WINNING COROLLA ALTISToyota's next Corolla Altis is set to be a winner.存倉 The car looks sportier and more modern, with short overhangs and a longer wheelbase (2,700mm). It is fitted with LED headlights and LED daytime-running lights, and 16-inch two-tone alloys. Only one engine variant is said to be available in the local market: a 1.6-litre with the latest VVT-i mated to a continuously variable transmission that mimics the ebb and flow of traditional autoboxes.Inside, the car is upmarket enough to take on the Europeans - climate control with in-built ioniser, soft plastics all round, keyless access and ignition, and factory-fitted infotainment with satellite-navigation. It is expected to qualify for a $5,000 carbon rebate when it is launched here early next year.BEAUTIFUL CARS EVOKE STRONG EMOTIONSThe first scientific experiment of its kind has revealed that beautiful car designs can evoke a powerful range of emotions. Conducted by Volvo Cars in collaboration with British brain activity specialists Myndplay, the test required participants to rate a series of images whilst wearing a brain sensor headset that measured brainwave activity. The images included the new Volvo Concept Coupe, alongside perceived bad and outdated car designs, visuals of happy and crying babies and men and women considered to be beautiful.Men experienced more emotion while looking at images of beautiful cars than they did looking at a crying child. Women displayed an emotional intensity to the picture of a crying baby which almost doubled that of male participants. Almost three- quarters of men claimed that good design made them feel positive, while only one-third of women rated images of car design higher than an image of an attractive man.ELECTRIC RACER SUCCESSFULLY TESTEDThe fully electric Spark-Renault SRT_01E has completed a successful test run at the La Ferte Gaucher circuit near Choisy-le-Roi, France. The single- seater, built by French-based Spark Racing Technology and a consortium of leading manufacturers in motorsports, completed about 40 laps over two days. For the test, the car was fitted with a 50kW battery - a quarter of the maximum 200kW power (270bhp equivalent) the final car will produce.The SRT_01E will compete in the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship, the world's first international electric race series beginning in September next year. Its chassis was constructed by Dallara, with McLaren Electronics Systems providing the electric motor, gearbox and electronics, Williams Advanced Engineering the batteries, Renault the overall systems integration, and Michelin the tyres.VOLVO IN 儲存ELF-DRIVING PILOT PROJECTVolvo Cars will take part in the world's first large-scale autonomous driving pilot project in which 100 self-driving Volvos will ply public roads in the Swedish city of Gothenburg by 2017. The pilot will involve self-driving cars using about 50km of selected roads in and around Gothenburg. The project also includes fully automated parking, without a driver in the car.TOYOTA WITH BMW-SOURCED ENGINEThe new Toyota Verso 1.6 D-4D will be the first Toyota to be equipped with a BMW-sourced engine. The diesel-powered compact MPV will be launched in Europe early next year. The engine is part of a deal inked by the two companies two years ago. In it, BMW will supply Toyota a range of diesel engines, and Toyota will offer its hybrid technologies.-- PHOTO: AUDIAUDI TO LAUNCH ANOTHER MINI QAudi has announced that it will launch yet another mini Q model in 2016, but made no mention of a successor to the ageing car that started it all: the Q7. The entry-level Q1 is part of Audi's ambition to grow its line-up from 49 to 60 models by 2020, when it expects to sell more than two million vehicles. By then, SUVs will account for 35 per cent of total production, up from 28 this year.-- PHOTO: BMWNEW HEAD FOR BMW ASIAItalian Sergio Solero will succeed South African Neil Fiorentinos as head of BMW Group Asia from Jan 1. Mr Solero, 42, has been working with BMW for 16 years, serving functions in Italy and Spain and covering areas of sales and marketing, after-sales as well as dealer development. Mr Fiorentinos, 45, will go on to head BMW's office in Holland. He headed the Singapore office from 2011.ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES STOP CARSA British company has demonstrated a prototype device that can stop moving vehicles with a blast of electromagnetic waves. The RF Safe-Stop uses radio frequency pulses to confuse a vehicle's electronic systems, hence forcing the engine to shut down. E2V is one of several companies trying to bring such a product to market. BBC reported that the primary use would be as a non-lethal weapon for the military. There has also been police interest, it added.-- PHOTO: KIAFACELIFTED KIA MODELSThe Kia Optima K5 and Kia Sportage facelifts are here. The K5 has an updated exterior with four-point LED fog lamps, LED daytime-running lights, dual mufflers, 18-inch alloy and larger brakes. It gets a new hi-fi system, blind spot detection with lane-change assist and a multi-function steering wheel. The Sportage gets a new 2-litre engine. Its exterior has been refreshed, with a new grille and front fog lamps. It also has Flex Steer system and ventilated driver seat.迷你倉
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