www.bogotafreeplanet.com Bogota Free Planet Car Pages en Bogota Free Planet Copyright 2010 2010-03-11T21:50:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/6043 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/6043#When:22:31:28 Bill Reinert, the head of Toyota’s (NYSE ADR: TM) advanced powertrain research, stated that his company does not forsee the electric vehicle becoming the standard in the industry in the short-term future. Automotive News 2010-01-22T03:28:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5864 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5864#When:00:06:44 The Hyundai Santa Fe is a practical-size vehicle for prowling the suburban savanna.It’s the larger of Hyundai’s two compact SUV’s, large enough for three-row seating, which the smaller Tucson is not. Technically, both vehicles are crossovers, meaning they are built like cars, using unibody construction, instead of the body-on-frame technique of a traditional truck.That could prove to be a disadvantage in, say, the Paris-to-Dakar rally; or while outmaneuvering an unwanted military incursion. But in most ways it’s better for everyday driving.Compared to a truck-based SUV, a car-based crossover is generally lighter, smoother riding, and more responsive.Crossovers also tend to use less gas than truck-based SUVs.Still, with the right options, the Santa Fe can tow up to 3500 pounds. Automotive News 2010-01-07T04:56:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5863 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5863#When:23:54:02 Join our new host, Jessi Lang, as she reviews the 2010 Kia Forte. The 2010 Forte is one of many in the small economy sedan segment, but it seems to bring a lot more bang for your buck. The exterior is well-styled, without any lines or angles that feel out of place. On the interior, you get standards that are frequently extra cost with other manufacturers; Bluetooth, an AUX jack, voice activation, steering wheel controls for audio, and Siruis radio all come standard on the Forte. Automotive News 2010-01-07T04:44:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5862 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5862#When:23:39:52 Inside and out, Kia keeps it simple with the Optima’s design. The 2010 Optima has nice proportions as a whole, but up close it appear a bit derivative, with details picked up from past Camrys, Accords, and the like. A mid-cycle update last year offered a number of mild upgrades throughout, but it failed to change the Optima’s rather drab style. Several reviewers pointed out the Optima’s relative anonymity within the class of four-door sedans. Automotive News 2010-01-07T04:33:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5861 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5861#When:23:32:07 The General Motors has launched the news mini car in india. The Car is ‘Chevrolet Beat’ . The Beat has 1.2 litre petrol engine. The Beat is available in three variants and lowest variant is Rs 3.34 lakh and highest will cost Rs 3.94 lakh. The Chevrolet Beat has following features : * Variants include the mid tier LS, the top end LT and the low end PS. * ABS and Airbags in LT version * The Car is priced cheaper to its competing models * The 1.2 litre engine is the main highlight of beat * The car will be soon launched worldwide. Chevrolet 2010-01-07T04:26:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5860 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5860#When:23:26:29 When it comes to affordable large cars, not much out there is better than the 300 at making an impression. The big, retro-themed Chrysler sedan has been around for half a decade, but it still turns heads with its strong and imposing styling that harkens back to the days when Chrysler was king of the hill. With its debut for the 2005 model year, the Chrysler 300 forged a new direction, and since then its rather boxy but low look has aged well. It’s still a head-turner—something that can’t be said of most other big sedan competitors. New for 2010 are some minor styling upgrades, including chromed door handles and front and rear fascia accents for the 300 Touring model. Automotive News 2010-01-07T04:15:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5859 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5859#When:23:15:10 It’s official. The Examiner.Com 2010 Car of the Year is the Ford Fusion Hybrid. It’s a car I predicted will win the North American Car of the Year that is being announced next week at the Detroit Auto Show (also known as the North American International Auto Show). By the way, the Ford Fusion Hybrid is a finalist for Internet Car of the Year, which I founded. That award will be presented Feb. 10-11 at the Chicago Auto Show. Ford 2010-01-07T04:11:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5858 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5858#When:22:56:23 An all-new model, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi (ke-ZAH-shee) is a midsize car the manufacturer characterizes as a sport sedan. Four years have passed since Suzuki discontinued its previous midsize sedan, the Verona, which simply didn’t compete in a class crowded with many models — some of which boast decades-long histories and excellent reputations, like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. With the resurgence of Chevrolet’s Malibu and Ford’s Fusion, the climate is now more cutthroat than ever, but the Kizashi stands a chance thanks to a low entry price, impressive interior quality and affordable, efficient all-wheel drive. Automotive News 2010-01-07T04:01:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5803 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5803#When:19:01:15 It’s getting hard to find a bad vehicle these days, an ear which is a legitimate golden age for the automotive industry, technologically if not financially. Automotive News 2009-12-19T23:51:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5788 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5788#When:14:19:39 Kia introduced its new Forte sedan in 2009, re-establishing the company as a player in the compact-car segment with an affordable alternative to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The Koup aims to do the same versus other two-doors, but unlike its four-door counterpart, there isn’t as much value in this new model. The Koup has a lot going for it, especially its attractive styling and gutsy engine in higher trim levels, but it doesn’t beat the competition on price. Will buyers still take a chance on Kia? Automotive News 2009-12-16T19:14:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5787 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5787#When:14:13:29 An all-new, four-seat Mercedes-Benz E Class convertible will be unveiled next month at the Detroit Auto Show and go on sale in the United States about mid-year. Essentially a soft-top version of the new E Class coupe, the rear-wheel-drive convertible will have two new features that will make it comfortable for top-down motoring throughout the year. Mercedes Benz 2009-12-16T19:04:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5786 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5786#When:14:02:08 On the strength of its bold styling, interior quality and athletic handling, the Cadillac CTS sedan has been a sales success, and now its model line is expanding. For 2010, the sedan is joined by a CTS Sport Wagon, which nearly doubles the sedan’s cargo space and adds $3,000 to its base price. Often cited as Exhibit A in the case for GM’s ability to build a world-class car, the CTS is indeed exceptional, but a few performance and quality shortcomings dampen our praise of the new wagon. Cadillac 2009-12-16T18:51:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5774 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5774#When:18:16:20 Front-wheel drive is a funny thing. When originally introduced during the Thirties in the Cord 810 (then later in the awesome supercharged 812) and the Citroën Traction Avant, FWD was hailed as a major breakthrough, a wondrous technological innovation that allowed for lower ride height and greatly increased passenger space.  Nissan 2009-12-15T22:57:01-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5773 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5773#When:17:57:26 A fresh take on one of the most iconic designs in motoring will play a central role in the UK-wide trial of electric cars. BMW has handed over 40 electric MINI E vehicles to test drivers at the start of two consecutive six-month field trial periods meant to evaluate the social, psychological and technical aspects of living with an electric car. The findings will be used to inform both BMW engineering teams and the wider world as decisions are made about the future of electric cars. Automotive News 2009-12-15T22:47:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5754 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5754#When:12:24:30 Back in November 2008 we posted some news about the 2010 Nissan Cube, which included U.S. specs and photos. This was followed with news about Nissan Cubes and Clarion’s MiND device in July 2009, so today we thought it’s about time we updated you. With the Nissan Cube release in the UK this January, the reviews have been flowing. The popular Parkers site – car reviews and news - has taken a first look at the Nissan Cube, although they quickly point out that different versions of the Cube have been on sale in Japan for over 10-years. Nissan 2009-12-14T17:19:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5753 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5753#When:12:18:15 Dinner conversation with friends who know what I do for a living, or with strangers who learn that I’m an automotive journalist, usually begin with “Why can’t American car companies build fuel efficient vehicles?” or “Why can’t they build quality vehicles, or innovative vehicles, or fun vehicles, or vehicles I’d want to own?” And almost invariably, these questions come from folks who haven’t owned an American car for at least 10 years, and haven’t even driven one in a decade or more. Ford 2009-12-14T17:13:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5752 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5752#When:12:12:31 Based on a Lotus Elise platform, the 2010 Tesla Roadster has wholly unique styling, not to mention unquestionable cool. Many reviewers note that the Tesla Roadster isn’t an all-new vehicle; Car and Driver reports that this “two-seat targa [is] assembled by Lotus in England and finished by Tesla Motors in San Carlos, California.” But the exterior bodywork is completely changed, even if the Roadster’s underpinnings are derived from the Elise, and the Tesla has garnered glowing reviews from consumers and critics alike.  Automotive News 2009-12-14T17:04:01-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5741 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5741#When:18:16:37 The 2010 Subaru Legacy’s redesign has been long overdue.  Its sophisticated new look is sleek, but as Mom always says it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The sedan’s redesign added nearly 4 inches of legroom for the second row, and the car’s now wider across, which increases shoulder and hip room in the front and rear seats. The redesigned Legacy isn’t a head-turner per se, but it’s sharp enough to get you through any valet station with your head held high. Subaru 2009-12-13T23:05:00-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5740 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5740#When:18:05:11 Last month, the West Midlands police department in the UK took delivery of an i-MiEV for official duties. This weekend, the first batch of cars – 25 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs – in a large fleet of electric vehicles entered the area, giving the public a taste of what the police have been enjoying for a while now. The trial fleet includes 110 electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen vehicles in Birmingham and Coventry, with 340 throughout the UK. The UK’s Technology Strategy Board is funding the program with £25 million in it’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrator Competition. The vehicle breakdown goes like this: Automotive News 2009-12-13T22:58:01-05:00 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5739 http://www.bogotafreeplanet.com/index.php/articles-cars/5739#When:17:56:10 Ac Schnitzer ACS3 3.5d CoupeAC Schnitzer never tires of receiving awards. Very recently, the carmaker got a third world record for Aachen after having gone to Nardo in southern Italy. Historically, many records are set in the high-speed circuit. Each year in southern Italy, in collaboration with the AUTO BILD sportscars’ editors and under the aegis of Continental AG, the top vehicle tuners compete. This year, it was on Oct. 18-19, 2009. Automotive News 2009-12-13T22:51:00-05:00