After displaying Fiesta ECOnetic at the last Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford announced today the start of its production. The little Blue Oval model has been presented as the car with the most efficient engine ever made and the lowest CO2 emissions. It will be available in three-door and five-door versions, in a variety of trim levels and will be assembled at the Ford’s Cologne Assembly plant in Germany.
Powered by a four-cylinder 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine, the Fiesta ECOnetic develops 96 hp of output and 205 Nm of torque. The car’s emissions are so low, just 87g/km of CO2, it will be exempt from road tax and London Congestion Charge, also offering an average fuel consumption of only 3.3l/100 km. Given the continued rise in fuel prices Ford expects that, by the end of 2012, half the sales of the brand will consist of ECOnetic range of vehicles.
In addition to a variety of technologies within the engine, Ford has managed to obtain these results by using functions such as Auto-Start-Stop, new gear ratios, an Eco mode and an energy recovery system. To improve aerodynamics the car is fitted with lowered suspension, rear wheels air deflectors and advanced tyres.
Mules of the upcoming 2013 Ford Mondeo/Fusion in sedan form have already been spotted before, but now we can see also the wagon version of the car, caught by photografers while being tested in the snowy Alps. The design for the Mondeo/Fusion is said to be inspired by the Ford Evos Concept on display at the recent 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but to see the end result we will probably have to wait until the second half of 2012, when it will be officially launched.
In Europe the wagon variation of the Mondeo was a success - it is in fact the most sold version of the whole Mondeo line - but at the moment it is not clear whether the wagon version of the Fusion (Mondeo’s American counterpart) will eventually be marketed in the US. Rumor has it that there will be a Hybrid version too, which will be unveiled shortly after the official debut.
View the full Ford Mondeo Wagon photo gallery

In a surprise move, Volkswagen has officially announced that a further variation of their new Up! model will soon be produced with a 4 door body type. The new Up! will be similar to the Cross Up! concept showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, accentuating the crossover-inspired styling of the basic model in the wake of all the other VW “Cross” models. The whole engine range will be shared with the Up! series, including the brand new 1.0 3 cylinder petrol with outputs of 60 and 75hp. The new Up! will probably enter the market in the second half of 2012.
As anticipated by EmgCarTech.com, Ford might unveil Mondeo’s next generation at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January. The car is bound to become a global model, replacing its current version in Europe and the Fusion model in the United States (not to be confused with Fiesta-derived model available in Europe with the same name). Its aesthetics should be inspired by the intriguing Evos concept (pictured) showcased a few days ago at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the obvious exception of the fancy gullwing doors. Newly designed headlights and front-end as well as a reduced ride height will provide this care with an altogheter different image, giving it a more sporty flavor.
Hybrid plug-in versions based on Evos’ mechanics are also in the cards, completing the engines’ line-up that will also include the already well-known Ecoboost petrol engines and the diesel engines that are just “mandatory” for European markets. Technology-wise, many elements such as the MyFord infotainment system and the torque vectoring control will be borrowed from another global model, the new Focus. Although no information was given as for when the car will actually hit the showrooms, rumor has it the new Mondeo will actually enter the marketplace in the second half of next year.
via | EmgCarTech.com
View the full Ford - 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show photo gallery
Five times BMW M5: first launched in 1984, BMW’s sporty saloon car just got to its 5th generation with the new model introduced just a few days ago at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Although loyal to its own tradition, the new M5 shows a number of innovations that sets it apart from its predecessor. The most significant change of them all can be found under the bonnet.
As you might know, the M5 is now turbocharged. It will have a powerful 4.4 V8 twin turbo engine with Valvetronic and direct injection: very consistent at low revs (680 Nm at 1500 rpm), it boasts great acceleration. It unleashes its full 560hp power between 6000 and 7000rpm, and redlines at 7200rpm.
As for its performance: acceleration 0-100km/h in 4,4 s, 0-200km/h in 13,0 s, 305 km/h top speed with the M-Drivers-Package. BMW claims that the new M5’s average fuel consumption is 9,9 l/100 km, which is 30% less in comparison to the previous M5 thanks to the EfficientDynamics package, which features the start&stop function as well as a KERS.
View the full BMW M5 official pictures photo gallery
The future Land Rover Defender is here and after its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, it is making quite a splash for fans of the iconic offroader. The future of the Defender, and even the Land Rover brand in general, will come out of the DC100 and DC100 Sport Concepts seen live at Frankfurt.
The design team, headed by Gerry McGovern, has managed to pick up the very square model and make its edges nastier and more full of character, but without creating an animated, cartoonish version. We like what we see and judging by the reactions of others at the show, so do most.
While the concept features solar panels on the roof of the DC100 and fold-down elements on the DC100 Sport, other details which are more likely to be seen on a possible future model include a wheelbase of 254 cm, height off the ground of 32 cm thanks to 22-inch wheels, and at this stage a two-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine with Start&Stop technology. It gets an automatic eight-speed transmission and new generation Terrain Response electronic drive assist system.
Hamann has just introduced Paragon - an elaborated version of Porsche Panamera Turbo - featuring a flashy widebody-kit which enlarges both front and rear wheel arches by 6 centimeters. The Hamann Paragon Porsche Panamera was premiered at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and sports aggressive-looking front, side and rear bumpers, a hood with air intakes (similar to the 911 GT3 model) and a very flashy aerodynamic wing placed on the trunk which complete the styling of this car. In terms of aesthetics, the most striking feature is probably the huge exhaust tail end, which is so big it could easily accomodate a small pet.
A car like this cannot do without 22′ burnished alloy wheels fitting 265/30 tyres on the front and 305/25 tyres on the rear, which highlight the 30mm lowered ride height even more. The soon-to-be available revisited exhaust system and re-mapped ECU will guarantee an extra 80 HP and an extra 120Nm of maximum torque.
View the full Hamann Paragon Porsche Panamera photo gallery

The new Peugeot 508 RXH, premiered at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, has made its debut on the international market with a Limited Edition series, of which only 300 models have been built. The French manufacturer has announced today that this special series, which has been made available in 12 European countries (France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Portugal, Austria and Poland) has sold out in just 3 days.
The demands, as highlighted by Peugeot, have exceeded the supply. The customers who were left out this time around will have to make do with standard RXH models, expected in spring 2012.
The Limited Edition model, which went on sale on the French Market with a notable € 48,950 price tag, offers Alcantara and leather upholstery, heated electric memory seats, quad-zone automatic climate control, Hi-Fi JBL pack, Xenon headlight, electric hatchback, 18″ forged aluminium rims as well as front and rear parking assistance.
View the full 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show Peugeot 508 RXH Photo Gallery
Lamborghini has just presented its new Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Only some chosen few will have the privilege to own one since its production will be limited to 150 models to honour Italy’s Unification 150th anniversary. It will be only available in three colors - Rosso Mars red, Grigio Telesto grey, Bianco Monocerus white - with some black elements, both glossy and opaque.
The Super Trofeo Stradale boasts a super-light V10 5,2 570 HP, weighting only 1340 kg, and three times more aerodynamic pressure if compared to the LP560-4. Its aerodynamic kit in fact is considered probably the most extreme ever seen on a Gallardo so far, especially when it comes down to the carbon fibre diffuser and the adjustable rear wing.
View the full 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show: Lamborghini Gallardo L570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale photo gallery.
Porsche has really played on the history of its 911 with the launch of the 2012 Porsche 911 and in this cool animated video, we get to see via a kind of paint-drop motif how the style of the models has changed. The 991 is clearly rooted in Porsche 911 history though, and should only prove that the iconic model can make it in 2012 with high performance but greener qualities. The 911 debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show - see the live pics below.
More on future urban mobility live at Frankfurt comes the Opel RAK Concept, see in these official pics. The vehicle is Opel’s vision of a future electric model which addresses the problems associated with city travel, and with this solution Opel is hitting the European market with an option that will work for young drivers, not fully licensed as the RAK can also be classified as a light vehicle.
The model has either a 45 km/hr limited top speed, or it can be bought as a fully fledged car with 120 km/hr as a top speed, constant output of 10.5 kW with another 36.5 kW coming from the electric motor, and a 5 kW battery with a range of about 100 km. The RAK Concept is three metres long and weighs just 380 kg.
These kinds of urban mobility vehicles love figures and Opel claims only one euro of energy is used every 100 km so that would apparently make running costs extremely low. It is also made from recyclable materials, making it a green car in every sense. The RAK Concept is apparently inspired by a glider design and the front seat and steering wheel automatically move forward to give more room to passengers getting in and out. Check it out in the official pics below.
The brand new Maserati SUV got its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and the company has now released official pics and a video of its first foray into the SUV segment. The Maserati Kubang will become Italy’s competitor to the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class.
The jury is very much out at the moment as to whether the Kubang will be successfully able to do that but it seems the car market could be ready for a new luxury SUV like the Cayenne, that doesn’t traditionally form part of the line-up. Still Maserati will have to do the Kubang well if it’s to compete in this class.
The Kubang is the result of a long SUV development project for Maserati but which perhaps only really became possible with the Fiat-Chrysler deal. No real future details on its production are available at the moment, but we can check out new Kubang official pics and this video presentation live from Frankfurt.