It’s hard enough to get your hands on a Fiat 500 outside of Europe, but if you are one of the lucky few, then here’s how to get a little more power out of the little car. JCR Racing LTD, a British tuning house specializing in Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles, unveiled their latest conversion kit for the Fiat 500. The new kit includes a supercharger, a new intercooler system, custom designed hood scoop or bulge, depending on the customer’s choice painted to match the color of the car and some ECU modifications.
According to the manufacturer, the supercharger boosts the power of the engine to 150 bhp (50 more hp) without affecting the fuel economy. Price of the kit: 2,800 pounds (currently about $5,100.)
You can watch a video of the engine revving here.
Because the Smart ForTwo is way too common (there are only about 14,000 on U.S. roads), the German manufacturer launched today a new limited edition of small cars. The new project includes a limited number of just 100 units and the tattoo legend Ed Hardy together with all kinds of custom components for the interior and the exterior of the car.
In fact, the manufacturer could call the project "Pimp my Smart”. The new program includes for the interior a seven-layered Ed Hardy tattoo inspired satin paint scheme, premium leather seats with Ed Hardy tattoo embroidered suede inserts, premium leather and suede upholstered lower dash, red contrasting stitching throughout the interior, interior accents finished in piano black glass, a Kenwood premium audio system with a JL Audio 8” subwoofer.
The outside gets custom satin black multi spoke wheels with Ed Hardy ”Tiger” center cap, a chrome dual tip exhaust system by Doug Thorley Headers providing an increase of 6 hp and 14 ft lbs. torque. Also, each car includes a plate with the number of the car from 1-100 which is personally signed by Christian Audigier.
Here are some pictures taken from the Kia Forte’s Korean brochure. The new compact car was launched in its home market of South Korea this week, but isn’t expected in the U.S. until the middle of next year.
Why are we excited about a new little Kia? Well, budget-friendly Kia seems to be starting to turn a corner. Its Euro-only Cee’d has been getting good reviews for style and performance. This Forte looks great inside and out compared to the Spectra it replaces, and so our hopes are high.
New Kia Forte pics Picture Gallery
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The Corolla is the car that made Toyota a household name. For over forty years, Corolla has meant reliable transportation at an affordable price. The current generation is not breaking this winning formula, and its trying to add a little luxury into the affordable car mix.
The Corolla was first introduced as a small rear-drive subcompact in the late 1960s. In the 1970s the second generation was introduced, and it was the best selling import in the country. Last year, the now front-wheel drive Corolla became the best selling model in the world, with over 30 million sold. Toyota has released a new generation of the Corolla every four or five years, which has now lead up to this new tenth-generation 2009 Toyota Corolla. The new Corolla is slightly longer, lower and wider than the previous generation. It is available in five trims, base, LE, S, XLE, and XRS. Our Corolla XLE is powered by a 1.8 Liter 4 cylinder DOHC engine matted to an automatic 4-speed transmission. The starting price for the Corolla XLE is $17, 550. Our test vehicle is priced at $18,600, because it has the optional goodies including 6-disc CD changer and satellite radio.
>> read 2009 Toyota Corolla Picture Gallery
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Tata is taking steps to makes sure the little Nano won’t be short on power. FEV, a German engineering and powertrain firm, is right now actively working on the diesel engine for the Nano to debut later next year. The 800 cc, turbocharged CRDI engine would most likely be the tiniest engine with common rail technology in the world, taking the crown from Daimler.
The CRDI systems are being developed in conjunction with Bosch, while Honeywell Turbo India is working on the turbo charger. Originally the 700 cc CRDI engine, which Tata uses in its Ace mini-truck was considered for the Nano, but Tata has decided against it. The new FEV engine is cheaper and could also involve more progressive technology to battle emissions, redeem a better fuel economy, and achieve better engine refinement.
Tata Nano - the $2500 car Picture Gallery
Do you belong to the breed of individuals who wake up everyday, leaves for a brisk jog, eats low-fat, high-protein food, drinks diet Coca Cola and advices the whole world on how to be slim? If yes, then this report should cause you to feel delighted.
In the U.S., sale of the Geo Metros are catching up. The ’econo-crap’ cars as some call it, are simple to drive and yield a high gas mileage. Second-hand or third-hand ones cost close to a thousand bucks a few years back, but at the moment, a 1993 model can fetch you anywhere close to 7,000, just like one joyful owner who bid farewell to his Geo, some months back, in return for $7,300!
>> read 
India has become one of the emerging markets that carmakers want to get a sizable foothold, and Volkswagen is no exception. Today India gets what the rest of the world has had for almost 30 years, the Jetta. The current generation, now celebrating its fourth year, is available in three trim levels. All available engines produce about 100 horsepower, and the price will stay between $30,000 and $40,000. The mid-size sedan joins the more upscale Phaeton and Touareg that are already on sale in the country.
Continuing the expansion into this market, Volkswagen is also reported to be preparing a small car to be built and marketed specifically for the south Asian country by 2010.
The Fiat 500 is now Ferrari’s courtesy car. Ferrari’s corporate cousin produced 200 all-red special versions of the little retro car to be used throughout Europe. Although the performance will likely be a step down from whatever the driver had before, the courtesy cars come with Fiat’s largest engine for the 500 (1.4 liters, 100 horsepower), and they also “offer specific tuning and exhaust in perfect harmony with the sporty spirit of the ‘prancing horse’.”
Fiat is also touting items on the car such as the red brake calipers, sporty pedal set, special black steering wheel with red stitching and 16” alloy wheels. But honestly, no matter how special this 500 may be, if you pick up a date in your economy-based courtesy car, do you really think she’s going to believe you when you tell her that your Ferrari is in the shop?
The most exciting part of the Malaysian company Proton is that they own Lotus, and Proton knows this too. That’s why the new Persona carries over the tradition of the original car and will sport “Handling by Lotus” badges.
This is no way a lie, but just because Lotus’ engineering arm touched your car doesn’t mean you’ve got Colin Chapman’s blessing to go racing in your budget-minded Persona.
This is not a new idea in automotive sales. The badge from Lotus has been applied to De Loreans, Pontiacs and Isuzus, to add a little more excitement to somewhat mundane cars. But no stories have ever surfaced of people buying the car purely for this badge.
When you hear the name Scion, you probably think about the “stylish” Scion xB. The xB was such a success, with over 60,000 xBs sold in 2007; it outsold its smaller sibling the xA. Apparently, the xA just wasn’t cool enough. That is probably the reason why Scion decided to stop production of the xA back in 2007. However, the xA was quickly replaced with a newer and nicer model- the xD. The 2008 Scion xD was first introduced to the public on February 2007 at the Chicago Auto Show, and production started that same summer. The new xD wants to be fuller, sportier and more playful than the defunct xA, let’s see if that is the case.
>> read 2008 Scion Xd Picture Gallery
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