556hp 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe revealed ahead of Detroit debut

Cadillac has decided to reveal the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe earlier than expected although the coupe’s first public appearance is still set to happen at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show kicking off in just a few days time. The CTS-V Coupe has a 6.2 liter supercharged V8 that is also found in its sedan sibling. The monstrous beast of an engine makes 556hp and a tarmac-cracking 747Nm of pulling power which can propel the coupe to 100 km/h in a very respectable 3.9 seconds.

The engine can either be mated to a good old 6-speed manual cog box or to a 6-speed automatic slush box that comes with paddle shifters. The rear wheel drive coupe that is also fitted with a limited-slip differential is treated to a bulged hood as well as reworked front and rear fascias. It also has 19-inch alloys that are shod with Michelin PS2 tires.

The CTS-V Coupe also has a Magnetic Ride Control system with two modes to choose from including Tour and Sport, fat Brembo stopping power (6-piston up front and 4-piston at the back) and more. Interior wise, you will find microfiber finish for the steering wheel, gear shifter and for the seat inserts while the the centre stack, centre console and door trims are finished in Obsidian black.

Potential buyers can also drive home with an exclusive new Saffron color and sportier Recaro seats fitted with pneumatic bolster controls in the seat cushions and backrests. The Recaros are also 14-way adjustable. More information will be revealed once the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe hits the stand at Detroit.

Tuk Tuk North America

News for US residents will be the announcement that the Tuk Tuk which is a common mode of transportation in countries like India, Thailand and Vietnam has been approved by both the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

They are widely used as taxis as they will be able to weave through traffic without the slightest bit of hesitation, plus it gets you there on time as compared to its 4-wheeled counterpart. On my journey’s to India, I was first a bit hesitant about getting into such a fragile structure on 3-wheels, but because the drivers are quite experienced, you actually enjoy being weaved through heavy traffic, so much so that I used the rickshaw as my main mode of transport in my travels.

The models available will be the standard 3-seater, 6-seater, 12-seater, Dump Truck, garbage truck, and a Van to name a few. There is also an option to build your very own Tuk Tuk as an L5 driveaway and prices for that start at US$ 9650.00. All engines will be provided by Mitsubishi and are 650cc watercooled 4 stroke engines, that feature a four speed transmission and reverse. The Tuk Tuk is a good runabout solution which has excellent fuel efficiency that comes in about 55 miles per gallon.

Masterplan unveiled: Volkswagen-Suzuki to produce EVs and hybrids in India

When Volkswagen bought a stake in Suzuki earlier this month, the German carmaker mentioned “growing emerging markets” and “innovative and environmentally friendly compact cars” and how Suzuki fit its plans. Well, it becomes clearer now as both VW and Suzuki have revealed that they will be working jointly on hybrid and electric car projects in India, accoding to a report by carazoo.com.

What can both sides bring to the table? Wolfsburg is quite advanced in its quest for a super green car – the Up! Lite Concept for instance consumes just 2.44 litres of diesel per 100km while putting out just 65 g/km of CO2. This is achieved by combining an 800cc TDI engine, electric motor, 7-speed DSG gearbox, slippery aerodynamics and a 695kg weight. Suzuki on the other hand have a range of small cars and is active in fuel-cell electric car development. It’s also the market leader in India with a wide support network and established manufacturing facilities.

The two companies are looking at establishing a development base in India and it’s rumoured that they plan to build it at Suzuki’s R&D centre.

India is fast becoming the centre of the small car universe and carmakers are falling over themselves to get a piece of the action. Honda and Toyota will each launch a compact car concept at the upcoming India Auto Expo to tap this rapidly booming market. But while the others are planning basic small cars (which Suzuki and Hyundai currently dominate) VW and Suzuki are already aiming for the next level – small green cars.

2011 BMW 1 Series to feature twin clutch transmission?

According to the guys over at Bimmerfile, BMW may fit the high-tech 7-speed dual clutch transmission that is found in the current Z4 model into the 2011 BMW 1 Series and if you ask me, the variant in question should be the 135i where an updated version is expected to launched later this year. The current 135i is able to output 306 PS and 400Nm of torque which the same amount of torque the current 420 PS M3 produces. It only makes sense to fit the dual clutch cog box into the 135i since it is a powerful little devil and trust me it can scare you if you have a heavy foot.

Vauxhall

These are leaked official images of the new Meriva MPV, badged here as a UK-spec Vauxhall (Opel in Europe). It appears to have survived the transition from concept to production pretty well, retaining much of the 2008 Geneva show’s Meriva Concept styling cues.

The design headline here is the suicide doors. Called FlexDoors, they can be opened to an angle of almost 90 degrees (only when the vehicle is stationary, of course!). The Meriva’s FlexSpace system has been updated to improve space usage. There is also an innovation called FlexRail – a rail above the centre console where storage bins can slide the length of the cabin.

As with the Astra and Insignia, a signature “blade” runs on the flanks of this MPV. The stepped windowline not only adds distinctiveness to the design, it gives the rear section more glass area for the kids to have a better view out. There’s also a full length panaromic roof. It’s more spacious than before too – wheelbase is longer and tracks are wider. A five-star EuroNCAP crash rating is almost a given.