Article file under http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com
By Rodrez

First Impresion: 2010 Acura TSX V6

When the Acura TSX first hit U.S. shores, it was immediately branded as Acura's entry-level sport sedan. As with any new car, reviews blanketed magazines and internet sites and the nit picking began. While most writers praised the new offering, citing its long list of positive attributes, the negative points seemed to echo one another. Many would complain of a lack of torque and what they refer to as "peaky" performance. There's no question that most of the Honda engines introduced over the last fifteen years have revolved around high revving screamers, and that's what makes them so unique. Nevertheless, there's a sea of potential buyers in America who are looking for the low-end grunt they probably grew up with. Add to that a growing number of sport sedan consumers who begin salivating at the very thought of more muscle under the hood and you can understand why the TSX received two more cylinders for its spec sheet.



The facelift

With the 2009 model came a complete redesign. A larger, bulkier, yet very sleek new body style made its way to dealer show rooms. As with many new offerings, Honda fans needed a moment to get used to the new look. At first glance, the silver front grill draws your attention away from the sharp sculptured lines of the exterior. The HID-equipped headlights, much like with the older model, carry an aggressive stare, and flow very well with the front bumper and fenders. The wheel arches and rear bumper take their time growing on you, but once they do, thoughts of aftermarket wheel combinations and a healthy drop aren't far behind.





Love at first seat

When I first arrived to pick up the TSX, it was parked right next to a 2010 Acura TL. The similarities in outward appearance as well as the cabin layout are obvious, as is the increased size of the flagship Acura in comparison to the smaller TSX. As I jumped inside our test car, the very first thing I noticed were the comfortable seats. A slightly sporty feel with the cushiest headrest I've ever leaned into. I can only imagine how comfortable these seats would be on a five hour cruise to Vegas. During the week of testing, I found myself answering emails from my blackberry while parked in the garage, subconsciously not wanting to leave my new leather-wrapped home.



Dimensionally, the interior is much larger than the previous generation. The TSX's dash layout and location of the major user controls are ergonomically superior to its predecessor. Navigation, satellite radio, and traffic updates are all controlled by a main dial and a few surrounding buttons. Under the navigation screen is a small digital strip that relays radio and temperature info to eliminate jumping back and forth between screens.



More articles, Click HERE

2011 BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo

Article file under http://www.topspeed.com



BMW unveiled the BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo in China at the Beijing Auto Show. This is the first BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo to be equipped with the xDrive all-wheel-drive technology.



The BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo is powered by a 4,4 liter V8 engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and High Precision Injection. The engine delivers a total of 407 hp and a peak torque of 442 lb-ft and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This way the 550i xDrive Gran Turismo also becomes the first model to combine BMW’s intelligent all-wheel drive with an outstandingly dynamic, smooth, comfortable and highly efficient eight-speed automatic transmission.



More articles, click Here

PROTON PERSONA ELEGANCE LAUNCHED – PERSONA FACELIFT

Article file under http://kereta.info

The New Proton Persona Facelift now available at most of the Proton Showroom.Officially called as the Proton Persona Elegance, this new Persona Elegance offered a new front bumper with the new Proton signature grille, new wheels, LED tail lights, new wing mirrors with LED turn lights, blacked-out headlights, new meter combi fascia, chrome door handle finishing and a two-tone interior colour.For the LED tail lights, there are equipped with nine LEDs. The nine LEDs are arranged in two rows – four up and five down.



The Persona Elegance, which ranges from the Base Line, Medium Line and the High Line are powered by the same 1.6-litre Campro IAFM engine with 110 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 148 Nm of torque from 4000 rpm with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed auto gearbox.However, for the High Line version only the Automatic transmission available.



The new Persona Elegance also is now using the new 32-bit ECU which supplied by Siemens VDO,which is now under Continental.Previously, they are using the 16-bit version which also supplied by the Siemens VDO.There is no performance gain by using the new ECU but it is a step forward for Proton in terms of parts commonality as future Proton models will use higher technology.According to a Proton source, the new 32 bit ECU has more capabilities and can cater more demand compared to the older 16 bit version.



Also new will be the single DIN Blaupunkt audio player that plays CD and MP3. It also comes with a USB port.Medium and High Line cars get a GPS navigation set stuck on the windscreen, driver’s seat height adjuster and electric side mirrors.There are also stereo repeater buttons on the steering wheel, new design wheels, fog lights, a wrap-around bodykit, rear disc brakes and dual front airbags.



The High Line version offers almost the same spec as the previous Persona SE which has now stopped production.Apart from the leather seats, pre-tensioners, auto-cruise, ABS, EBD and electric remote boot release, the High Line is the only variant which is available in Brilliant Red paint job.



Cool signal lights.

Currently, the Persona is the best selling mid-sized sedan, with 35 per cent shares in that category. Proton’s survey revealed that 54 per cent of Persona buyers bought the model for its driving performance, space and styling.Proton hope that the Persona Elegance will push the sell of the Persona from an average of 3,600 units a month to 4,000 units.



The Proton Persona Elegance is available in most of the Proton Showroom.It comes with with a 2-year or 50,000 km warranty and a 3-year/125,000 km extended warranty program – that’s total of 5 years and 175,000 km.






PERSONA ELEGANCE SPECIFICATIONS.

Engine: Campro IAFM 4-cylinder DOHC 16V 1,597cc
Max power: 110hp @ 6,500rpm
Max torque: 148Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: 4-speed auto/5-speed manual
Safety features: Dual airbags, pre-tensioners, ABS with EBD (M and H line)

On The Road Price (Peninsular Malaysia)

Persona Base Line (Manual) : RM46,499.00
Persona Base Line (Auto) : RM49,499.00
Persona Medium Line (Manual) :RM52,999.00
Persona Medium Line (Auto) : RM55,999.00
Persona High Line (Auto) : RM 59,499.00(Only available in Auto Transmission

More article, Click HERE

Hand-held scanner can copy car keys

Article file under http://www.topspeed.com/

The double-edged sword that is technology has, throughout history, produced some of the most remarkable inventions the world has ever known. And while most of them have been or are being put to good use, there are some inventions that, while pretty cool in their own right, poses an element of threat should they fall in the wrong hands.



Take this new Electronic Key Impressioner for example. The EKI is a small hand-held device that has the capability to electronically map the inside of car locks and remold a key that could open the car lock that it previously scanned. With the use of a USB port and a lock mapping software, users of the EKI can completely redesign and duplicate a set number of keys.

On one hand, this new device could end up becoming a locksmith’s new BFF – imagine how easy it would be for them to just scan a certain lock’s key codes and create a duplicate using a lock mapping software. On the flip side, however, the EKI – should they end up with someone with evil intentions – could also become a thief’s new favorite toy. Can you imagine how easy it would be for a lot of car thieves to boost a car simply by using this new contraption?

It may be a little far-fetched but in a time when crime rates all over the world are steadily increasing, we figured that this may not be an appropriate time to be releasing something that could potentially lead to trouble.

Sure, it could end up making the life of a locksmith a whole lot easier. But on the same token, you can also say the same thing for a thi , a car thief, at least.

2010 Hamann Tycoon EVO M

Article file under http://www.topspeed.com/

If the Hamann based BMW X6 is called Tycoon EVO, the tuning program for the BMW X6 M is called Tycoon Evo M, of course. Announced today it will make its world debut next week at the Geneva Motor Show.





If for the Tycoon Evo the maximum output went up to 501 HP, for the EVO M the output is raised to an impressive 670 hp (an extra 115 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 780 Nm of torque at 1,500 – 5,650 r.p.m. As a result the sprint from 0 to 60 mph is made in 4,2 seconds and the top speed goes up to 186 mph.





The exterior package includes: front and the rear wing extensions made of light composite materials, newly designed side skirts, front apron with the four striking LED daytime running lights, enlarged air inlets in the front and a carbon bonnet, a roof spoilers and 23-inch wheels









More articles, Click Here