Car Credit Blog

Daewoo Matiz

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

The Daewoo Matiz is a city car produced by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo that has been marketed worldwide since 1998. Available solely as a five-door hatchback with two engine configurations, and replacing the Daewoo Tico, the Matiz was originally designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and has been facelifted twice.
Notably, the Matiz was at the center of a 2006 international intellectual property rights controversy, its design allegedly copied outright by a Chinese manufacturer.
The Daewoo Matiz started production in 1998 and sold in South Korea and many European markets with the code name M100. The exterior design is based on the Lucciola, a Fiat Cinquecento concept by Italdesign Giugiaro which had been rejected by Fiat. The 0.8-litre gasoline engine and the transmission were carryovers from the Daewoo Tico. The car became the best selling Daewoo model in Europe for the next four years.
The Matiz is available in one body style: a five-door hatchback.
The Matiz is available with a 0.8 litre engine and a 1.0 litre engine.
A facelifted model (codenamed M150) was introduced in South Korea in late 2000, and exported from 2001. Following Daewoo’s takeover by General Motors in 2002, the engine range was updated with a 1.0-litre S-Tec unit.
In 2005 the Matiz received a facelift (M200), based on the Chevrolet M3X concept car shown at 2004 Paris Motor Show. The S-Tec engines were updated and the car’s drag coefficient was lowered, resulting in better fuel economy. One notable feature of this car is its centre-mounted instrument cluster.
The aging Alto platform will be replaced with a new city car platform developed by GM Daewoo engineers and based on GM Gamma platform.
The 2005 Chevrolet Matiz scored three stars (with one strike through) in the EuroNCAP crash test: “The final adult occupant protection star is struck through because there was an unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury to the chest in side impact.” test: “Overall this is a creditable performance from a car without a side airbag.” By contrast, the pre-2005 Daewoo Matiz was awarded 72% in the side impact Euro NCAP
In Europe, the Matiz is equipped with front seatbelt pretensioners, front seatbelt load limiters, driver and passenger frontal airbags and ISOfix rear anchorages.
Also marketed in China as the Chevrolet Spark, the Matiz has been at the center of an industrial rights controversy ever since a very similar car, the Chery QQ, had been introduced by local manufacturer Chery Automobile.
GM sued Chery, alleging piracy of the Spark design, and proving the extent of the copy in that the doors of the Chery car and Chevrolet Spark were completely interchangeable.
Putting the controversy in important context, the Detroit News reported that “the dispute reflects the confusion, risks and ambitions in China’s new auto industry, where global carmakers are battling pugnacious upstarts for a piece of what may become the world’s largest auto market.”
In 1999, the Matiz sold in Japan dropped the Chevrolet badge, stopped being distributed and marketed by Suzuki Motor Corporation and took the Daewoo marque.

Daewoo Tacuma

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

The Daewoo Tacuma or Rezzo is a compact MPV produced by South Korean GM Daewoo since 2000. It was designed by Pininfarina and is based on the Daewoo Nubira, a compact car.
Following the phasing out of Daewoo as a brand in most export markets, the car was rebadged as Chevrolet, retaining either model name depending on the market. Additionally, the Chevrolet Vivant nameplate was introduced for the South African and South American markets.
The Tacuma comes with 1.6 L Family 1 or 2.0 L Family II straight-4 engines. It is available with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. Standard Tacumas have a seating capacity of five, but a seven-seater version was also introduced for the South Korean market. Maximum luggage capacity of the Tacuma is 1425 L.
In Korea, it is called Rezzo. It comes with 2.0 L Family II straight-4 engines and 2.0L E-TEC SOHC LPG engines. But can’t sell gasoline engine, because gasoline is very expensive in Korea. So Rezzo sell LPG engine line-up very much. It is discontinuance sell in 2006.

Ford Ka

admin — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Ford Ka, officially pronounced as /kɑː/ (like “car” in non-rhotic dialects of English) not kay ay, (with the letter names said individually) but usually pronounced in the latter way to avoid confusion[citation needed], is a city car from the Ford Motor Company marketed in Europe and elsewhere.
The European version is produced in Valencia, Spain, while the one sold in Latin America is built in Brazil.
It has been produced since 1996 and is due to enter its second generation in 2008.
The car was introduced on September 11, 1996 as a small and low-cost addition to the Ford range. The Ka is based on the same platform as the Mark IV Ford Fiesta, but with a radically different external design. The vehicle was manufactured on the production facility of Almussafes, Valencia. When the Ka was first introduced to the public it provoked mixed reactions due to its original and striking New Edge design, created by Jack Telnack.
Besides the styling, the Ka, like its sister cars Fiesta and Puma, was lauded in the motoring press for its nimble handling. Under Richard Parry-Jones’s supervision, the suspension and steering settings allowed for spirited cornering and high levels of grip making it one of the best handling cars of the current generation superminis, not unlike the original Mini.
The main drawback was the Ka’s 1300 cc OHV four-cylinder Endura-E engine, a design dating back to the 1960s Kent engine used in the Ford Anglia. Although not very modern, it provided enough torque to allow relaxed if not spirited driving.[citation needed] In 2002, the Endura-E was replaced by the overhead cam Duratec engine, with claims of improved fuel efficiency and increased refinement, mostly caused by taller gearing on the non-air conditioned models.
The Ka has proved highly profitable for Ford despite its low selling price, largely due to the lack of spending required in its development.[citation needed] It has been the best selling car in its class in the United Kingdom for a number of years and commands around a fifth of the city car market.
The United Kingdom model range consisted of the standard version, the Ka, and the higher specification Ka². The Ka³ was introduced later. Initially, all Kas were delivered as the standard model and upgraded to the higher variants at Ford dealerships, saving on production costs. However, this practice was dropped following the renaming of the Ka² and Ka³ as the Ka Collection and the LuxuryKa (later Ka Luxury).
These offered colour-coded bumpers for the first time, although this lost the designer’s original intention of the black plastic bumpers avoiding parking damage to paintwork in city conditions. The Luxury version came with a Quickclear heated windscreen, leather seats and interior trim as well as standard air conditioning and Ka Sun Collection with a full-length fabric folding roof was also added to the range during the summer months. A revised line-up gives Ka the following trim levels in the United Kingdom: Studio, Style, Style Climate, Zetec Climate, and SportKa SE.
Famous Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney is known to own one.

In Latin America, the Ka received a facelift in 2003 and is now slightly different externally to the European model; the main noticeable difference is at the rear, with taller lights. The other differences from the European model are the very short gearbox and the lack of soundproofing, gradually removed each year since 2000 as a way to cut down costs, following what other Brazilian car makers previously did. It is powered by either a 95 hp (71 kW) Zetec Rocam 1.6-litre petrol engine or a 65 hp (48 kW) Zetec Rocam 1.0-litre petrol engine, both of which are four-cylinder units. 108,600 Ka’s have been sold in Brazil since July 2002, without counting the sales since 1997 (its launch in Brazil).
Ford presented the new Brazilian Ka on 14 December 2007. Sales started on 2 January 2008 in Brazil, and the car will be exported to other markets in Latin America.
The Ford Ka will be officially discontinued in Mexico in early January 2008 due to poor sales since its introduction in late November 2001.[citation needed] The Mexican Ford Ka was the Brazilian model; it has also been announced that the new Brazilian Ka will not be offered in the Mexican market.
In 2003 the Ka brand was diversified, with the addition of a new SportKa featuring a sporty body kit, wider track with stiffened suspension and redesigned 16″ alloy wheels. Both models came with slightly widened bumpers front and rear with integral fog lamps. A convertible model called StreetKa also appeared, launched with the help of pop singer Kylie Minogue.
In 2005 all Ka models including Sportka and Streetka received a slightly updated interior bringing the cabin back up to date while still retaining the look and feel of the original. Both Streetka and Sportka received a new 95 hp 1.6-litre 8-valve Duratec petrol engine, whereas Ka, Ka Collection and LuxuryKa retained the 1.3 Duratec petrol engine.
The SportKa was noted for its surprising advertising campaign, “The Ka’s Evil Twin”, denouncing the Ka’s traditionally perceived “cute” design. The SportKa T.V. advertisement showed a cat being decapitated, thus creating certain controversy. The advert can be seen on YouTube, however many users have illustrated their disgust at the graphic content.
StreetKa ceased to be officially on sale in late 2006.
A Ford KA rally championship was created in 1998 and has proved to be one of the most popular junior rally championships in Britain and Ireland. In 2007 Luke Pinder won the BRC Silverstone Tyre 1400 Championship in a Chris Birkbeck Ford KA.
The Ka generally has a good reliability record.[citation needed]
However, taper-fit sparkplugs are notorious for rusting into the cylinder head. Frequently the head has to be removed and sent to a machine shop when the time comes to change the plugs. The simple solution to this problem is to remove and inspect the plugs at every service interval.
Many Endura-E owners complain of a chattering, rattling or tapping noise from the engine. This is often the tappets. With the tappets set to Ford’s specification gap, some noise can be expected but it should not be excessive. If the tappets require almost continuous adjustment or Ford specifications are used and the engine is still excessively noisy (and often starts ticking) the most common problem is the camshaft. Early Endura-E engines are especially prone to this problem.
The plastic bumpers were clearly in part intended to prevent wheel arch rust, but instead the Ka is known to rust in the welds under the bonnet and tailgate and where the outer sills are shaped around the doors.
The idle control valve can become blocked, causing an unstable idle and driving difficulties. The part may be replaced or carefully cleaned, ensuring the seal is kept.
The front suspension bushes may need to be replaced about every 3 years or 30,000 miles (48,000 km). A symptom of the bushes nearing replacement is a creaking noise from the front of the vehicle when going over bumps. This is a relatively inexpensive problem to correct.
Those models with solid front discs can suffer from overheating brakes in hilly terrain or, given the car’s agile handling, with spirited driving.
In older models the oil sump is prone to corrosion if the protective sealant of the car underside is not maintained.
Earlier models of Ka suffer from a clutch which is known to not stand the test of time very well and will usually need to be replaced after 30,000 miles (48,000 km). Ford became aware of this problem and it does not affect later models.
The door and boot locks have been known to seize up although this problem can be fixed by spraying lubricant such as WD40 into the locks.
In 2008 the Ka will be replaced with a model car co-developed with Fiat S.p.A using the Fiat Panda platform. It will be produced in Tychy, Poland with its Fiat sister, the Fiat 500.
The new Ka will maintain the curvy styling features of the original, while bringing the look up to date with details such as elliptical headlamps. It will retain the distinctive rear overhangs and wheel at every corner design; therefore this modern interpretation will be instantly recognisable.[citation needed] Standard equipment is expected to be improved, with elements such as MP3 player compatibility and satellite navigation.
The new Ka will be available with both 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol engines and additionally a 1.4 TDCi diesel engine. The traditional Ka logo is also expected to be dropped.
For several years a modified Ford Ka was installed in the lobby of the London Aquarium to promote Ford’s sponsorship of the attraction. The vehicle’s doors, windows and vents were sealed and the interior filled with water, forming a home for a shoal of goldfish. The car’s number plates read “KARP”, a pun on “Ka” and “carp”, to which family goldfish belong. The display has now been removed.
According to the BBC TV’s Top Gear Cool Wall, the Ford Ka collects a ‘Cool’ rating, while the StreetKa enjoys a ‘Sub Zero’ classification. The SportKa is deemed ‘Uncool’.
The Ford SportKa found fame in 2003 with the release of two viral TV adverts: Pigeon and Cat. Ford and advertising agency Ogilvy Mather distanced themselves from the campaign, saying that the creatives behind the advertisements had not been given the go-ahead to make or release them.
A 2002 Ford Ka is driveable in Gran Turismo 4.

Volkswagen Touareg

admin — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

5.0L 350 PS (345 hp/257 kW) diesel V10
4.2L 350 PS (345 hp/257 kW) V8
The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2003. It was the second Sport Utility Vehicle from the automaker, after the much older Volkswagen Thing.
The Touareg was a joint project developed by Volkswagen and Porsche, who was also looking to add a luxury SUV to its lineup, as a cost-sharing initiative. The goal was to create an off-road vehicle that could handle as a sports car. The team, with over 300 people, was lead by Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert and was based in Weissach im Tal, Germany. The result of the joint project is that the Porsche Cayenne shares the Touareg’s Volkswagen 7L platform, although there are numerous styling, equipment and technical differences between the two vehicles.
The Volkswagen Touareg is built in Bratislava, Slovakia. The manufacturing plant shares production with Touareg-cousins Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7. Due to the demand, and the exchange rates of euros against the dollar, as well as different pricing and environmental policies in the USA, the V6 and V8 variants make up most of Volkswagen’s American Touareg offering. However, a limited number of the V10 diesel were available in the 2004 model year (before being pulled for environmental reasons). They were brought back to the United States for the 2006 and 2007 model years. As a result of their rarity and options, the V10 model’s sticker price often exceeded $60,000 (£30,202).
The Touareg comes standard with four wheel drive. An automatic progressively locking center differential (with manual override) and a “low range” setting that can be activated with in-cabin controls. Options to make the vehicles more capable off-road include an available air suspension system which can raise the car’s ride height on command and an interior switch allowing the rear differential to be manually locked. At maximum ride height, the air suspension system gives 10.7 in of ground clearance.[citation needed]
The following engines were or are available:
No other passenger car has ever hosted such a range of cylinder counts in standard engines.[citation needed] The 5.0L Single overhead camshaft, 20 valve V10 diesel engine pushes the Touareg from 0–62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.8 seconds, and on to 143 mph (230 km/h) maximum. The diesel V10 was offered in the United States for a limited time in 2004, but emissions regulations forced it off the market for a temporary period. Volkswagen fixed these issues, and the V10 returned to the US lineup late in 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle in 45 states and a 2006 model year vehicle in 5 states. It was the only U.S. market Volkswagen diesel available for the 2007 model year. A new version of the V10 diesel engine is available in Europe for the R50 model, boasting 350 PS and pushing the car from 0-62 mph(0-100 km/h) in just 6.7 seconds.
The W12 version was initially intended to be a limited-edition model, with just 500 units planned to be produced; around 330 were slated for sale in Saudi Arabia, with the remainder sold in Europe. No sales in the United States were made. Eventually, the W12 model became an ordinary model without any production restrictions. Currently it is being sold in Europe. It is estimated to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.9 seconds.
The Touareg’s first facelift was unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, and debuted in North America as a 2008 model. It now features the shield grille from other Volkswagen vehicles. The updated Touareg has more than 2300 redesigned parts and boasts some new technological features:
The 2007 Touareg, alongside an already lengthy options list, could be equipped with a driving dynamics package, a rollover sensor, a 620 watt Dynaudio sound system and redesigned comfort seats.[citation needed] All diesel versions now have the diesel particulate filter standard.[citation needed]
In the US and Canada, the facelifted Touareg is marketed as the Touareg 2.
The V10 diesel version of the Touareg was named “Meanest Vehicles for the Environment in 2007″ by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for its fuel economy of 17 miles per US gallon city (14 l/100 km) and 22 mpg highway (10 l/100 km). Note that diesel vehicles are judged at a disadvantage - To illustrate, an average North American full-size (gasoline(petrol)-not diesel) SUV usually travels 13 mpg (US) (18 l/100 km) city and 16 mpg (US) (15 l/100 km) highway. This earned the Touareg the low “Green Score” of 14, as compared to the Honda Civic GX, which was the “greenest”, at a score of 57.
The Touareg was Car and Driver magazine’s Best Luxury SUV for 2003, Motor Trend magazine’s Sport/Utility of the Year for 2004, “Four Wheeler” magazine’s Four Wheeler of the Year for 2005, & Overlander’s 2003 4WDOTY.
Porsche/Volkswagen jointly did extensive off-road testing with test mules and both vehicles are capable off-roaders. Volkswagen entered a highly modified Touareg in the Paris Dakar rally raid.
In the 2003 Dakar Rally Volkswagen entered a team of 2WD VW Tarek buggies. VW claimed 6th overall, driven by Stephane Henrard and co driver Bobby Willis. In the following year, the 2004 Dakar Rally saw the debut rally for the T2 class purpose built Race Touareg by Volkswagen Motorsport. Bruno Saby and co driver Matthew Stevenson claimed 6th position overall. In the 2005 Dakar Rally, Jutta Kleinschmidt and co driver Fabrizia Pons claimed 3rd spot overall in the Race Touareg. A modified Touareg dubbed Stanley won the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge. In the 2006 Dakar Rally, VW driver Giniel de Villiers and co driver Tina Thorner claimed 2nd spot the highest ever for a diesel model in the new Race Touareg 2 which had a shorter wheelbase than the 1st two models Rallied. For the 2007 Dakar Rally, VW driver Mark Miller and Ralph Pitchford drove the Race Touareg 2 to 4th position overall.
Power Output: VW Dakar Racers
The Touareg name is derived from the French moniker for the nomadic Tuareg tribe. The proper pronunciation is TWAH-reg, however it is commonly mispronounced as “Tour-egg”.

Toyota Corolla

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Volkswagen Beetle

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Ford Mondeo

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. The name “Mondeo” is derived from the Latin word mundus, meaning “world”. The initial generation of the Mondeo was developed as a “world car”, along with North American models marketed as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique until 2000.
Although an official picture was published at the end of 1992, there was also a mention in the Auto Car magazine on 2 December 1992 which showed Ford’s future in the fiercely competitive large family car sector. The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993 and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback and a five-door estate, all models were produced at Ford’s plant in the Belgian city of Genk. The Sierra had been built there since its launch in 1982, though until 1989 some examples had also been built in England at the Dagenham plant.
Intended as a world car, it replaced the Ford Sierra in Europe, the Ford Telstar in a large portion of Asia and other markets, while the Contour and Mercury Mystique replaced the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz in North America. Unlike the Sierra, the Mondeo is front-wheel drive in its most common form, with a rarer four-wheel drive version available on the Mark I car only. Instigated in 1986, the design of the car cost Ford US$6 billion. It was one of the most expensive new car programs ever. The Mondeo was significant as its design and marketing was shared between Ford USA in Dearborn, and Ford of Europe. Its codename while under development reflected thus: CDW27 signified that it straddled the C & D size classes and was a “World Car”.
The car was launched in the midst of turbulent times at Ford of Europe, when the division was haemorrhaging hundreds of millions of dollars[citation needed] and had gained a reputation in the motoring press for selling products which had been designed by accountants rather than engineers. The fourth generation Escort and Orion of 1990 was the zenith of this cost-cutting/high price philosophy which was by then beginning to backfire on Ford, with the cars being slated for their sub standard ride and handling, though a facelift in 1992 had seen things improve a little. The Sierra had sold well, but not as well as the all-conquering Cortina before it, and in Britain it had been overtaken in the sales charts by the newer Vauxhall Cavalier. Previously loyal customers were already turning to rival products and by the time of the Mondeo’s launch, the future of Europe as a Ford manufacturing base was hanging in the balance. The new car had to be good, and it had to sell.
Despite being billed as a world car, the only external items the Mondeo shared with the Contour were the windscreen, front windows, front mirrors and door handles. Even the interior was slightly different. The CDW27 project turned out not to be a true world car in the sense that the original Ford Focus was; one design for the world.
A large proportion of the high development cost was due to the Mondeo being a completely new design, sharing very little, if anything, with the Ford Sierra. Using an all-new platform, the Mondeo featured new manual and automatic transmissions and sophisticated suspension design, which Ford hope would give it class-leading handling and ride qualities, and subframes front and rear to give it executive car refinement. The automatic transmission featured electronic control with sport and economy modes plus switchable overdrive.
Safety was a high priority in the Mondeo design with a driver’s side airbag (it was the first ever car sold from the beginning with a driver’s airbag in all of its versions, which helped it achieve the ECOTY title in 1993) side-impact bars, seat belt pretensioners, and ABS (higher models) as standard features. Other features for its year included adaptive damping, self-leveling suspension (top station wagon models), traction control (V6 and 4WD versions) and heated front windscreen, branded Quickclear.
The interiors were usually well appointed, featuring velour trim, an arm rest with CD and tape storage, central locking (frequently remote), power windows (all round on higher models), power mirrors, flat-folding rear seats, etc. Higher specification models had leather seats, trip computers, electric sunroof, CD changer and alloy wheels.
During its development, Ford used the 1986 Honda Accord and Nissan Primera as the class benchmarks that the CDW27 had to beat.
Along with an all-new platform, the Mondeo also used Ford’s then-new Zetec engines, first seen in 1991 in a revised version of the Ford Escort.
Three versions of the 16-valve Zetec engine were used. The 1.6 L version (rated at 90 bhp) from the Escort was used, a 1.8 (115bhp) also previously found in the Escort Si (sometimes in 130bhp form), while a new 136 bhp 2.0 L version was launched.
An alternative to the Zetec engines was the Endura-D 1.8 L turbodiesel. This engine had origins in the older 1.6 L diesel design used in the Fiesta and elsewhere. Although not without merits, it was not seen as a strong competitor to other European diesels such as that produced by Peugeot. The contrast between this unit and the competition seemed enormous by the time the engine was dropped in 2000.
A less popular engine (for the UK and Ireland) was introduced in 1994 in the form of the 170 bhp 2.5 L 24-valve V6 Duratec unit, primarily included for markets where four-cylinder petrol engines are not favored and are usually intended for the upmarket European buyer. This engine, first unveiled in the Mondeo’s North American cousin, the Ford Contour, is characterized by its smooth operation, chain-driven camshafts and an ability to operate using only half its 24 valves at low engine speeds. Fuel economy was reasonable, with the automatic barely much worse than the manual (but far less reliable). This engine was originally branded 24v (when valve count was all important) but later on sold as the more glamorous sounding V6.
This engine was also used to introduce the new ST brand to the Mondeo range as a flagship model, the ST24, in 1997. The power of the engine stayed at 170 bhp, the same as other 2.5 L-engined models, but the ST featured unique cabin trim, unique 16 in alloy wheels and a full RSA (Rally Sport Appearance) bodykit as standard. The bodykit option was listed as a delete option for those that did not want it fitted as standard. This was later replaced by the ST200 in 2000, featuring a modified version of the V6 Duratec with a power output of 200 bhp.
Although neither of these models ever sold in high numbers, the marketing was important to Ford as it was an introduction to the ST range as a sportier side to the full range, especially significant as apart from the Focus RS both the XR and RS model ranges were phased out during the 90s.
The 1993-1996 range had the following trim levels:
Additional trim levels in other European markets included:
Referred to as the Mk II Mondeo, a major facelifted version launched in October 1996 saw three of the Mondeo’s biggest criticisms addressed, namely its bland styling, the bad performance of the headlights, and the cramped rear legroom. The lowering of specification levels around that time (e.g. air-conditioning and alloy wheels became optional on the UK Ghia models) may have indicated a desire by Ford to cut costs and recoup some of the huge sums invested in the original design. These specification levels were improved again in 1998 as the Mondeo approached replacement.
The facelift saw almost every external panel replaced, leaving only the doors and roof the same as the original Mk 1 model. Even the extractor vents on the rear doors were replaced by a panel bearing the name Mondeo. The most notable change was the introduction of a version of Ford’s corporate ‘oval’ grille. The saloon version featured some distinctive rear lights. These incorporated an additional reflector panel that extended around the top and the side of the rear wings. Unlike the iterations seen on the heavily facelifted Scorpio and Mk 4 Fiesta during the previous year, this facelift was well-received.
The interior was also mildly revised though the basic dashboard achitecture was the same as before.
The 2.0 litre Zetec engine was thoroughly revised which, while producing less power than before, was far more refined and smoother which was something the original engine lacked at high revs.
In Europe, the Mondeo was instantly declared a class leader, and was elected Car of the Year in 1994.
Ford briefly sold a version using the 2.0 L Zetec engine and four-wheel drive, available between 1995 and 1996 on cars with Si Ghia and Ghia X trim. The timing was not ideal though as four-wheel drive had already become synonymous with large SUVs such as the Land Rover Discovery and the bottom dropped out of the four-wheel drive sedan market. People who would tolerate the knock on performance and economy preferred to graduate to a full-blown SUV rather than a sedan with good all-round traction; especially since SUVs had become fashionable at the time.
In Europe, the Mondeo is considered large, but in other markets such as the United States and Australia, it had not fared well, as there were larger models that had stronger brand loyalty and offered better value for money. Ford claimed that it was a ‘world car’, but in a letter to Autocar magazine in the UK, a Ford dealer retorted ‘What world was it designed for?’ Because of this, the Contour and Mystique proved unpopular with American buyers. While the Contour sold at an average rate, the Mystique fizzled. The Mondeo Mk 3 was much larger than the Mk 1/2 version but was not sold in North America, where Ford now offers the Fusion.
There is however, another theory advanced by some motoring journalists: that because the Contour and Mystique were not created in the United States, it suffered from a lack of enthusiasm from inside Ford’s North American operations. Those same theorists point to the fact that the BMW 3 Series — arguably a “world car” in the sense one version is sold globally — does quite well in the United States and it is the same size as the Contour and Mystique.
The Mondeo fared badly in Australia, where, similarly, there was a much larger local model, the Falcon, and was dropped in 2001. Ford Australia withdrew completely from the medium-sized segment of the Australian market, arguing that it was in decline. The wagon version, the first medium-sized Ford of its kind to be sold in Australia since the Cortina, was dropped in 1999. It struggled against Japanese models such as the Honda Accord and Subaru Liberty, as well as the Holden Vectra, also imported from Europe, although unlike the Mondeo, briefly assembled locally.
By contrast, the Mondeo (like the Cortina long before it) was a success story in New Zealand, the Mk III model in particular being voted Car of the Year in 2001 by Autocar New Zealand and National Business Review. In addition, many earlier model Mondeos, imported used from Japan were also sold locally (Japan was also a good market for the Mondeo, a rare feat in a country with a high proportion of domestic automobiles).
In Australia, the 1995-2001 Ford Mondeo was assessed in the Used Car Safety Ratings 2006 as providing “significantly better than average” protection for its occupants in the event of a crash.
In its final year in China, the Ford Mondeo M2000 gained a front fascia not dissimilar from the outgoing Mercury Mystique’s, but had Ford badges. Its rear end was identical to that of the European models.
The 1997-2000 range had the following trim levels:
In South Africa, the trim levels offered were:
Mondeo MkII Sports Variants included the ST24 and the ST200. The ST24 produced 170 bhp (130 kW) from it’s 2.5 litre V6 24v engine and was launched with RSAP (Rally Sport Appearance Pack) bodykit along with sports suspension and half-leather sports bucket-seats. It’s standard setup saw the ST24 from standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in around 8 seconds, coupled with a maximum speed of 139 mph (224 km/h).
The ST200 was then launched as the Enthuasists car, with a tuned 2.5 litre V6 24v engine producing 202 bhp (151 kW). This engine made the ST200 go from standing to 62 mph (100 km/h) in around 7.7 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 141 mph (227 km/h). Tuning included a different throttle body, cams, flywheel and upper manifold to name a couple. This version of the Mondeo also had even better sports suspension than the ST24 and came with full-leather Recaro sports bucket-seats. The ST200 was only released to the public in Performance Blue colour and a limited number in white.
Launched in October 2000, and seen as the third generation model, this Mondeo was considerably larger than its predecessor. Although Ford abandoned its New Edge design theme for the Mondeo Mk III, it still borrowed some styling cues from the Focus Mk I, giving it an overall effect which many critics felt was more restrained and mature than the Focus if much less distinctive. Two of the old car’s biggest weaknesses, the modest rear legroom and uncompetitive diesel version were addressed by a longer wheelbase and the new Duratorq diesel engine.
Following the standard setting interior of the Volkswagen Passat Mk IV in 1996, Ford paid a great deal of attention to the Mk III’s interior and was the first mainstream manufacturer to react to the new standard set by Volkswagen. Ford dispensed with the rounded American style interior of the Mk I and developed a more sober ‘Germanic’ design which not only seemed more sophisticated but, more importantly, was of a higher quality due to the use of more expensive materials.
As with its predecessor, passive safety was a major selling point of the 2000 Mondeo. With an even stronger bodyshell, Ford introduced its so-called “Intelligent Protection System” (IPS), which used an “intelligent” array of sensors based on a neural network to decide the best combination of safety devices (traditional front passenger airbags, side airbags and curtain airbags) to deploy for a given crash situation. To enhance active safety, all models were fitted with anti-lock brakes and electronic brake distribution, with electronic stability program (ESP) available as an option.
The Mondeo established itself as Britain’s most popular in its sector and held this position every year from 2001 onwards, though this size of car has fallen slightly in popularity during the 2000s. This version of the Mondeo has never come higher than sixth in the SMMT’s official list of the top selling cars in the UK each year. In 2003, it came tenth in the list.
For the Mk III, the 1.6 L Zetec engine was dropped while the 1.8 and 2.0 L engines were heavily revised and were renamed Duratec. The standard 2.5 L V6 engine was carried over, while a 3.0 L version was developed for the ST220 model.
The archaic Endura-E 1.8 L turbodiesel engine was dropped and replaced by a more sophisticated 2.0 L Duratorq direct-injection (TDCi) unit with a variable geometry turbine. This clever turbine system allows a certain amount of overboost, giving an extra 10% or so of torque for short periods. This engine, known within Ford as the “Puma”-type Duratorq, was first seen in the Transit in detuned form.
A new automatic transmission was added to the range called the Durashift. This unit has five gears and may be shifted manually or shifted like an automatic.
In June 2003, the Mondeo was given a very mild upgrade, the new models being identifiable by the larger chrome honeycomb grille, a new central dashboard made from higher quality materials with electronic climate control, either a standard Ford radio, Sony radio or a satellite navigation radio/CD player which also has climate control built into the unit in lieu of the space taken up by the unit. The Durashift automatic is now available with steering wheel control, while a 96 kW (130 PS) common rail version of the Duratorq turbodiesel engine became available. The petrol engines were revised at this stage also — the new SCI (direct-injection) version of the 1.8 L Duratec engine was introduced which generates 4 kW (5 PS) more than the standard unit. In addition, equipment was upgraded across the range — with trip computer now standard on all models, and cruise control is also standard in selected markets.
In 2005, there were two new Duratorq direct-injection (TDCi) options, a 2.2L with 114 kW (155 PS) and a detuned version of the 2.0L with 65 kW (89 PS). Also, the Seat Belt Warning System was added and is now standard, with an audible/visual warning signal reminding the driver to fasten his/her seat belt. The styling was upgraded again, the most notable difference being tweaked taillights.
Engines:
The fourth generation Mondeo (codename: CD345) was officially unveiled in 5-door production form in late 2006. Based on the EUCD platform developed with Volvo, the platform is the same used in the new large MPVs Galaxy and S-MAX, but not the North American Ford Fusion or the Mazda6 in Japan. It will also be used for several Volvos, for the new Land Rover Freelander, and even for the new Jaguar X-Type, though the latter may not be replaced.
The MK IV Ford Mondeo was released in May 2007 in the UK where it is currently available in five different trim levels: including Edge, Zetec, Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X. In February 2008, Ford announced that in some European markets the Mondeo will be made available with a new Titanium S series trim. This model aims to add an even more ’sporty character’ than the current Titanium series. In March 2008, a new 2.2 175PS TDCi common-rail diesel engine will be available on Mondeo providing excellent power accelerating 0-60 mph in 8.4 seconds on the saloon and great fuel performance returning 45.6 mpg combined. Also available in March 2008 will be Mondeo ECOnetic based on the Zetec series. The Mondeo ECOnetic powered with a 1.8 125PS TDCI diesel will return CO2 ratings of just 139 g/km on the 5 door.
Although the fourth production model, after the Mk III Galaxy, S-MAX and C-MAX, to adopt Ford’s current ‘kinetic’ design language, the Mondeo’s design theme was first seen on the Iosis concept shown at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show which gave an indication to the look of the Mk IV Mondeo. The new car, in estate bodystyle, was pre-launched in ‘concept’ form at the Paris Motor Show on 30 September 2006.
The new platform will allow for the use of Volvo’s five-cylinder petrol engine, already featured in the Focus ST and S-Max. The petrol engines include a 1.6-litre with two power outputs (110PS & 125PS), the 2.0-litre (145 PS), 2.3-litre (161PS) for automatic models only and a 2.5-litre five cylinder turbo with 220 PS. Performance models may come with engines from Jaguar and Volvo
The new Mondeo will use the new electro-hydraulic steering system, first used on the C-MAX, that sharpens the steering response and helps to save fuel
A product placement promotional initiative made the Mk IV Mondeo James Bond’s car for one incidental scene in Casino Royale, introducing the new model to global audiences in November 2006 on the launch day of the movie. Ford Group models have been prominent in the Bond franchise since 2002’s Die Another Day, which featured an Aston Martin, a Jaguar convertible, and a Ford Thunderbird.
As with the previous model, the Mk IV Mondeo is not marketed in the US or Canada because Ford currently sells the same-class Fusion which was launched in 2005. The new Mondeo is not sold currently in Venezuela, Brazil or Colombia because the Fusion is sold there. It is, however, sold in Argentina.
The 2007 Mondeo will also mark the Mondeo’s return to the Australian market, due to a resurgence in popularity of medium-sized cars in the last few years. This is in no small part the result of high fuel prices making people reconsider purchasing large cars like the Ford Falcon. Marketing for the Mondeo in Australia has so far focused on the theme that the Mondeo looks good but offers even more than style, with television commercials showing silly quotes from celebrities such as Britney Spears (”I’ve been to lots of overseas places… like Canada”) interspersed with scenes of the vehicle and finally the slogan “more than just good looks”.
The Australian spec Mondeo TDCi took out the award for “Best Mid-Size Car over $28,000″ for 2007 and was runner up for the “Car Of The Year” award.
Initial sales have been good in Australia, despite supply constraints from Europe limiting the car’s success there. At this stage, the Mondeo is only sold as a sedan and Hatch on the Australian market, in both diesel and petrol engines and in four trim levels; LX, TDCi, Zetec and XR5T. Only the 2.3L petrol, 2.5L petrol and 2.0L diesel engines are offered there, the 2.5 being the only model available with a manual transmission. Sales for the Mondeo haven’t quite met expectations, with March sales being just below 400 (slightly more than the Holden Epica, but far less than the class leading Toyota Camry).
The Mk IV Mondeo was named one of two cars for the 2007 “Car of the Year” award by Top Gear on 23 December 2007 (the other being the Subaru Legacy Outback).
The 2008 UK range has the following trim levels:
The Mondeo competed in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) between 1993 and 2000. The cars, prepared by former series champion Andy Rouse, did not enter the 1993 season until the 8th round at Pembrey in Wales. Rouse and Paul Radisich were the drivers in the Mondeo’s first season. Radisich went on to win the 1993 and 1994 World Touring Car Championships in the Mondeo.
Ford ran a factory-sponsored team, called Ford Team Mondeo, for eight seasons. In 2000, the team expanded from two cars to three when drivers Alain Menu and Anthony Reid were joined by 1998 series champion Rickard Rydell, recruited from the disbanded Volvo team. The team dominated the 2000 season, finishing 1-2-3 (Menu-Reid-Rydell) in the drivers’ standings and winning the manufacturers’ championship by a staggering 104 points.
A complete overhaul of the BTCC following the 2000 season saw the supertouring regulations scrapped as the series moved towards lighter and less expensive race cars based on compact car chassis and not midsize sedans. Ford withdrew from BTCC competition prior to 2001.
The MK 1 Mondeo has been produced by Majorette, Matchbox, Minichamps and Siku. The MK 2 and MK 3 have both been produced by Minichamps, in Saloon and Estate variants. These models appear frequently on Ebay.

Mazda Mx-5

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Mazda Mx-5

Toyota Yaris

admin — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

The Toyota Yaris brand is used to refer to export versions of:

Kia Sedona

admin — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

Kia Sedona