Lexus IS-F 2011

Lexus UK revealed today the first details on the 2011 IS-F Sports sedan. For the first time the car will be offered with limited slip differential, but also new high-tech features and a cool new all-white interior lead. In UK prices start at £55,595.

The 2011 Lexus IS F also comes with a new HDD satellite navigation system with a 40GB hard disc drive and a 10GB storage space for music. The 2011 Lexus IS F is equipped with a 14-speaker Mark Levinson 5.1 surround sound system that can receive DAB digital broadcasts and has a USB port.

The tuner in the IS F's 14-speaker Mark Levinson 5.1 surround sound system has been upgraded to receive DAB digital broadcasts and a USB port has been added (in addition to the Aux-in jack).

Customers could get the new version of the IS-F with a new white leather interior instead of the standard black finish and they could also get the car with a new set of 19″ wheels. Both of these changes are free options.



Press release

Sharper handling, new high-tech features and a cool new all-white interior lead the list of improvements and changes for Lexus’s ultra-high-performance IS F for 2011.

Limited slip differential

As announced at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, the full-blooded sports saloon gains the benefit of a new limited slip differential. Fitted as standard, it gives the IS F significantly better traction and stability in high-speed cornering: Lexus test engineers were able to improve the car’s lap time around the Fuji International Speedway by a full two seconds.

The Torsen unit is robust enough to handle the 505Nm delivered by the IS F’s 5.0-litre V8 engine, automatically directing drive torque to the rear wheel with the most grip. Out-and-out performance is unchanged, with the IS F capable of nought to 62mph acceleration in 4.8 seconds and a top speed (electronically limited) of 168mph.

HDD satellite navigation

In keeping with Lexus’s reputation for effective use of advanced technologies, the IS F is fitted with a new satellite navigation system, powered by a 40GB hard disc drive (HDD). It is one of the fastest-responding and most accurate guidance systems on the market, giving full-map coverage across Europe, with automatic links to local traffic information data to ensure efficient route planning.

The HDD also provides an on-board ”sound library” function, with 10GB of disc space available for owners to store tracks from CD – space enough for around 2,000 songs.

DAB audio

The tuner in the IS F’s 14-speaker Mark Levinson 5.1 surround sound system has been upgraded to receive DAB digital broadcasts and a USB port has been added (in addition to the Aux-in jack), to allow for fully integrated connection of portable digital music players.

New leather interior and alloy wheel options

IS F can be ordered with a new white leather interior in place of the standard black finish and with new mesh-design 19-inch alloy wheels instead of the standard 10-spoke design. Both are no-cost options.

Prices

The 2011 Lexus IS F is on sale now, priced £55,595 on-the-road.

GMAC to provide financing for Saab dealers and customers

* GMAC chosen as financial services provider to Saab Automobile
* Preferred source of wholesale and retail financing for dealers and customers

Trollhättan. Following its successful launch as an independent company, Saab Automobile announced today that it has selected GMAC Financial Services as the preferred provider of wholesale and retail financial services for qualified Saab dealers and customers in many different countries around the world.


Jan Åke Jonsson, CEO of Saab Automobile AB said: "Today's announcement is excellent news for the Saab organization as a whole and also for Saab's customers. It not only makes available competitive financing, but also provides valuable continuity for the dealer network which already uses GMAC services."



Bill Muir, GMAC President said: "We are delighted to be able to build on our strong relationships with Saab dealers and customers, and we look forward to working with Saab as it begins a new chapter in its history."
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2010 New York Auto Show: New Kia Optima

The next stage of Kia's transformation from design also-ran to serious contender will kick off at the New York Auto Show in few weeks. After launching the Forte sedan and Koup, the new Sorento and, most recently, the Sportage, Kia's new design language is being applied to the Optima. The all-new 2011 Kia Optima is longer, wider and lower than the car it replaces although we don't know by how much. While it's not as aggressive as the sketches released a few weeks ago, this Optima is certainly a huge step forward.

• Kia will formally unveil its new 2011 Optima at the 2010 New York Auto Show.

• Only two photos of the future Optima have been released.

• Pricing has not yet been announced, but is likely to be similar to the outgoing Optima.

The base 2010 Kia Optima LX starts at $18,690, including a $695 destination charge.
via:autoblog

Press Release

Next generation Kia Optima to showcase confident new design direction
World premiere to be held at 2010 New York Motor Show

(SEOUL) March 14, 2010 – The next generation Kia Optima (currently, also known as 'Magentis' in some markets) is set to make its world premiere next month at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

"The next generation Optima possesses the power to surprise," says Peter Schreyer, Kia's Chief Design Officer. "It's a car that people will simply not expect from Kia – and that's exactly what we set out to achieve."

The Optima exudes an athletic confidence from every angle and shutline – its raked roofline, the high and pronounced shoulder line of its sculpted flanks and its extended wheelbase are complemented by boldly flared wheelarches and a shallow glasshouse that create a saloon with a muscular and self-assured stance.

The striking visage of the Optima features a new interpretation of Kia's bold 'tiger' family face that's edged by piercing projector headlamps.

Longer, wider and lower than before, the Kia's coupe-like profile is enhanced by the sweeping chrome arc that flows from A to C pillar, a distinctive design motif that visually lowers the car further still and enhances its cab-backwards proportions.

Spacious, and with class-leading levels of safety and luxury equipment, the Optima's intelligently configured and driver-oriented cabin underlines this newfound poise and presence.

"The Optima embodies Kia's confident new design direction," says Schreyer. "It's a global car with individual appeal."

The Kia Motors press conference for the New York International Auto Show will take place on April 1, 2010 from 10:10-10:35 a.m. at the Kia Stand on Level 1 of the 'Jacob Javits Center' located between 34-39 Streets on 11th Avenue in New York City.