1992, with a sightly different front bumper, it had all the same goodies as the previous 1001 Roadster, but offered a more unique looking interior option, the Ivory Leather interior with wood accents like Brake handle and shifter. And was also limited to 300 units produced. This one did not do as well as the 1001 Roadster, so the got stuck with some left over interiors. Which later were later installed as the Tokyo Limited, and only 40 of those made it to the streets of Japan. Here you can view pics of Dean Barnes M2-1002 Roadster.
Mazda MX-5 Auto M2-1001 Cafe Roadster M2 Corp. released the M2-1001 Roadster in December 1991. It was a special "Limited Production" Roadster variant that was a short production run of only 300 units, in a special Blue/Black Mica Paint, with a sticker price of $26,000. Prospective buyers were required to show up in person at M2's Tokyo headquarters to register for a lottery to place an order for this extremely limited Mazda MX-5 Auto Roadster.

Mazda Mx-5 Miata Auto Parts 6

The BP-4W engine remained at 1.8 L (110 cu in) but received several minor updates. The engine compression ratio was raised from 9.0:1 to 9.5:1 by adding slightly domed pistons; the intake cam was changed to a solid lifter design with a stronger cam; the intake runners in the head were straightened and the intake manifold was mounted higher up. Mazda's Variable Intake Control System was introduced, which effectively gave a long narrow intake manifold at low rpm for better swirl, changing to a short, free-flowing manifold at high rpm for maximum breathing. Power output of the new engine was quoted at 106 kW (142 bhp) with 116 lbf·ft (157 N·m) of torque.
The 1.6 L (98 cu in) B6 engine remained available in Europe and Japan.
The base-model 1.8 L (110 cu in) NB could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.5 s and had a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h).
In 1999, Mazda celebrated the 10th anniversary of the MX-5 with the 10th Anniversary Model, a limited edition featuring some until-then exclusive features, namely a six-speed transmission and Bilstein shock absorbers; performance figures were slightly different, with faster acceleration but lower top speed than the standard 1.8 L (110 cu in) NB.

Mazda MX5 Auto - First generation (NA)

 The MX5 was unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show on February 10, 1989 with a price tag of US$14,000 (US$24,100 in 2008 adjusted for inflation). The MX5, with production code NA, was made available for delivery to buyers worldwide in the following dates: March 1989 in Japan, May 1989 (as a 1990 model) in the U.S.A. and Canada, 1990 in Europe. An optional hardtop was made available at the same time, in sheet moulding compound (SMC). Demand initially outstripped production, fueled by enthusiastic press reviews.

n Japan, the car was not badged as a Mazda, as the company was experimenting with the creation of different marques for deluxe models, similar to Nissan's Infiniti and Toyota's Lexus (both brands of which launched at the same time as the Miata). Instead, the Mazda MX5 was sold as the Eunos Roadster in that market.
The body shell of the NA was all-steel with a light-weight aluminium hood. Overall dimensions were 3,970 mm (156 in) in length, 1,675 mm (65.9 in) in width, and 1,235 mm (48.6 in) in height. Drag coefficient was indicated as 0.38. Suspension was an independent double wishbone on all four wheels, with an anti-roll bar at the front and rear. Four wheel-disc brakes, ventilated at the front, were behind alloy wheels with 185/60HR14 radial tires. The base model came with stamped steel wheels from the current 323/Protege.

Infiniti Says it's Mulling a GT-R Based Halo Supercar

Isn't it strange how things turn out sometimes? In March 2011, one of our readers tipped us off on a 2004 Infiniti G35 Coupe dressed up to look like a Nissan GT-R that she had found in Quebec, Canada.
A few months later, the group’s head-honcho, Carlos Ghosn, hinted an Infiniti version of the Godzilla, but he was neither here nor there.
“If you ask me, 'are we going to do that’, I would say ‘no, I don’t think so’”, said Ghosn. But then he added: “If your question is ‘could we do that’, I would say ‘yes’. All technologies developed for Nissan are available to Infiniti.”
Now, CAR Magazine is reporting that Nissan’s luxury arm is indeed considering building such a model. According to the British publication, Infiniti’s head of advanced planning Francois Bancon admitted that the company is currently looking at producing a “halo” model based on the GT-R's running gear.
“It’s too good a platform to use only on one model”, said Bancon referring to the GT-R’s 545HP 3.8-liter V6, its double-clutch gearbox and four-wheel drive system that makes it compete against supercars double its price.
Bancon added that a decision will be made in within next two or three years. “We have three or four proposals we are looking at right now. Once we have launched the new smaller Infiniti, the time would be right to have a flagship," Bancon was quoted as saying.
However, he stressed that it won’t be a simple rebadging process as an Infiniti has to be more refined and sophisticated than a Nissan.
“It would have to be softer than the GT-R, and that’s extremely difficult to do”, Bancon explained. “You can’t easily tweak the GT-R to deliver the sophisticated, more refined performance we would need on an Infiniti.”

Woman Wins $10K in Spat with Honda over Civic Hybrid's Fuel Economy, Carmaker Says it will Appeal

Lately, fuel economy figures are becoming something of a hot issue in the U.S. After the Consumer Watchdog-Hyundai Elantra debacle we told you about earlier today, we have another case of a car manufacturer accused of misleading customers about one of its model’s fuel economy claims.
Heather Peters, a former lawyer who lives in Southern California, took Honda to a small-claims court. She accused the carmaker of lying about her 2006 Civic Hybrid's fuel efficiency as she never managed to reach the estimates advertised by Honda.
And guess what? Peters won the case and the court awarded her US$9,867. LA Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan wrote a 26-page decision, which included a long list of misleading statements made by Honda and identified by Peters, such as “amazingly little fuel” and “save plenty of money of fuel with up to 50 mpg during city driving.”
“At a bare minimum Honda was aware… that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," Carnahan wrote in the ruling.
Peters, who was naturally delighted with the decision, said she did not file a class-action lawsuit because in small-claims courts, there are no attorney’s fees and cases are decided upon quickly.
She also launched a website at DontSettleWithHonda.org with the intent to inspire other Civic Hybrid owners to dismiss Honda’s class-action settlement that offered owners US$100-200 each and a $1,000 credit on purchasing a new car and choose the small courts option.
Peters said that legal fees in the class action could give lawyers around $8.5 million adding that if the 200,000 people who are covered by the proposed settlement were to sue the Japanese carmaker in a small court, it could cost Honda as much as US$2 billion!