Citroen Survolt

Exotic Citroen Survolt With Beautiful Lighting

Elegant Citroen Survolt Show Up

Citroen Survolt Concept

Citroen Survolt Exotic Interior

Citroen Survolt From Back Side

Sporty Citroen Survolt

Citroen Survolt Art Painting

Lexus GS

The Lexus GS is a series of mid-size luxury sports sedans / executive cars sold by Lexus since 1993. Designed to fill the gap between the ES and LS, and to provide Lexus with a performance sedan to compete in the mid-luxury class, three generations of the GS have been produced to date. The first incarnation of the GS was introduced in 1993 in the United States, Europe and selected markets in Asia. The second generation model premiered in 1998, using a new platform and adding a V8 version for the first time outside Japan. The current third generation GS, which premiered globally for the 2006 model year, comes in both V6, V8, and hybrid versions, later known as the GS 450h performance hybrid. The third generation GS is also the first model to feature Lexus' own L-finesse styling upon its introduction.

Lexus GS Review - Kelley Blue Book

Lexus GS Beautiful Lighting

Lexus GS Modification

Styled by the famous Italdesign Giugiaro firm, and equipped with an independent, double-wishbone suspension setup, the Toyota Aristo was launched in October 1991, offering two inline-6 powered versions for the Japanese market: the 3.0Q and 3.0V. The Aristo 3.0Q (codename JZS147) featured a 2JZ-GE engine which produced 226 hp (169 kW), while the Aristo 3.0V (JZS147) was equipped with a 24-valve twin-turbo 2JZ-GTE engine which produced 276 hp (205 kW). This twin-turbo engine was the same as could be found in the Toyota Supra RZ (JZA80). In 1992, a third model, the V8-powered 4.0Zi-Four (codename UZS143), joined the Aristo lineup. This model came with standard four-wheel drive and a 250 hp (186 kW) 1UZ-FE engine. This V8 had also been used in the first generation Lexus LS and the Toyota Crown Majesta. However, the only engine available for export markets was the 2JZ-GE inline-6.

Lexus GS Interior

Lexus GS Engine

Lexus GS With High Technology

The GS interior was available with leather bird's-eye maple or walnut trim. Major standard features ranged from a 10-way driver and front passenger power and heated seats with three-position Lexus Memory System, SmartAccess keyless system with push-button start, a driver-side hidden drop-down panel for infrequently used controls, standard 7-inch touchscreen display, and LED lighting in the cabin. Unique to the Lexus GS series was a three-pod instrument cluster with machined aluminum facings and an electrochromic feature. Optional features ranged from a power moonroof to a discrete 5.1 surround sound 14-speaker 330 watt Mark Levinson premium sound system, XM-satellite radio and DVD-based navigation with backup camera and Bluetooth technology. Competitors to the Lexus GS included the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Volvo S80, Audi A6, Jaguar XF, Infiniti M, and Acura RL.

BMW announces three two-car teams for 2012 DTM series

Touring car racing fans are eagerly anticipating the return of BMW to the DTM series. The Bavarian automaker last competed in DTM (or its progenitors, anyway) a whopping 18 years ago, but late last year announced it would return to the German touring car series in 2012. Now it has revealed the means to that end.

Rather than field its own entries, BMW will be supplying the vehicles and factory support for three independent teams: BMW Team RBM, BMW Team Schnitzer and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH. Both RBM and Schnitzer have a longstanding relationship with BMW Motorsport, while Reinhold is a completely new outfit. Each of the teams will be fielding two of the new M3 DTMs that are currently under development.

The move to DTM comes on the back of some big shakeups in BMW’s racing program. Although it pulled out of Formula One two years ago, and eliminated its works World Touring Car Championship effort at the end of last year, it has recently pitched the Mini division into the WRC with Prodrive and launched the DTM program to pick up where it left off in the WTCC.

[Source: BMW Motorsport]

PRESS RELEASE:

BMW Motorsport presents the teams for its DTM project.

BMW Motorsport heralds a new era on its way entering the DTM. Development of the car has been running at full speed in Munich for some months now, as has the central preparation for the logistics and assembly of the race cars. Three teams, each lining up with two BMW M3 DTM cars, will be responsible for the races themselves.

BMW Motorsport has enjoyed great success in production car racing in the past with both BMW Team RBM and BMW Team Schnitzer, and all those involved are hungry for more of the same. In Reinhold Motorsport GmbH they are joined by a new team still in its fledgling stage, but which boasts individual members with a vast wealth of motorsport experience.

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director, says: “In recent months we have worked very intensely on the DTM project. The agreement with the teams was of paramount importance. We were pleased with the high level of interest and numerous applications and presentations received from a number of professional teams. The concepts presented by BMW Team RBM, BMW Team Schnitzer and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH ultimately convinced us. This is an excellent team line-up for BMW. For us, it is important that all three teams have absolute equal rights. We are looking forward to cooperating over the coming years – and hope to enjoy great success together.”

Bart Mampaey, Team Manager of BMW Team RBM, says: “The DTM is one of the toughest and the most popular racing series in the world for production cars. From a sporting point of view this poses a great challenge – but an appetizing one. We are honoured to be able to continue our successful cooperation with BMW Motorsport, which has yielded many WTCC titles, in the DTM. We still have a lot of work ahead of us over the coming months, and are now looking forward to getting to grips with the project.”

Stefan Reinhold, founder of Reinhold Motorsport GmbH, says: “In April last year, BMW announced its intention to compete in the DTM. From this day on, we have always wanted to be a part of this project. Shortly after the announcement, we presented our concept to BMW in Munich, and started to work on meeting the prerequisites for any potential cooperation. We are very proud to have been given the nod. To be part of the BMW Motorsport family with immediate effect and to strive for DTM success together is simply fantastic. We can hardly wait to get started and to vindicate the huge amount of trust BMW has placed in us.”

Charly Lamm, Team Manager of BMW Team Schnitzer, adds: “We are really looking forward to tackling the DTM project together with BMW. Schnitzer Motorsport has enjoyed a successful past in the DTM and achieved many victories together with BMW. However, past success is no guarantee that we will also be victorious in the future. The bar is set really high in DTM, and our preparations will be intensive to meet this challenge. Every team is highly motivated and the anticipation is mounting every day as we get closer to the start of the 2012 DTM season.”

BMW Team Schnitzer will run two BMW M3 GT cars for BMW Motorsport at the major endurance races in Europe and Asia. BMW Team RBM is involved in BMW customer racing projects, including the development of the BMW 320 TC and the further development of the BMW Z4 GT3.

Mario Theissen says: “While the preparation for this year’s involvement on the endurance racing circuit with the BMW M3 GT is in its final phase, the DTM project has picked up pace over the past few months. In naming the teams, we have taken the next step. As well as developing the car, it is now a matter of assigning tasks and establishing structures and processes. The cooperation between BMW Motorsport and the teams, as well as that between the team bases and the race track, must be well established. Only then will we make a statement regarding the driving line-up.”

BMW Team RBM in profile.

In 2012, BMW Team RBM will compete in the DTM with three world championship titles to its name. Under the leadership of Team Manager Bart Mampaey, the team from Mechelen, Belgium, not only won the 2004 European Touring Car Championship with Andy Priaulx at the wheel, but also proved to be the team to beat in the World Championship…
BMW Team RBM in profile.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007 the celebrations after the final WTCC race in Macau all took place in front of the RBM garage. Bart Mampaey is now looking forward to the DTM. “Competing in the DTM will be a big challenge for our team,” he says. “We are delighted that BMW is putting its faith in us again. We will use the time leading up to the first race to prepare as well as possible. The whole team is extremely motivated and hungry to get on with the development work. It is fantastic to be on board right from the start when a manufacturer like BMW launches this kind of project. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, as the standards in the DTM are extremely high.”

Efficiency is an important factor in daily work for BMW Team RBM. Mampaey is constantly striving to use time and resources efficiently, in order to extract the full potential of the car. The team profits from the infrastructure of the BMW dealership, which the Mampaey family manages under the name JUMA. Synergies and allows RBM to concentrate on the basics: the performance on the race track.

JUMA stands for Julian Mampaey. Today’s RBM boss inherited his love of motor sport from his father. The JUMA team made a name for itself in the 1970s and 1980s, claiming three overall victories for BMW at the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race. Nine years after the final JUMA race, Bart Mampaey stepped into his father’s footsteps in 1995. At first, RBM was responsible for the cars in the BMW Compact Cup in Belgium. Soon after that, the Mampaey family celebrated a successful comeback at Spa: the Group N one-two in the 1997 24-hour race was followed by overall victory with the BMW 318i one year later. This was also the last overall victory for BMW to date at the “Ardennes Rollercoaster”.

RBM sent a BMW 320i to the European Touring Car Championship for BMW Belgium for the first time in 2002. One year later the team appeared for the first time in the colours of BMW Great Britain, and Priaulx was signed up to drive. After a year gaining experience in 2003, RBM caused a sensation in 2004 when Priaulx claimed the ETCC title in Dubai. Three World Championship titles show categorically that this victory was not a flash in the pan for Mampaey and his crew.

“A change of scenery will do us good, particularly when we have the prospect of lining up in a successful series like the DTM,” Mampaey says. “Having won three World Championship titles, everyone in the team is looking forward to seeing how we fair against the other teams in the DTM.”

Back to the future.

Back to the future: this could be the motto of BMW Team Schnitzer for the 2012 DTM season. Charly Lamm’s team sported BMW colours in this series back in the 1980s and 1990s – and with great success. A Schnitzer driver crossed the finish line in first place in a BMW M3 on 17 occasions, and the team also claimed eight pole positions and set 18 fastest laps.

BMW Team Schnitzer’s greatest success in the DTM came in its very first season, when Roberto Ravaglia won the 1989 drivers’ title for the team from Freilassing. BMW Team Schnitzer will make its DTM comeback in 2012, almost 20 years after its last victory in Hockenheim on 11th October 1992.

“We lined up with the BMW M3 in the DTM for the first time in 1989, and were able to win the title with Roberto Ravaglia at the first attempt,” Lamm recalls. “The four seasons up to 1992 were a great time, with spectacular and thrilling races, which will always have a special place in the history of Schnitzer. Even back then, the DTM was extremely popular in Germany. It is now almost 20 years since our last DTM race. We are well aware that the series has changed dramatically. The level of competition is extremely high and the series has a far more international flavour to it. As a result, rookies like us face a huge challenge. However, we will approach the task in hand with great verve.”

During the break from the DTM, the Schnitzer team continued to line up for BMW, adding many new chapters to the brand’s motorsport success story. In 1999 it claimed overall victory at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours (FR) with the BMW V12 LMR prototype. In 2001, BMW Team Schnitzer won the drivers’, team and manufacturers’ titles in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with the BMW M3 GTR.

The team also has a very special relationship with the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE). BMW Team Schnitzer finished as overall winner in the “Green Hell” in 1989, 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2010, making it one of the most successful teams in the history of this classic race. Schnitzer also enjoyed success after success in the European Touring Car Championship between 2002 and 2004, as well as the World Touring Car Championship between 2005 and 2009. The team’s drivers crossed the finish line as winners on 45 occasions in the European and World Championships.

In the last 50 years, Schnitzer has won 16 championships with BMW – including the 1987 World Touring Car Championship, three European Touring Car Championships, and championships in Germany, England, Italy, Japan and South East Asia.

Lamm adds: “We will attempt to readapt to the DTM as quickly as possible. We have great respect for the current manufacturers and teams in the DTM. They have set the bar very high. From now on we will be working on equalling, or even surpassing, the standards they have set as soon as possible.”

“Our greatest asset is definitely the people in our team”.

Stefan Reinhold’s team, which will line up at BMW’s DTM comeback in 2012, may be a newcomer to the series – but its members are by no means lacking experience. The team’s great strengths are its individual know-how and the precise way in which it uses each member’s skills.

“The crew comes from all areas of professional motor racing,” Reinhold explains. “From GT racing and the World Rally Championship, as well as DTM and Formula One. Almost all the team members have experience gained in several fields of motorsport. They are used to working at the highest level. Clear communication and the optimal use of experience and resources, as well as uncompromising commitment, are fundamental attributes of the team. Our greatest asset is definitely the people in our team.”

The team structure started with a blank sheet of paper. Reinhold took the time to analyse the individual strengths of his crew and used this as a basis to assemble his team step by step. By the start of 2012, 25 engineers and technicians will be involved in the DTM project.

Reinhold himself has Formula One and GT racing experience to his name and has been toying with the idea of launching his own racing team for a long time. When BMW announced its return to DTM this idea took shape and work began on the conception. “In late summer 2010 we started with the concrete planning and then applied to BMW with our concept in the autumn,” Reinhold recalls. “The fact that we won BMW Motorsport over with our concept is the perfect reward for the hard work we put in during this phase.”

The team has moved into headquarters in Niederzissen. The proximity to the Nürburgring is not the only reason for motor racing being omnipresent on the team’s premises, as its former tenant was also a prominent name in motorsport: the Zakspeed team previously operated from this site and has now rented the facilities out to Reinhold.

Over the coming months, Reinhold and his team will work at full speed on the team structure in order to be ready for the first test drive with the BMW M3 DTM. “Everything from the washers to the semi-trailer will be new in our team,” says Reinhold. “However, I do not by any means see this as a disadvantage. We are very keen to take on the established DTM teams and, along with our partner BMW, to be competitive as soon as possible. “

First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

We usually see women behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Who can blame them? It’s a cute little car. The original SLK debuted in 1996 with a four-cylinder powerplant and all of 136 ponies. What it lacked in the motivation department it made up for with its Vario-roof retractable hardtop. Not since the 1957 Ford Skyliner could a car stop so much traffic while parked.

The SLK gained some testosterone with its first facelift in 2000. While the exterior was still rather tame, the chick car jokes ceased in 2001 with the introduction of the 354-horsepower SLK 32 AMG.

Things continued to get better with the all-new 2004 edition and its sleeker styling that paid homage to Mercedes’ Formula One designs and the beastly McMerc SLR. The reality that AMG could stuff its hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under the hood made the second-generation SLK a serious performance car.

For 2012, the SLK officially begins its third generation, and you can see the difference from 100 yards. Especially from the front view, the roadster looks more mature and substantial. The split-grill design reconstitutes the 190 SL’s design from the late 1950s in a handsome, modern manner. The bolder aesthetics continue in the rear, which features large arches over the rear wheels and LED taillamps. And it keeps getting better on the inside…

Inside, the modernized retro theme continues, with our SLK350 tester’s circular vent outlets ported through the handsomely contoured dash covered in hand-stitched Nappa leather (like the SLS AMG). Round analog gauges flank a center digital display in the main binnacle, while a bright, seven-inch LCD handles navigation as well as manipulating the climate control and infotainment systems.

While the interior and exterior are mostly new, from an engineering standpoint, the third generation seems more like a Gen 2.5.5; a facelift of the 2008 facelift. The 2012 SLK rides on the same 95.7-inch wheelbase. It’s about an inch longer and an inch wider (overall width and track), and the tidy dimensions help this car stay true to what SLK stands for: Sportlich (sporty), Leicht (light) and Kompakt (compact).

Engines are familiar to fans of the Three-Pointed Star. In the States, we will eventually get two of three available engines for the new SLK: the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6. Four-cylinder models will be called the SLK250, while V6 models gets the SLK350 badge. For 2012, both engines gain direct fuel injection in a nod to efficiency. Horsepower, torque and preliminary estimated miles per gallon figures are 201, 229 pound-feet, and 23/31 for the 1.8-liter engine and 302, 273 lb-ft., and 20/29 for the uprated V6. On this trip, only the six-cylinder SLK350 was available for us to drive, as it will be the only model offered when the SLK goes on sale in June. The SLK250 is scheduled for availability in the U.S. later in the model year.

Both engines run their torque through an updated seven-speed automatic modified to accommodate a new fuel-saving start/stop functionality. Unfortunately, cars coming to the USA won’t be getting the latter feature – at least for the moment. That’s too bad, given where fuel prices are trending and the system’s relative smoothness. Mercedes-Benz engineers use the crankshaft position sensor to know which cylinder has stopped closest to the optimum position for re-starting the engine. The engine control module then re-fires that cylinder first, an action that helps smooth out and quicken the re-start event.

To prepare for our drive, we needed to store two large duffle bags and wondered how much room our SLK350’s trunk provided. Mercedes-Benz literature claims 6.4 cubic feet with the roof lowered and 10.1 cubes with the roof raised. Since we would soon be driving from sea level through the clouds to the observatory at Teide National Park, some 7,800 feet above the Atlantic in Spain’s canary Islands, the top would be down and up depending on the precipitation (or a lack thereof). The trunk easily swallowed two large backpacks and a camera case with the roof stowed. Nifty.

The SLK’s hallmark retractable hardtop comes in three varieties: solid steel panels, a tinted roof section or with Benz’s trick new Magic Sky Control electrochromatic roof section. The later roof’s trick is that the transparent panel can shift its tint from almost clear to heavily darkened.

The glass section is a glass-matrix polymer-glass sandwich in which nearly microscopic rectangular particles are suspended in carrier-type fluid. When a small electrical charge is put through the polymer layer, the particles obediently arrange themselves in a vertical orientation, letting light pass through mostly unencumbered. When the juice is cut via a switch on the windshield header, the particles rotate 45-degrees, blocking most of the light (and heat) attempting to pass through. The shift requires nary a second. (Geek Note: Magic Sky Control uses a similar principle to Delphi’s Magnetic Ride Control dampers that control the flow path of damper fluid.)

When it came time to press the starter button and head for the observatory, temperatures were mild, and low clouds hung over our oceanfront starting point. With rain threatening, it neither felt nor looked like top-down driving weather, so the top stayed in place.

The imperfect roads on Tenerife presented a less-than-ideal surface that worked to shake and rattle the SLK. It accomplished neither. The roadster easily absorbed the punishment with the aplomb of a true fixed-roof coupe. Interior noise levels (engine, road and wind) were well subdued, and the exhaust note of the V6 sounded sportier than the same mill in the C-Class sedan. No surprise there, but still a welcome discovery.

Short-wheelbase cars can feel skittish, but the SLK simply doesn’t. Even at full throttle with every foot-pound of torque twisting the rear half shafts, the SLK350 felt unshakable and secure.

As we left the island’s primary roads for the twisties ascending the extinct volcano’s walls to the observatory, the SLK’s locked-down feeling continued. Our route took us into the clouds that were heavy with moisture and the narrow roads turned slick. It seemed that the entire ride up the mountain was a Falling Rock Zone, and plenty of rocks littered the asphalt – like we needed more excitement.

Even running uphill, the 302-hp six-cylinder had plenty of power in reserve. Thinking that leaving the electronic stability control in the ‘On’ position was a good idea, we’d often feel it working to keep the SLK in line. As expected, it immediately curbed any oversteer, but did so in a way that wasn’t retaliatory – it simply chided for being overexuberant.

What was unexpected was the so-called torque-vectoring function of the Electronic Stability Control. When diving into a corner under braking, we’re trained to expect a certain amount understeer – particular from Mercedes. The SLK senses the understeer and helps to mitigate it by adding a measured amount of braking to the inside rear wheel, helping to increase the car’s yaw rate and make it rotate more easily.

We’ll have to wait for the AMG-tuned version of the SLK to arrive before this chassis can be completely exploited, but indications are good thus far. Unfortunately, the ESC on the SLK350 cannot be completely disabled. When the dash switch is toggled off, the tires will spin to aid acceleration on snow or through mud, but any yaw immediately triggers a throttle intervention. When the AMG version arrives, expect an option to completely shut down the ESC.

Even with ESC on, the SLK remained a remarkably fun steer. The traditional hydraulic rack-and-pinion box had a natural on-center feel. Rolling off of center, starting at about 5 degrees, the box cranks the wheels with a constant ratio. At 100 degrees of steering angle – just beyond a quarter turn and just before your arms get crossed up – the ratio increases and the wheels turn more quickly. This is a huge help on roads that twist enough that you spend as much time looking out the side glass as the windshield. On the roads of Tenerife, we rarely had to shuffle the wheel or get our arms completely crossed-up.

Somewhere north of 6,000 feet we broke through the clouds and the top went down. It was chilly enough for us to turn on the Airscarf, a feature that blows warm air on your neck. We also put up the Airguide windstop. With the heater cranked up, we remained warm in the cabin, and buffeting was kept to a minimum.

After shooting some photos, we headed back down the mountain. This strained the brakes, as evidenced by the soft pedal and burning odor. However, the Continental SportContact5 tires (225/40R18 front and 245/35/R18 rear) – known for their ability to shed speed with authority – never faltered. The average SLK driver probably isn’t going to give their drop-top the same workout, so for daily duty, the standard stoppers should do nicely.

In all, the 2012 SLK’s driving experience was a good one. It did, however, leave us wondering about a few things. First, we’re looking forward to some time behind the wheel of the lighter SLK250. The tonnage is down by more than 100 pounds and weight distribution should be closer to 50/50. The SLK350’s smaller-engined sibling could end up being the better of the two offerings – that is, until the V8 AMG model enters the mix. We’ll let you know as soon as we get the chance to try them out.

[Source: autoblog]

Chevrolet Captiva

The Chevrolet Captiva is a crossover SUV developed by GM Daewoo, the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors (GM) and sold under the Chevrolet brand. The Captiva utilises the GM Theta platform, and derives from the Chevrolet S3X concept car of 2004. The Theta platform also underpins the Opel Antara, the Captiva's mechanical derivative also built by Daewoo. Sold internationally as the "Chevrolet Captiva", South Korean-market cars were badged Daewoo Winstorm up until 2011 when the international name was adopted. Australasian-specification models are badged Holden Captiva.The first generation Captiva, designated C100 by Daewoo and CG in Holden's terminology, launched in 2006. Styling of the Captiva was inspired by the 2004 Chevrolet S3X concept car. The S3X concept was developed by GM Daewoo's design center in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon and is based on the GM Theta platform. It premiered at 2004 Paris Motor Show. Another concept car, by Daewoo, the Chevrolet T2X premiered at the 2005 Seoul Motor Show with its design was based on the S3X, using a shortened platform. The T2X is referred to as a sport utility coupe, accounting for its rear hinged doors, lack of conventional B-pillars, and shortened wheelbase—features that were first revealed on the "Daewoo Oto" (later renamed "Daewoo Scope") concept at the 2002 Seoul Motor Show. Production was slated for late 2006, but as of 2009 no further announcement has been made.

Active Chevrolet Captiva

Chevrolet Captiva Hatchback

For the Captiva, the production version of the S3X, both five- or seven-seat configurations are available. Standard safety features include: anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control (ESC), front seatbelt pre-tensioners and force limiters, and driver and front passenger airbags. Side curtain airbags are standard on higher luxury level variants in some markets. In crash safety tests conducted by Euro NCAP, the Captiva was given a four out of five start crash rating. The results from the test were helped by the use of high-strength steel used in the body shell which was designed to spread crash forces over distinct load channels, therefore ensuring the safety of the occupants within the safety cell. The vehicle's optional active all-wheel drive system is fully incorporated with the ESC and anti-lock braking systems, consequently increasing car handling and control. When the driving conditions determine the need for improved traction, the vehicle’s all-wheel drive system instigates. In ordinary driving situations, only the vehicle's front wheels are employed.A revised Captiva range will be released in the second quarter of 2011. The facelifted Captiva features a new front fascia reminiscent to that of the Chevrolet Aveo (T300). Other noticeable cosmetic differences comprise LED turn signals on the door-mounted mirrors, redesigned wheels and revised side air vents. A retuned suspension, four new engines and two new transmissions will also feature.The Captiva is powered by the Australian (Holden)-built 3.2 litre Alloytec V6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, featuring Active Select. This engine is also shared by the Captiva's Opel Antara derivative which utilises a different design, but shares the same underpinnings and powertrain components. A four-cylinder VCDi common rail turbodiesel engine, co-developed with VM Motori was later introduced into the range.

Chevrolet Captiva Interior

Chevrolet Captiva Steering Wheels

South Korean cars were branded "Daewoo Winstorm" from 2006. From 2008 onwards the Opel Antara became available in the Winstorm range, as the "Daewoo Winstorm MaXX". As part of GM's strategy to phase out the "Daewoo" brand worldwide, since early 2011 the Winstorm has been marketed under the global "Chevrolet Captiva" name in South Korea. This rebranding came after the March 2011 renaming of "GM Daewoo" to "GM Korea". The Chevrolet Captiva was launched in Vietnam during 2006. The Captiva in Vietnam is manufactured by Vidamco (GM Daewoo Vietnam), with 20 percent of the vehicle's parts are manufactured in the country. Since 2006 through to July 2009, 8,500 Captivas had been sold in Vietnam. Holden in Australia and New Zealand have sold the Chevrolet Captiva under the "Holden Captiva" name since November 2006, after announcing the model the previous September. The Captiva launched with the 3.2-litre V6 and five-speed automatic transmission, but March 2007 saw the addition of the 2.0-litre diesel engine with five-speed manual or optional automatic. While initially manufactured in South Korea, production was temporarily shifted to Thailand from September 2007 until early 2008 while GM Daewoo upgraded its production facilities in South Korea to cope with global demand. Specification levels were SX, CX, and LX, with a range-topping Captiva MaXX variant offered, although this was a rebadge of the closely related Opel Antara. The Antara-derived MaXX remained on sale in Australia until 2008, with New Zealand sales continuing on until the end of 2009. When the Holden resurrected the Antara-based model as a price-leading five-seater "Captiva 5" in December 2009, the seven-seat only Chevrolet-based models were renamed to "Captiva 7". Revisions to the Captiva 7 range were announced in February 2010, designated "Series II", with a March on-sale date. Changes included the adoption of the facelifted front-end fascia, as applied to Chevrolet versions, but with a Holden-specific grille and air intake. New design alloy wheels, "Altezza" tail lamps, and other trimmings feature, as does a revised interior centre console. Equipment-wise, the revised centre console houses a new 7-inch multifunction display in LX trim, which incorporates satellite navigation and a rear-view camera. Revised powertrains also feature on the Series II Captiva 7. The base setup is the SX trim with the 2.4-litre petrol utilising front-wheel drive; the 2.2-litre diesel is optional. The CX and LX variants add all-wheel drive and offer the 3.0-liter V6 as standard, with the 2.2-litre diesel remaining optional. All three engines are paired with a six-speed automatic.

Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler is a compact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle (SUV) and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian Jeep (CJ) in the 1950s, later produced by Kaiser-Jeep and by American Motors (AMC). The Wrangler debuted in 1987, was revised in 1997 and again in 2007. Wranglers continue to use live axles both front and rear as with their predecessor, the CJ. Each Wrangler model has received a designation in addition to the nameplate Wrangler corresponding to their generation: YJ (1987–1995), TJ (1997–2006), LJ's (2004-2006 Unlimited models) and JK (2007–present). Military versions of the Wrangler have carried the J8 designation. YJ models were manufactured between 1987 and 1992 in Brampton, Ontario and subsequently at the Toledo South Assembly plant until mid-1995. TJ and LJ models were subsequently manufactured in Brampton, Ontario as well. After that plant's razing, JK models have been at the Toledo North Assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio. The Jeep YJ, sold as the Wrangler, replaced the much-loved but slower-selling Jeep CJ in 1987 and was built in Brampton, Ontario, Canada until the plant closed on April 23, 1992. Production was then moved to Toledo, Ohio using the same plant that produced the Willys Jeeps back in WWII. The American Motors Corporation (AMC) had designed the new jeep to be more comfortable on-road in an attempt to attract more daily drivers. It was a new design with a wider track, slightly less ground clearance, and more comfort. The YJ also had a leaf spring suspension similar to that of the CJ, however, the springs were wider, and the YJs sported trackbars and swaybars for improved handling. Despite the new grill, the body is very similar to the CJ7's, and it is interchangeable with some minor modifications. The YJ also was given a larger windshield over the CJ. The YJs are easily identifiable due to the rectangular headlights, disliked by some Jeep aficionados, and the fact that the wiper blades rest on the windshield giving this version a distinctive look. The blades rested on the windshield due to the now wider arc of the blades to clean the now larger windshield. These two changes were later removed when the TJ changes came about in 1996. 632,231 YJs were built through model year 1995, though YJs were still produced into mid '96 bringing the total production number to 685,071 units.

2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

From 1988 until 1993, Jeep produced an options package known as the "Islander". Several colors were offered, such as Bright Red, Sunset Yellow, Teal, and White, and both engines were offered.From 1991 until 1994, Jeep produced an options package on the YJ Wrangler listed as the "Renegade Decor Group". Initially, all Renegades were White, Black or Red. In 1992, Blue was added, in 1993, Bronze. The Renegade Decor Group was a $4,266.00 option over a base Wrangler in 1991 and included special alloy wheels, exclusive body flares, along with many other features.The Wrangler Rubicon (named for the famed Rubicon Trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains) was introduced in 2003. It featured front and rear Dana 44 axles with built-in air-actuated locking differentials, 4:1 low-range NV241OR transfer case, 4.10:1 differential gears, diamond plate rocker panels, 16-inch alloy wheels, and Goodyear MTR P245/75-R16 tires. 2003 to 2004 featured a standard NV3550 five-speed manual transmission, which changed in 2005 to the NSG370, a Mercedes-sourced six-speed. The optional 42RLE four-speed automatic transmission was available from 2003 to 2006.In 2004, Jeep introduced the Wrangler Unlimited (unofficially dubbed "LJ") with a 10-inch (250 mm) longer wheelbase (LWB), a Dana 44 rear axle with a 3:73 gear ratio and the Command-Trac 231 transfer case. In 2005, Jeep released the Rubicon Unlimited, which has the wheelbase of the Unlimited and the off-road features of the Rubicon such as front and rear Dana 44 axles with locking differentials, diamond plate rocker guards, an NVG241OR transfer case with a 4:1 low range, 245/75R16 Goodyear MT/R tires, a six-speed manual transmission and other comfort and convenience options not offered on other Wranglers. This model of the Jeep Wrangler has nearly double the towing capacity than its shorter wheelbase sibling due to the increased wheelbase size.



The 2010 model added a new easier to fold/open soft top, standard UConnect on models equipped with the MyGig radio, and new sun visors that offer more coverage than the old models, as well as integrated vanity mirrors. The Jeep Wrangler received the 2009 Best Resale Value Award from Kelley Blue Book (KBB) in the Sport Utility Vehicle category. The Wrangler also holds the "Models to Best Hold Its Value" recognition from Kelley Blue Book for 1999, 1998, and 2003. The 2008 edition of Forbes Autos lists the four-wheel-drive convertible Jeep Wrangler at number four among the top ten vehicles with the highest resale value. In May 2009, Business Week magazine named the Wrangler "One of the Most Iconic Cars of the Last 20 Years." In September 2008, Chrysler Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda unveiled a range-extended electric 4-door Wrangler along with similarly engineered Town and Country minivan and a purely electric sports car. The Wrangler would have a 40-mile (64 km) range before a gas engine starts and begins supplying additional electricity. However, in November 2009 Fiat SpA disbanded Chrysler's ENVI electric car division and dropped these models from future product plans.

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