Alfa Romeo Launches 2011MY MiTo in Europe

This week marks the commercial debut of the 2011 model year Alfa Romeo MiTo in Italy and on other major European markets. First shown at the 2011 Geneva Salon, the modestly updated MiTo comes with a fresh batch of exterior colors, different seat upholsteries, new optional equipment and Euro 5 compliant engines all fitted as standard with a Start&Stop system.

The starting price for the 2011MY MiTo in Italy is €15,500 ($21,800), which will get you in the Progression model equipped with a 78HP 1.4-liter petrol engine. The Distinctive trim level retails for €22,550 ($31,650) and features the 1.6-liter diesel engine with 120 horsepower. The other available diesel engine is a 1.3-liter JTDM-2 with 95HP, while the gasoline range is completed by the 1.4-liter MultiAir unit, available in three levels of power: 105 (naturally aspirated), 135 and 170 horsepower (both turbocharged).

The MiTo MY 2011 is offered in four trim levels (Progression, Distinctive, “Super” and Quadrifoglio Verde), while buyers can also choose from seven new alloy wheel designs and eleven body colors, among which a new metal-flake color called “Bronzo Metal”.

Thanks to the new Start&Stop system, fuel consumption is lower with the base 1.4-liter engine returning 5.6 liters/100 km (42 mpg) on the combined cycle, compared to 5.9 liters/100 km (39.9) of the 2010MY. The 135HP 1.4-liter Multiair turbo engine is now linked to a new-generation double-clutch TCT transmission that reduces the 0 to 100 km/h sprint to 8.2 seconds (0.2 seconds quicker). As for the diesel engines, Alfa announces that the service interval is now 35,000 km (21,750 miles).

The MiTo MY 2011 also debuts a new Blue&Me-TomTom multimedia system that connects the car's infotainment system with a portable navigation device. The fully-integrated system has 4.3-inch touch-screen that can also display phone, media and board computer information.

By Dan Miahalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

BMW Introduces Yet Another Special Edition M3 Coupe for China

In 2010, to celebrate the year of the tiger in China, BMW launched a special Chinese-market ‘M3 Tiger Edition’ sporting some added visual content. It appears that limited production coupe model was well received in China so BMW decided to create yet another special M3, this time called the Matte Edition.

The new Chinese-market M3 special is all about colors with buyers having a choice of two unique exterior finishes, gunmetal grey or black. In both cases the bespoke color is created by combining a metallic finish with a silky matte clear coat. Other cosmetic tweaks include the black chrome side air intakes and exhaust tail pipes, the red brake calipers and the lightweight 19-inch high-gloss alloy wheels.

Inside, BMW’s designers opted for carbon fiber decorative trim and matching special black carbon fiber leather for the seats along with contrasting red seams for the seat edges and door armrests.

The Chinese-market BMW M3 Matted Edition is powered by the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8 engine found across the standard M3 lineup that churns out 420 horsepower and 400Nm of peak torque.

PHOTO GALLERY

New 300HP Toyota Avensis BTCC Racer Revealed in the Flesh [with Video]

The two new Toyota Avensis “Next Generation Touring Cars” (NGTC) received their public debut on Thursday at the Silverstone circuit today, a week before the start of the British Touring Car Championship. The Avensis racers went on display wearing the liveries of privateer teams Dynojet Racing and Hughes Motorsport/Speedworks.

The Avensis race cars will be driven by Frank Wrathall Jr. and Tony Hughes. “The Toyota looks amazing and we are all delighted with it," said Wrathall. "Yes, it is frustrating not to have done more testing, but the first few rounds were always going to be tough for us, so we will just get on with it and do the best, most competitive job that we can."
Both cars have been built by GPR Motorsport on bodyshells from the production line of Toyota's Burnaston plant. Under the bonnet of Wrathall's Avensis lies a 2.0-liter turbocharged Toyota engine developed by X Ctech R that puts out more than 300 horsepower. The team’s engineers hope this unit will prove to be one of the lightest and most powerful engines of the championship.
The 2011 BTCC will enjoy a record 27-car entry, with 10 different manufacturers represented: Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Proton, SEAT, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
Out of the 27 cars, 13 different models will be fighting for honors: Audi A4, BMW 320si, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Lacetti, Ford Focus, “Global” Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Honda Integra, Proton Gen-2, SEAT Leon, Toyota Avensis, Vauxhall Vectra and VW Golf. Scroll down to see the NGTC-spec Toyota Avensis in action during preliminary testing.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

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VIDEOS

VIDEO : 2011 Peugeot 308 Facelift Commercial is the Next Best Thing to a Wet T-Shirt Contest...

You can never get it wrong when casting attractive women in commercials, right? That's what the people from Peugeot must have thought when they commissioned this TV ad for the restyled Peugeot 308. The car plays a very marginal part in the commercial, with the 30-second long footage being dominated by the Peugeot's owner, an attractive young lady who walks with no umbrella in the pouring rain just to get to her beloved 308. Not the most creative of ads, but at least the people from the casting department did their job.
By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Opel Launches Meriva Color Edition Special in Germany

One year and some 120,000 European sales after the introduction of the second generation Meriva onto the market, Opel is enhancing the small MPV’s range with the presentation of a new special edition model.

As its name implies, the Meriva Color Edition is all about contrasting colors. The small MPV model is offered in a choice of five hues for the body - Casablanca White, Magma Red, Carbon Grey, Silver Star and Henna, all of which come with a contrasting high gloss black painted roof, dark tinted headlamps with curve and cornering light and 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels.

Standard features include includes air conditioning, CD radio, trip computer, leather steering wheel, electric front windows, power mirrors, cruise control, tinted rear windows and Opel’s Flex Rail-center console. Prices in Germany start from €19,570.

PHOTO GALLERY

Über Luxurious Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Puts Limos to Shame

It may look like an ordinary van that transports a boatload of people, but this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is much more than that. Called the Brilliant Van, the specially equipped fleet of Sprinter limo vans belongs to a company called Brilliant Transportation.

As you can see in the photo gallery, the Brilliant vans are fitted with four independent chairs and a rear seat bench covered in premium leather. The vans come complete with a premium eight-speaker audio system, two 32-inch flat-screen TVs with satellite-based Direct TV and wireless headphones, as well as 3G Wi-Fi capability, color printers and a hands-free conference call system.

"We're introducing a new mode of travel we call Private Motoring¨ that often replaces air and rail transport,” said Richard Fertig, Brilliant's Founder and President. "Our versatile Sprinter vans appeal to corporate management, entertainers and well-to-do families who want to reclaim that dead in-transit time and who appreciate the size, height and overall comfort of a large van,” he added.

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Mercedes to Debut New Concept Alongside C63 AMG Coupe and One More Unnamed AMG Model at NY Show

The latest news coming out from the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show in late April is that Mercedes-Benz is planning three worldwide and three North American production debuts. The three world premieres include a never before seen concept model and two AMG cars, the 2012 C63 AMG Coupe that we’ve already showed you, and another one which has not yet been revealed.

While we can only speculate on the unnamed concept model, it is very likely that the AMG production car is the SLS AMG Roadster as it was recently teased in the German firm’s SuperBowl commercial.

As for the North American motorshow debuts, these are new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350, C-Class Coupe, and C-Class (the latter was shown at a special media event on the sidelines of the Detroit Show in January).

PHOTO GALLERY