Honda reveal new models, including “revived” Honda S2000

Honda has revealed some new models that they plan to release in the near future at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon. Ironically, one of the “concept” cars to be displayed includes a Honda S2000 with a daft body kit, which originally stopped production in 2008.

Honda will show the S2000 Modulo Climax, an S2000-based concept model featuring “aeroform” design and an interior coordinated in black and burgundy. From the looks of it, it is exactly the same car as before, just with cosmetic changes to the interior and little changes to the front and rear fascias. It looks to still have the enter-key-then-push-start button as well. Then again, this is just the concept.

Other featured automobiles will include models based on the all-new N-ONE mini-vehicle showing off its custom body colours and adorned in rhinestone. Also on display will be 10 mini-vehicles, including show models of the VAMOS and the ACTY TRUCK.

Models on exhibit will include the MUGEN CR-V Design Study, a CR-V-based concept model presenting a new design, and the CR-Z MUGEN RZ, a MUGEN vehicle sold commercially as a complete car limited to 300 vehicles.

Honda’s motorcycle exhibit will present the GOLDWING F6B. Customised vehicles derived from such models as the CB1300 SUPER FOURSpecial Edition and the NC700X will also be on display featuring aftermarket parts and accessories.

Honda’s racing vehicle exhibit will present the RC213V motorcycle, an essential contributor to Honda’s team and constructors’ championships in the 2012 MotoGP. Two cars from the SUPER GT Series, the HSV-010 GT and the MUGEN CR-Z GT, will also be appearing as well as the DOCOMO TEAM DANDELION RACING machine that won the 2012 Formula NIPPON team championship.

 

2013 Nissan Sentra

The 2013 Nissan Sentra will be hitting showrooms in the UAE very soon. It is not a replacement for the new sub-compact Nissan Sunny, but will slot in alongside it as a compact sedan offering, effectively replacing the older Nissan Sunny.

Until recently, Sentra was the name given to Sunny models for decades in the United States. Following the design cues of the Maxima and the Altima, the new Sentra will also have the corporate look Nissan has adopted lately. Under the hood will be a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine, mated to a CVT. Power will be rated at 130 hp and 174 Nm of torque, assuming we’ll have the same specs as the U.S. model.

The 2013 Nissan Sentra will be launched in the UAE by the middle of January 2013. It should also hit showrooms in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and other markets soon.

 

 

 

2013 Mazda CX-5

It’s weird that, aside from a brief look at our scribe Vivek Menon’s Mazda 6, we’ve never had a go with any Mazda models before. All we kept hearing about was how Mazdas handled well and all that, but we never took it seriously, especially since the local dealers did not have a media test-drive programme in place. So when we got the call offering us the fresh Mazda CX-5 for a proper test, we were actually sort of excited.
The CX-5 is the first Mazda to feature their new “Kodo” corporate front-end. It looks fine, but it doesn’t turn any heads.
The interior is very simple, functional but with no unique design features of note, even if there is a touchscreen. However, we did notice that Mazda now uses better interior materials, with lots of soft-touch surfaces.
The boot offers a pretty big floor area, so it’s deceptively spacious for its size. It is also the first crossover we’ve seen to offer a cargo cover that can be hooked up to the tailgate, like in a hatchback. It also has a 40:20:40-split rear seat.
We’re still not sure what the hype over the “SkyActiv” engine is. Aside from a super-high compression ratio, the performance and economy in real-world terms is similar to regular engines. However, the drive really is special for a car in this segment. More in the full review.

 

2013 Hyundai Genesis now in Middle East with GDI engine

According to a press release by Hyundai Middle East, their “GDI” direct-injection engine will make its debut in the Middle East with the new 2013 Hyundai Genesis, giving it more horsepower and torque. However, they’ve said a lot of things before, such as the “launch” of the GDI engines in the latest Genesis Coupe models, which never made it to the local dealers.

According to their latest announcement, the Genesis gets the 3.8-litre V6 GDI engine, good enough to produce 333 hp and 395 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, to offer better acceleration and improve fuel efficiency. Apparently the older 286 hp “MPI” V6 engine will continue to be offered as well, although the V8-powered Prada edition seems to have been dropped.

The interior gets a new 8-inch display with navigation and a user-interface as well a joystick-type controller.

The 2013 Genesis should be available in all Hyundai showrooms across UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the rest of the GCC.

 

 

So we got a 2013 Peugeot 208

There was the 205 that ran from 1983 all the way till 1996. Then there was the 206 in 1998 that was so popular that they kept building it for almost a decade. After that, there was the 207 that no one really noticed. And now for 2013, there is the 208. It was only a matter of time before Peugeot ran out of numbers, so we hear that the 208 name will stay constant from now on. And this new model is a great way to start off the 208 bloodline.

 

 

2013 Toyota Prius launched at Saudi International Motor Show

The new 2013 Toyota Prius has been launched at this year’s Saudi International Motor Show in Jeddah.

It is quite a surprising one, considering petrol prices are just over 50 fills per litre in Saudi Arabia. The Prius comes as a hybrid, with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the hood which produces 98 hp, connected to an electric motor. Both together combine to produce a total power of 134 hp. Torque is rated at about 142 Nm. The car is able to achieve a combined fuel economy rating of 4.7 l/100 km.

No price or launch date was given for the Toyota Prius, but rumours are it will have a starting cost of somewhere around SAR 100,000 with the first batch expected to hit showrooms in the first quarter of 2013. Saudi Arabia will be the first GCC country to offer the Prius officially as far as we know.

Nissan Pathfinder 2013 officially revealed

Nissan has revealed pictures of the production version of the 2013 Pathfinder on, of all places, Facebook. Of course, it reveals nothing new, as it looks exactly like the “concept” shown many months ago at auto shows.

The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder shares its front-wheel-drive platform with the recently-released Infiniti JX. Specs include a 3.5-litre V6 engine, CVT automatic and optional all-wheel-drive. It has three-row seating, available surround-view cameras and an optional 12-speaker Bose stereo, all shared with the Infiniti version. This new crossover is a far cry from the body-on-frame offroad-capable rear-wheel-drive-based Pathfinder that is being replaced.

Expect the new model to hit Middle East showrooms by early next year, if not earlier.