2009 Ford Ranger MAX Production Version Scooped in Thailand
January 5, 2009
Less than a month's time after the unveiling of the Ford Ranger MAX Concept at the Thailand Motor Expo, and the first photos of the revised 2009 Ranger pickup truck have surfaced on the internet. These pictures, courtesy of the Thai-based Fordclub forum, reveal that the European / Asian market 2009 Ranger picks up several design cues from the prototype model including the 'in-your-face' three-piece chrome grille, the domed hood and the headlamp design. We are not aware of any other details, but expect to see an official release in the next few weeks. Hit the jump for more pictures.
Source: FordClub
Hyundai Releases Sketches of its 2010 Equus Flagship Luxury Sedan
Hyundai has published a set of teaser renderings of its new flagship saloon that will be officially introduced in February, 2009. Codenamed VI, the new luxury sedan will sit atop the Genesis in Hyundai's car range serving as a replacement for the outdated Equus. The VI's design looks pretty aggressive in these pics, but then again all cars look good in teaser sketches...Unlike the front-wheel drive Equus, the VI will adopt the Genesis' rear-wheel drive architecture as Hyundai wants to make it a more credible competitor against the Lexus LS460, BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Powertrain options will. include a 3.8-liter Lambda V6 engine and a 4.6-liter Tau V8 while a top-of-the-range stretched limousine edition that will bow in the second half of 2009 will feature a 5.0-liter variant of the Tau V8.
Compared to the Equus, the VI will be longer, wider and taller measuring 5,160mm in length, 1,900mm in width and 1,495mm in height. The sedan's highlights will include a second-generation Vehicle Stability Management System (VSM2), a Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) that employs a vision sensor to monitor traffic lane markers and a Pre-Safety Seatbelt System which on detecting an imminent front-end collision, will automatically reel-in the safety belts to maximize the safety of the occupants.
For the time being, Hyundai has no plans to export VI to the North American or European markets.
Official BMW X6 M Video Confirms Production Version, Power to come from Twin-Turbo V8
BMW has confirmed through a new teaser video - to be exact, in the description of the video- that the forthcoming X5 M (see the teaser film of the prototype model here) will be joined by an X6 M model that will be introduced later in the year. In this latest video, for the first time BMW reveals that both the X5 and X6 M will share a new 'M' prepped twin-scroll turbocharged V8 engine combined with a rear-wheel biased all-wheel drive system.Up until now, the most powerful variants of the X5 and X6 models are equipped with BMW's new 408HP 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, something that leads us to believe that the 'M' variant of the V8 will deliver an output well over the 500HP mark. Our sources state that BMW will also use this engine on the next generation M5 and M6 models.
