Ford B-MAX concept

Scheduled to make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show this week is Ford's brand-new B-MAX concept that previews the firm's upcoming small MPV, designed to replace the current European Fusion and rival the Opel Meriva. Based on the Fiesta platform, the almost production-ready minivan has some striking features, the most obvious being the new door concept. It has no B-pillar and the twin doors have a conventional opening system in the front and a sliding system in the back.

By eliminating the traditional B-pillar, Ford promises best-in-class access to the cabin without compromising safety. With both front and rear doors open, the aperture measures 1.5 metres, around twice the width offered by competitors, according to Ford.
�With its unique door format and dynamic design, the B-MAX sends a strong message that customers looking for a compact, stylish and versatile vehicle will soon have an exciting new choice,� said Stephen Odell, CEO of Ford Europe. Another highlight is the lack of door handles, with the opening system being remote-controlled.

The B-MAX measures is a little over 4 meters in length, and is 110mm longer than and 110mm taller than the Fiesta five-door hatch, with Ford promising enough room for five passengers. With the rear seats folded 60/40, the car offers a flat load floor that extends up to 2.35 meters in length when the front passenger seat is folded.
The B-MAX is powered by an all-new 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that uses EcoBoost technology and is equipped with Ford's Auto-Start-Stop system. The 3-cylinder unit uses turbocharging, direct fuel injection and twin independent variable cam timing to achieve significant reductions in fuel-consumption and CO₂ emissions. This engine is set to replace larger conventional four-cylinder units in the future and is now undergoing the final development phase.
A production version of the B-MAX is expected to launch within the next two years.

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Test Drivers "Blamed" for the Re-Design of the Toyota FT-86 Coupe

Toyota's FT-86 II pre-production concept car displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last week attracted a lot of attention, with many viewing the car's styling as a step back from the FT-86. However, as Toyota explained, these changes were not imposed only by designers, but by the company's test drivers and safety regulations as well.
More precisely, the feedback received from the test drivers after the early development stages had the biggest influence on the look of the FT-86 II. The most important change requested was to move back the A-pillars by around 100 mm at the base, which led to a more vertical windscreen.
�We had feedback from drivers who felt that the angle of the A-pillars created a type of �tunnel vision�,� Akihiro Nagaya, head of Toyota design division, told Autocar. �This could sometimes make the car hard to place on the road, particularly at higher speeds. The theory behind this car remains that of the �86� (the original Corolla AE-86), which was easy and pure to drive, so we had to change it,� Toyota�s official added.
Another important change from the original FT-86 Concept is the taller nose, adopted in order to comply with pedestrian impact regulations, a modification which alters the sharp profile of the original concept. Toyota's designers complicated things even more with overly aggressive styling on the front and rear ends.
So, how many of these changes will we see on the production car? According to Nagaya, the road car will share around 50 to 70 percent of its looks with the FT-86 II. Another interesting statement made by Nagaya was that Subaru's version of this car will look very much like the Toyota, with the approach being similar to the S-Verso/Trezia rebadging work.

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Acura TL Sedan 2012 Prices and Wallpapers

With the 2012MY Acura TL�s market launch set for March 18, the Japanese automaker decided to drop pricing details along with a slew of new photos of its facelifted mid-size sedan. The most significant changes for the 2012 TL concern the new front and rear styling, while Acura also added a new Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic transmission and made the cabin quieter.The base front-wheel drive 2012 TL, which comes with a 280HP V6 hooked up to a Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic, starts at $35,605, while the available Technology Package that includes a navigation system and a 440-watt premium audio System, increases the price to $39,335. Opt for the Advance Package that incorporates ventilated front seats, larger wheels and a new blind spot information (BSI) system, and the price goes up to $41,535. 
 
The TL SH-AWD, which features a 305HP V6 linked to a Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, has an MSRP of $39,155. The MSRP for models equipped with the Technology Package is $42,885, and with the Advance Package, it�s $45,085.
Finally, the TL SH-AWD with a six-speed manual gearbox and the Technology Package has an MSRP of $42,885.


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