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Introduced at last year’s Sydney Motor Show, the Ford territory-based FPV F6X has launched Down Under. It’s just another in the string of Oztacular FPV products exclusive to the island continent, and it is the first FPV machine that isn’t based on the Falcon sedan or ute. With looks that are reminiscent of the Freestyle/Taurus X, the all-wheel-drive F6X won’t ever be confused for either thanks to its turbocharged 362 hp (270 kw), 405 lb-ft (550 nm) inline six and the performance it brings. The suspension is ret-uned for sport duty and the 18-inch rims hide upgraded brakes, featuring 6-pot Brembos in front, which heel the beast when necessary. Inside, a spiffy two-tone leather motif is standard, and outside, exclusive badging and optional striping are all part of the appearance package. Overall, it’s pretty cool. The same can’t be said for its price: $75,990 AUD is the starting number — no small amount of cabbage for our Australian friends. Note to Ford: See? If you offered more cool stuff like this in the US, the brass wouldn’t be reduced to making Homer Simpson jokes about the current product. TwinForce EcoBoost Taurus X SHO… do it already.Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has today set a new benchmark in performance motoring with the launch of the hot sports F6X, the most powerful six-cylinder SUV in the Australian market.
Powered by the class leading high-performance F6 270 Turbo 4.0-litre DOHC in-line six-cylinder engine, the F6X produces 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque, figures that are unmatched by any local or imported luxury six- cylinder SUV equivalents.
“The F6X is a premium, FPV enhanced version of the successful Ford Territory.” FPV General Manager Rod Barrett said.
“It builds on the best attributes of that vehicle and adds additional performance without compromising on ride comfort and safety.
“Quite simply, the F6X is the most powerful six-cylinder SUV available in Australia.”
The Australian designed and engineered F6X is the first non Falcon-based vehicle produced by FPV, which extends the FPV brand into new markets and offers customers a unique opportunity in Australian performance motoring.
“The F6X was designed for families that want a competitively priced, high performance luxury SUV,” Barrett said.
“FPV has delivered a vehicle that combines the powerful performance of a turbo charged I6 with luxury sports design cues and outstanding driving dynamics to create the ultimate sports luxury SUV.
“It is priced well below its imported luxury equivalents, but still delivers the high performance and luxury enhancements expected from a premium SUV vehicle.”
The F6X’s 270kW powerplant is matched to the renowned ZF six-speed automatic transmission and a full-time All-Wheel-Drive system.
Through a unique spring and damper calibration, FPV engineers have re-tuned the ride and handling to produce a firmer sports feel, which further enhances the primary ride control of the vehicle.
Further complementing the performance sports suspension is an upgraded brake package featuring premium front Brembo six piston calipers and 355mm x 32mm ventilated rotors, and rear 328mm x 26mm ventilated rotors with single piston sliding calipers.
The Alpine Silver finish on the18-inch five-spoke alloys is also exclusive to the F6X.
To match the higher engine outputs, sportier suspension and bigger brakes, FPV engineers also developed a unique Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) calibration for the F6X.
“The result is a DSC system that is not too intrusive during spirited driving, but provides great control during handling manoeuvres,” Barrett said.
The F6X is fitted with a number of advanced active and passive safety features, including four-channel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with traction control and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Standard equipment includes side curtain airbags and dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags, a Reverse Sensing System and reverse camera.
Exclusive two-toned leather interior
“The unique styling of the leather seats is a standout, eye-catching feature of the F6X and contributes to the sports luxury feel that permeates the entire vehicle,” said Barrett.
The seats feature a unique Shadow and Pumice two-tone seat trim, with the striking F6X logo embroidered on the adjustable head rests.
The two-tone treatment is continued through to the third row on the seven-seat variant.
The instrument cluster features the FPV logo, an engine speed red line and distinctive FPV blue illumination, while FPV scuff plates and alloy pedals add to the list of interior appointments.
Each vehicle comes with its own unique build plate mounted on the gear selector surround.
The premium Interior Command Centre (ICC), with dual zone automatic climate control and large colour screen, is finished in a unique Molten Metal accent colour, while the leather door trim inserts are finished in Pumice.
External accents stand out from the crowd
Unique F6X exterior styling cues include a high-tech front mesh grille insert with Molten Metal highlight, as well as a rear spoiler and alloy running boards with a matching body colour surround.
The exterior design also features Molten Metal accents on the front skid plate, bonnet air scoop, door mirror scalps and rear skid plate.
The vehicle features distinctive F6X 270 badging, and a unique F6X 270 stripe package is available as an optional extra.
Exterior paint colours on the F6X include Ego, Lightning Strike, Nitro*, Seduce, Sensation*, Silhouette, Velvet* and Winter White.
The F6X’s recommended retail price is $75,990 and will go on sale nationally from February 29th, 2008
*Nitro available from April 2008, Sensation available from March 2008, Velvet available from August 2008

Reminding us once again that there’s more than meets the eye when shopping for a vehicle are recent impact tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that measure how much it costs to fix a vehicle after after a low-speed accident. Sure, we’re all interested in safety and styling, but we should also be concerned with how much these low-speed impacts will cost to repair. The winner of the testing was the Ford Focus, which scored light damage all the way around. The IIHS heaped praise on Ford for designing a bumper that can truly take a bump — a novel idea.
Amazingly, some small cars like the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius and VW Rabbit cost up to a third of the car’s worth to fix from damage resulting from a minor impact. That’s a big problem for any car, but especially so for those sold on the merits of economy. To prove that it’s not too difficult for auto manufacturers to design a better bumper, the IIHS made a few simple changes to a Prius that didn’t affect the looks of the car. After retesting, it made it through the impact tests with a fraction of the damage. For the complete rundown on the testing procedures and results, click past the break.
Ford Focus performs the best; Rabbit & Prius are the worst in bumper tests
ARLINGTON, VA - Low-speed collisions happen every day in commuter traffic and parking lots. These “fender benders” end up costing car owners a lot of money and aggravation because the bumpers on many cars aren’t designed to handle what should be a no-damage event.
In a series of crash tests, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently assessed how well the bumpers of 20 small car models would protect the vehicles from damage in low-speed collisions. The worst performers are the Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Prius, and Volkswagen Rabbit, each sustaining about $4,000 damage or more in a single test. The Ford Focus performed the best, with about one-third that amount of damage in its worst test.
“Small cars are supposed to be economical, but there’s nothing economical about three or four thousand dollars in repairs after a low-speed collision,” says Institute senior vice president Joe Nolan. “Ford did the best job of putting bumpers on a small car that largely do what they’re supposed to do. In 3 of the 4 tests, the bumpers on the Focus protected sheet metal and most other expensive parts from damage.”
Why bumpers don’t bump: To assess and compare bumper performance in low-speed impacts, the Institute conducts a series of 4 crash tests - full front and rear into a barrier designed to mimic the front or back bumper on another vehicle plus front and rear corner impacts. The full-width impacts are conducted at 6 mph while the corner impacts are run at 3 mph.
The purpose of a bumper is to absorb the energy of a low-speed collision and slow the vehicles before there’s damage to expensive-to-repair parts like fenders and hoods. But there are multiple problems, the first of which is that the bumpers on colliding vehicles often don’t line up vertically so they don’t engage to begin with. Even some that do line up don’t stay engaged during an impact. Modern front-end styling results in bumper designs that can either slide under the bumpers of vehicles they strike or that simply don’t have enough room to absorb the energy of a low-speed crash. Even if they do engage the bumper of the vehicle they crash into, the bars underneath bumper covers often aren’t up to absorbing the energy. They may not be big enough to provide much protection from damage, especially if they don’t extend to vehicle corners, or they may be too flimsy to absorb much energy.
Focus bumpers show effort by Ford: Bumpers have to be tall enough to engage, and to stay engaged with the bumpers on other vehicles in collisions, even during emergency braking. Otherwise the bumpers bypass each other when the vehicles collide, overriding and underriding so that crash energy goes right through and crumples the vehicle body.
The front bumper of the Focus is tall enough to do a reasonably good job in the full-width test. Repairs cost less than $600. In contrast, damage to the Elantra of nearly $5,000 in the same test is equal to almost one-third of the car’s sales price.
“The Focus shows that decent bumpers don’t have to be heavy or costly,” says Nolan. “Many consumers are turning to small cars for better fuel economy, but damage in our tests approached luxury car territory. Savings at the pump could be more than offset by a single low-speed collision in one of these so-called economy cars.”
Underride is a frequent cause of significant damage in the tests, just like in real-world crashes. For example, the front bumpers of the Rabbit and Honda Civic underrode the barrier in the front full-width test resulting in damage to their grilles, hoods, fenders, and air-conditioning condensers. Similarly, the Prius sustained nearly $4,000 damage in the rear full-width test because its bumper is mounted too low to be in position to protect the vehicle’s tailgate, rear body panel, and taillights.
In the front corner test of the right side of the Prius, damage was much less, about $1,200, involving the fender and headlight. But had the test been conducted on the left side, the barrier would have crushed a coolant tank which costs more than $1,000 to replace, not including labor.
The cost of big ticket engine components is one thing, but something else driving repair costs are the prices of everyday parts that require replacement after what should be minor collisions. For example, plastic bumper covers that fit over the bumper bars of modern cars don’t cost the same. Among the small cars tested, the front covers on the Scions cost less than $500 to replace and refinish, but the Mitsubishi Lancer’s front cover is twice as expensive. Headlights and taillights vary widely in cost, too. A taillight costs $205 to replace on the Prius compared with just $65 on the Focus.
Make bumpers wider and taller: To do an effective job of managing crash energy, the bars underneath bumper covers have to be long enough to protect car bodies out to the front and rear corners. If a bar doesn’t extend far enough, a minor corner impact is likely to cause lots of damage, even compromising lights and other safety-related parts. Eleven of the cars in the full-front test and 18 in the front corner test required headlight replacement or repair.
To illustrate how small changes to bumper design can make a significant difference in repair costs, the Institute worked with Tech-Cor, the research division of Allstate Insurance, to modify the front bumper of the Prius. The reinforcement bar and foam absorber were extended another 10 inches on the passenger side under the headlight. When the Institute tested the Prius again, the headlight and fender were undamaged and the repair cost dropped from $1,200 to $254.
“There’s plenty of room under the bumper covers of most cars to make this simple change,” says Nolan.
The shape of the barrier the Institute uses to test bumpers represents a typical vehicle bumper. It’s set at 16 inches from the ground in the corner test and 18 inches from the ground in the full-width test. The barrier height in the corner test matches the bumper zone specified in federal standards that require bumpers on cars. Because minivans, pickups, and SUVs aren’t required to comply with the federal rule, Institute researchers set the barrier in the full-width test 2 inches higher to promote car bumper designs with a better chance of engaging the bumpers on these vehicles, which often are higher than typical car bumpers. The idea is that car bumpers should work not only in crashes with other cars, but also in crashes with other vehicles.
Better bumpers aren’t complicated: It wouldn’t take much for automakers to reduce the cost of repairing the damage that occurs in low-speed collisions. Nolan points to 3 main things automakers already know how to do and could be doing:
1. Make the bumper bars longer so they protect headlights and other critical and costly equipment at the corners of vehicles.
2. Make bumpers taller so they engage the bumpers on higher riding SUVs and pickup trucks instead of underriding them, even during emergency braking.
3. Don’t sacrifice function for style by mounting bumpers too close to the car body. This makes for a sleek look, but it doesn’t leave much room for absorbing crash energy. Mount bumper bars farther out and use the available space under a bumper cover for energy absorption.
“Bumpers on most cars aren’t worthy of the term,” Nolan says. “Even the best bumper in this group still allowed more than a thousand dollars damage in one 3 mph crash test. Some simple changes could prevent a lot of damage to cars, and expense and headaches for consumers.”

Fueling speculation that the Tata protests last week may have been much more effective than originally reported, India’s Tata Motors Ltd has said it will move the upcoming Tata Nano plant from its planned eastern India location if the violent protests don’t end. The tension is between the industry that is pushing for the 1,000-acre plant and the farmers who wish to retain the land for agricultural use. After the unveiling of the plant in January, which was hailed by the state’s ruling Communists, the protests have been gathering steam. It eventually led to the violent clash last week as more than 1,000 people marched against the planned facility. The announcement from Tata Motors is significant as the company has invested more than 1,500 crore rupees ($350 million) in the project so far, and there is no alternate plan to replace the facility at Singur (although the Nano is going to be manufactured at other plants, as well). In addition, other manufacturers who are expanding into India (including Nissan, Renault, GM, and Hyundai) are watching the unfolding events very closely as they plan their next moves.

Some of the more hard-core tifosi have been whining that Ferrari has gone soft with the new California. It’s pretty hard to justify that a car able to hit 60 mph in the three-second range is soft, but so be it. The nay-sayers point to the inclusion of a folding hard-top as a sign that Ferrari has grown more concerned with pleasing its poseur clientele than developing genuine performance vehicles. Never mind that the innovative rapid-deployment roof, according to Ferrari, actually weighs 5kg less than an equivalent soft-top and still only takes 14 seconds to raise or lower.
However, Maranello has not finished development of the California and intends to pacify those malcontents with some new features. For starters, Ferrari says that about 10% of its customers still demand a manual transmission, and so they will have one ready for the California by the time it actually goes on sale about half a year from now. Around the same time, Ferrari will also unveil a new HGTC handling package, like those offered for the 612 Scaglietti and the previous 575 M Maranello, to tighten up the California’s suspension. A new set of lightweight wheels is also in the works, anticipated to shave some 10-12kg off of the unsprung weight. A 430 Scuderia it is not – that’s why Ferrari makes both – but don’t mistake the California for a lazy boulevard cruiser.

The 2009 Dodge Journey carries the size and shape of a typical crossover, and it has seating for seven and all the amenities you could possibly ask for at $30,000. On paper, the Journey has a plenty of things in its favor, yet we had our doubts.
First off, it looks a lot like the Dodge Caravan, which works against the Journey when considering that many crossover buyers want to avoid the minivan stigma. It’s also based on the less than impressive Chrysler Sebring platform, which we have found to be just awful. Then there is Chrysler’s corporate 3.5L engine, which is less powerful, refined and efficient than similarly sized engines from its competition. Chrysler’s recent track record for vehicles that are less than class competitive also lent support to our notion that the Journey might be a letdown. Regardless, we tried to clear our minds of these things when the Journey arrived for a week-long stay in the Autoblog Garage. Hit the jump to see how Chrysler’s new crossover fared.

Big-bucks enthusiasts annoyed that they’re not the only ones at the club with a Veyron can now ensure that they arrive in total exclusivity. That’s because the one-off Maybach Exelero, commissioned by Fulda to act as a high-profile demonstrator for its tire line of the same name, is now for sale. The Exelero isn’t some delicate flower of a show car. Based on the Maybach 57 and powered by a 700-horsepower version of that car’s turbocharged V12, the Exelero reached 218 mph at Nardo. In many ways, Exelero represents what Maybach could have and should have been — a place where daring styling and incredible performance could merge with extreme luxury to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Instead, while the marque’s sedans clearly get the luxury part of the equation right, in terms of styling, they basically work in anonymity, looking like peculiar old S-Class sedans. There’s nothing anonymous about the Exelero, though, and for €5,000,000 (around $7.8 million USD), you can drive the sybaritic supercar that Daimler should have given Maybach all along.

Now that the 2008 Beijing Motor Show is underway, we’re getting a chance to see how a lot of those sketches and renderings we saw ahead of the festivities translate into actual cars. One of the concepts we were curious about was the collaborative effort between Citroën and sports apparel maker Kappa. Not only is the red-and-white C2 Kappa concept faithful to the drawing released last month, it’s also pretty cool.

The C2 Kappa is lowered and fully kitted, sporting a unique front fascia that tones down the base car’s oversized headlamps and adds aggressive Kappa-emblazoned grillework below the bumper. That logo is repeated all along the fat red racing stripe that runs from nose to tail, flanked by thinner grey accent stripes. Another red door stripe with the Kappa branding runs along each flank. A roof spoiler and a color-keyed diffuser insert add visual flair in back, while white rally-style wheels take up residence at the corners. Inside, sport seats with the Kappa insignia dress up the passenger cabin, rounding out this surprisingly appealing styling exercise from Dongfeng Citroën and Kappa, even if it the equivalent of a car dressed in a jogging suit.

If you want to sport a Dodge Challenger without the fire-breathing V8 or the hefty price tag, the time to act is now. The first two Dodge Challenger SE models have arrived in Ohio this week, and 500 models are en-route to dealerships in the U.S. and Canada as you read this. The SE Challenger packs Chrysler’s ho-hum 3.5L V6 with 250 horsepower and a truly retro four speed automatic, but the news is far from all bad. You still get the Challenger’s muscular looks, power flowing through the rear wheels, and a hard to beat entry price of only $21,995. You probably won’t win many races, but at least you won’t be driving an Avenger. Seriously, though, the Challenger SE charmed us at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show where it debuted with a simple proposition: cheap, rear-wheel-drive fun on four wheels

Well, no, but can you blame us for thinking so? While no one here is a shoe expert like, say, The Manolo, it’s hard to look at this forthcoming Chery compact and not think of the ubiquitous (and heinous) sandals worn by Mario Batali and countless suburbanites in apparent need of corrective eye surgery. Look at that rounded, upturned nose — Croc city, baby! We know that the Chinese auto manufacturers have never shied away from “borrowing” styling elements from other cars in the past, so really, what’s to stop them from aping a resin clog design for the S16?

This new version of speedster flashes has fair combination of immense power, concept car novelty, Natural car beauty, and usage of high technologies. A greatcharged, 700 hp, 6.2-liter alloy V8 gets the car to 60 in 3.2 seconds. authoriz developed, driver-changeable 10-position springs help keep the Michelin Pilots on the road.

This version has three cameras insteasd of rear and side mirrors, One of them in rear and others are in sides. There is no way to see it in operation, but the Infiniti EX has the same sort of set up (though it also has mirrors). We expect that during slow maneuvers the console screen shows the three views, but what kind of side view you get during on the highway is a good question. Though with no pillars or roof, a quick flick of the head might be all you need.

Speedster Features

* Engine: 6.2 liter (378 in.3) V8, 90°, cast aluminum block and heads;
* Horsepower: 700 bhp @ 6,200 rpm (SAE)

* Torque: 660 lb-ft @ 4,750 rpm (SAE)
* Redline: 6,500 rpm

* Supercharger: Eaton/Magnuson Roots-style; with integral air/liquid intercooler

* Drive Train: Transaxle 6-speed manual
6-speed automatic with paddle shift

* Suspension

Front and rear: Forged aluminum, unequal length, upper and lower control arms. Callaway/Eibach Multi-Pro coil-over suspension with double adjustable dampers external reservoir with 10-position compression control; companion helper and tender springs supplementing composite leaf springs; front and rear Callaway anti-roll bars, tubular steel

* Wheels/Tires

Front: 19 x 10 Callaway/Dymag forged magnesium/carbon fiber rims 285/30ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport II
Rear: 20 x 13 Callaway/Dymag forged magnesium/carbon fiber rims 345/25ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport II

* Brakes

Front/rear: Callaway/StopTech Carbon Ceramic
6-piston (front) and 4-piston (rear) calipers with 380 x 32 mm rotors (front & rear)

* Dimensions

Wheelbase: 105.7 inches
Track, front: 62.1 inches
rear: 61.7 inches
Height: 40.1 inches
Length: 174.6 inches
Width: 74.6 inches
Curb weight: 3,150 pounds
Fuel capacity: 18 gallons

* Fuel Economy

City/Highway: 18/28 (manual transmission); 17/27 (automatic transmission)

* Warranty

Vehicle/Powertrain: 5-year/100,000 mile warranty

* Performance

Top speed 210 mph
0-60 3.2 sec
Quarter mile 10.97 @ 128
Lateral G 1.05