Toyota’s very successful SUV the Fortuner, has been comfortably leading the Indian SUV market since its launch two years ago. The Japanese manufacturer however is planning to give it a facelift, as is evident from these leaked brochure pictures.

The nose is now all-new and is designed to appear wider and more aggressive. It features new headlamps that are slightly stretched, a restyled and sculpted bonnet with a larger scoop for the air-intake, a re-profiled bumper and a wider redesigned chrome grille that makes it resemble the Toyota Land Cruiser.

Toyota hasn’t changed the side profile of the Fortuner, but the rear now gets new clear-lens tail-lamps that have a different profile from the current ones. The roof-rack and scuff plate, as seen in the picture, however are likely to be optional extras, which may or may not come with this updated version of the car.

The current Fortuner is powered by a 3.0-litre common rail diesel motor that churns out a respectable 169bhp. This is the same motor that does duty in the larger Land Cruiser Prado as well, although the Prado gets more torque, and the Fortuner may be given this step up as well as an automatic version could be on the cards too, along with imporved interiors.

Toyota has been planning to increase the local content on the Fortuner for some time now and this facelift may provide the perfect opportunity. And this could be accompanied by a correction in price that would make it more affordable. But its not clear when this is likely to happen.

Expect the updated Fortuner to reach our shores by early 2012.

Thanks to: Autocar India

Ford Performance Vehicles today revealed its first-ever 'concept car' at the Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) in Melbourne. The one-off, all-black GT-based FPV concept featuring a number of bespoke features and design treatments not seen before.

Powered by the same supercharged Boss 5.0-litre V8 found in the regular GT, the concept is finished in Silhouette black paintwork, topped by a unique matte finish stripe package that extends across the bonnet, rear wing, body sides and rear diffuser.

Up front, large brake ducts are incorporated into the modified front fascia, and at the rear, black framing is used to enhance the rear light graphics treatment. The show car also carries unique black GT badging.

The vehicle sits on 19-inch lightweight one-piece forged alloy rims, finished in black (of course). These are 8.0 inches wide at the front and 9.5 inches wide at the rear -- all are shod with Dunlop SP Sportmaxx GT tyres.

Underneath there's a track-tuned suspension specification and a full stainless steel high-flow twin exhaust system exhaust finished with quad black exhaust tips.

A performance brake package includes larger six-piston brake calipers up front and four-piston brake calipers at the rear, which are both also finished in black.

Inside, the all-black theme continues with black leather trim throughout and an all-black dash treatment that includes the interior command centre (ICC).

"Taking our iconic FPV GT, we have put together a package of performance and design enhancements to demonstrate what could be done by FPV in the future," said FPV general manager, Rod Barrett.

"The black-on-black treatment looks spectacular and it really changes the look of the car, so I'll be very interested to hear what FPV enthusiasts think."

"We've equipped the vehicle with the GT's 'most ticked' options, such as leather trim and reversing camera. That way, it's a reflection of what our buyers are choosing and gives us a 'real world' basis to get people thinking."

The FPV concept is joined by a supercharged Boss 335kW V8 GT-P and 315kW GS Ute on the stand at the Australian International Motor Show.

Thanks to: Car Point

The men behind the incredible 493bhp Audi Q7 V12 are cooking up another performance SUV, this time a version of the brand new Audi Q3 with turbocharged five-cylinder power.

Quattro GmbH technology boss Stephan Reil arrived at the press launch of the Q3 last week with a very early prototype of the car in question: a Q3 running the 335bhp turbocharged powertrain found in a TT-RS and RS3, which is currently under evaluation for low-volume production.

“This is just a temperature tester for us at the moment,” Reil told Autocar. “We needed some feedback on the idea, which is why I decided to bring it to the press. But the finished car will be very different: it will have adapted suspension and body parts, and so on.”

Although it shares some under-bonnet hard points with a standard A3, the five-cylinder engine doesn’t fit as neatly into the Q3 as you might expect.

“The engine mounts are 40mm further from the bulkhead in a Q3 relative to an RS3, so we can’t just slot the engine in,” Reil explained. “We’ve made prototype plumbing and wiring for the car, which we’ll have to investigate the cost implications of before taking the car forward.”

“So far the reaction to the car has been good,” the Quattro boss went on, “but we have to make the business case before going much further. Right now it’s a fun idea, but those don’t always turn into real production cars!”
Thanks to: Autocar

Ford has "attracted over 2000 UK customer orders" for its new Ford Focus estate, a model that joins the Focus five-door variant.

According to Ford, the outgoing Focus estate accounted for 12.5 per cent of sales since 1998, with the new version forecast to reach 18 per cent.

At 200mm longer and 100mm wider than the hatchback, the Focus estate has a maximum load capacity of 1502 litres (up from 1148 litres), therefore providing “generous interior accommodation for both passengers and their luggage.”

The new estate Focus is available with the same choice of engines as the hatchback, including Ford’s low Co2 diesel engine, the 109g/km 1.6-litre TDCi, which accounts for 43 per cent of UK sales.

Prices start from £17,100 for the all-new Focus estate, representing “over £1,000 additional standard equipment versus the equivalent outgoing model,” including Bluetooth, aluminium roof rails and torque vectoring control.

Thanks to: Autocar

Aston Martin has finally secured the funds to start designing an all-new generation of sports cars for sale in 2015/16.

Engineers are understood to have conceptualised the new family, which will replace the VH-platform Aston Martin DB9, Vantage and Rapide models that Aston first started selling in 2003. The detailed design and production engineering will get under way in early 2012.

Funding for these vital new models was put in place last week when Aston announced that a £304 million bond was fully subscribed by global investors. “This will provide long-term financial stability for the next seven years and support Aston Martin’s continued development,” the firm said.

Aston will pay 9.25 per cent interest per year on the bond for the next seven years, which is higher than the five to six per cent that many bonds are paying.

Before Aston moves to all-new platform technology, the alloy VH platform will be re-engineered to comply with new Federal FMVSS pedestrian impact rules, due in autumn 2012.

Aston will also facelift the DB9, Vantage and Rapide with new skin panels, revised interiors and tweaked chassis and engines.

When Aston replaces the VH platform, the major question for the all-new models is which platform they’ll be engineered on.

Aston is courting Mercedes-Benz as a partner, possibly with a view to accessing the alloy platform that underpins the new SLS and SL.

Thanks to: Autocar

Audi is celebrating in style – the German firm has launched a special version of its 4.2-litre V8 engined supercar, called the R8 V8 Limited Edition.

The car has been produced to mark Audi's victory at the recent Le Mans 24hr race – and will be restricted to just 100 units.

Helping it to stand out from the crowd are a titanium-effect paint finish option and a 'carbon package', which includes carbonfibresideblades, door mirrors, inlays and door sill trims.

As standard, the R8 V8 Limited Edition gets titanium-look 19-inch alloys and red brake calipers inspired by the flagship R8 GT, while on the inside, there is crimson red detailing on the seats, centre console and dashboard.

Standard equipment includes sat-nav, Bluetooth and Audi's magnetic ride suspension system.
Prices start at £93,935 when the car goes on sale in July. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

It wasn’t long ago that two-door variants of compact cars were both expected and somewhat popular, but the options lately have dwindled. Even the Americans—once mainstays in the segment—have backed out, with the new Ford Focus and the Chevy Cruze eschewing the formula, while Chrysler hasn’t had a little coupe since the first-generation Neon. Absent those, in which cars will high school girls of the future hang leis and plastic necklaces? A two-door Honda Civic or a Kia Forte Koup? No way. Those, like, aren’t even that cute.

Luckily, Hyundai is readying an Elantra coupe that should be totes cute. We confirmed this model’s existence back in February, but an eagle-eyed reader has sent these exclusive spy photos that provide a first look at the car testing here in the States. A bit of camouflage leaves something to the imagination, but the shots clearly show the two-door’s new roofline and fixed rear windows. Peeking through the black vinyl out back, the taillamps appear to be very similar—if not identical—to those of the sedan, and the decklid shape should follow suit as well. We expect that the front clip will go essentially unchanged, too, so the stylish design of the four-door should carry over nicely to this version.

Our previous speculation stated that the coupe will use the same 138-hp, 1.8-liter inline-four and pair of six-speed transmissions as the Elantra sedan, and we’re sticking with that theory for now. Other options that might show up include the Kia Forte Koup’s larger fours (a 156-hp 2.0-liter and a 173-hp 2.4-liter are offered), or the 210-hp, 1.6-liter turbo four that’s currently in development for Hyundai’s Veloster, but we don’t expect hot performance to be the Elantra coupe’s thing. The Korean company must, after all, protect both the funky-doored Veloster and the rear-drive Genesis coupe. This one will be all about two-door style, and that combined with the Elantra sedan’s engine should be enough for the high-school cheerleader set. (Well, at least until VW gets around to building a Jetta coupe.)

Thanks to: Car and Driver

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