The Ritz from Maruti Suzuki in India finally made its debut today, available in petrol and diesel engines. With the Ritz – a Superior stance hatchback positioned at the premium-end of the compact car market – Maruti Suzuki consolidates its leadership in the highly competitive compact car segment. The Ritz comes with the BS-IV and OBD-I compliance much ahead of the regulation being enforced in the country.

The Ritz has been specifically designed for India. Maruti Suzuki engineers worked with the Suzuki design team in Japan to co-design the car and carry out India-specific changes.

The heart of the Ritz are the brand new 1.2 Litre K12M Petrol engine and the 1.3 DDiS Diesel power-plant, each offering optimum performance and fuel efficiency. Alongside this, the transmission system has been optimized for the Ritz to match Indian driving habits. With this the Ritz offers the best-in-class combination of fuel efficiency and drivability.

(Source) PR Domain

Tags: bs, car market, car segment, co design, compact car, compliance, debut, diesel engines, diesel power, drivability, fuel efficiency, leadership, maruti suzuki, optimum performance, petrol engine, power plant, ritz, suzuki engineers, transmission system

Continue reading...

Ford gets the nod of Kelly Blue Book as two of its vehicles have been included in the Top 10 Green Cars list. Today, editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com named the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid to its 2009 list of “Top 10 Green Cars.”

“This recognition says strong things about Ford as a hybrid manufacturer,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “What we really like about both the Fusion and Escape Hybrids is that they do everything great hybrids should do – in terms of providing excellent fuel economy – but at the same time, they drive like conventional vehicles.”

Nerad says fuel economy was just one of the factors editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com took into consideration when selecting this year’s list of “Top 10 Green Cars.”

“We go beyond fuel economy and powertrain, and we look at things that people generally look at when buying any car, such as comfort, convenience, safety and value for the money,” he said.

Ford Hybrid Marketing Manager David Finnegan says winning two of the 10 spots on kbb.com’s “Top 10 Green Cars” list for 2009 demonstrates Ford’s versatility as a hybrid manufacturer.

“We are continuing to expand our portfolio to offer consumers a wider range of alternatives,” said Finnegan. “Not only do we have the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet with the Ford Escape Hybrid but we also are committed to being a leader in the car segment. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid provides 41 mpg in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway, making it North America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan.”

(Source) Press

Tags: car segment, ford escape, ford escape hybrid, ford fusion, ford vehicles, fuel economy, fuel efficient suv, green cars, hybrid marketing, hybrids, kelley blue book, kelly blue book

Continue reading...

For the potential car buyers on a tight budget, you can turn to the 2010 Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan for potential vehicles catering to your budget. Aside from that they are fuel-efficient, further sweetening the deal for wise car buying today.

The gas engine-powered and hybrid-electric models leapfrog the competition in every area that counts:

• fuel economy
• power
• technology
• overall value

“We’ve priced Fusion to beat the competition as it does in every area that matters most to customers,” said Chantel Lenard, Ford group marketing manager, Global Small and Medium Cars. “This vehicle does more than compete; it aggressively positions Ford to take back its share of the mid-size car segment and sets the tone for the upcoming Taurus and Fiesta launches.”

The front-wheel-drive Fusion S, with a new fuel-efficient 2.5-liter I-4 engine, has a base price (including $725 destination and delivery) of $19,995; the SE trim level is $20,545; the SEL is $23,975. An optional 3.0-liter V-6 engine also is available on SE and SEL models.

Performance-minded buyers can opt for the Fusion Sport equipped with a new 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 263 horsepower and 249 ft.-lb. of torque. Fusion Sport FWD starts at $25,825; AWD at $27,675.

The Mercury Milan ranges from $21,180 (including destination and delivery) for the FWD model with the I-4 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, to $27,800 for the well-equipped Milan Premier AWD model with a fuel-efficient 3.0-liter V-6 engine.

(Source) Press

Tags: automatic transmission, car segment, ford fusion, ford group, front wheel drive, horsepower, mercury milan, power technology

Continue reading...

The Opel Insignia first debuted in Paris some months back. And now, it will be debuting in Malta, to which local agents of the United Automobile Limited are going to have a sneak peak today. The Car of the Year is a designation awarded by 59 senior motoring correspondents from 23 European countries. They chose the Insignia from 37 contenders in this year’s competition. Twenty journalists placed the Insignia first.

Opel’s Insignia obtained five stars for safety by the European traffic institution Euro NCAP. The Insignia has also been awarded four stars for child protection and two stars for pedestrian protection – the best ratings given so far in the large family car segment. The independent institute earlier confirmed the high quality of the Insignia’s head rests for protection against whiplash.

The Insignia will be on display at the United Automobile showroom in Abate Rigord Street, Ta’ Xbiex, today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

(Source) Times of Malta

Tags: automobile showroom, car of the year, car segment, contenders, european traffic, five stars, opel insignia, two stars

Continue reading...

India may be in for a treat as Reva Electric Car Co. revealed plans of launching an advanced model of its electric car in India this May. The company is ready to launch a new model powered by advanced battery technology. The car will be launched this year and shall hit the showrooms and dealer network by mod-2009.

There has been substantial growth in the alternative fuel car segment in India and across the globe. With the rising environmental concerns, rising fuel costs, congested driving conditions in major cities, people have begun opting for electric cars for smaller distances or driving through the city.

Reva will also open its exclusive dealer networks in Delhi and Bangalore. It also intends to have sales outlets in Pune and Hyderabad. Currently, the company has a tie-up with Reliance Digital for its sales and distribution in India.

(Source) Cartrade India

Tags: car segment, electric cars, fuel car, fuel costs, reva electric car, reva electric car co

Continue reading...