Generally, gas-electric Hybrids market is the main alternative to diesel. This combines the advantages of gasoline engine with a diesel-like low consumption.

But the X6 is different. X6 ActiveHybrid not meant to be an alternative to diesel range. Would not have as, under a starting price of 103,500 euros, VAT included – of course, if we team an X6 xDrive50i (which has the same engine as gasoline hybrid) with the same equipment, the difference would not be 25,000 euros, as occurs in the price list, but somewhere above 5,000 euros, given that urban consumption halved in hybrid.

BMW X6 X6 hybrid is an alternative to me – if we look at price – version cost me almost 6,000 euros more than 70 extra horsepower but a higher power.

Unlike what I’ve seen the German manufacturers, the X6 ActiveHybrid is truly a “full hybrid”. That means it can run on electric mode more than 2.5 km and a speed of up to 60 km / h. For example, in residential neighborhoods, parking under or above ground can only run on electric mode, without affecting any air quality. In addition, car makes almost no noise, so we can discuss including a lack of noise – especially important if we think that under the hood you can find a 4.4-liter V8. And the feeling is almost unique. Still talking of a 2.5 tonne SUV that moves like a golf kart.

Realized his platfforma xDrive50i, X6 ActiveHybrid 7 Series Hybrid front (which has an electrical system similar to the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid) ability to run only on the basis of the two electric motors, as long as road conditions and allow batteries.

The propulsion system comprises a propeller twin-turbo petrol V8 develops 407 hp and 600 Nm of torque and two electric motors 86 91 hp respectively. Together, the three units together to develop 485 hp and maximum torque is 780 Nm – so not only discuss the most powerful hybrid SUVs in the world but also BMW’s highest torque, exceeding M. In addition X6 , the hybrid accelerates from 0-100 kph in 5.6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 236 km / h or 250 mph if equipped with all the talk sport.Cu package of a car over two tonnes , X6 has been very fun to drive even turns on mountain roads. All the secret is that corners will not be addressed in a very sporty manner as happy weight, car shows yet subvirator character. But thanks to xDrive all-wheel drive system and safety systems, machine is rectified almost immediately.

Unfortunately (for the green) or fortunately (for the driving), only one way car driving “green” urges you not. He can not, considering the power unit under the hood. But if it insists, can get an extra even lower average consumption of 9.4 litres/100 km, which is below the official communique. On the other hand, the city can not reach a level of 10.8 litres/100km. You, unless you’re a combination of the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and go in a city where all streets are down. Went off in traffic X6 hybrid capital consumed between 18 and 24 litres/100 km, depending on the time and route. If we think of the almost 485 hp and as circulated in Bucharest, we can say that is an acceptable value. Do not forget that the car has a price of 100,000 euros.

Inside you can not criticize almost anything. Driving position is perfect, quality materials, and finishes as well. Beige leather is not the best choice because they get dirty easily, but this problem can be solved easily.

X6 seems at first sight one of the most impressive cars on the market, but has only about 4.9 meters long and two meters wide. To facilitate maneuvering in the parking lot, car dispuneatat sensors front and rear plus rear and side rooms, which offers an almost complete picture around the car.

As a conclusion, the X6 ActiveHybrid is probably one of the most spectacular cars that can be purchased now on the market in Europe. Has a price of “supercar” but offers both performance as well as the possibility of having a versatile vehicle capable of running in all conditions.

Kia Borrego

After a year of absence, the Kia Borrego will be returning to the U.S. market as a 2011 model. After being launched in 2008, Kia Borrego proved to be a big disappointment, so the company decided not to sign the 2010 Borrego.

However, it appears that Kia had second thoughts and the model 2011 is possible. Kia spokesman could not comment on details of the car, but said that the model, if made, is still in design. We expect to maintain similar SUV and offers transmission – 3.8-liter V-6 and 4.6-liter V-8.

via | TopSpeed

We all know that parking an SUV can be a pain with the number of compact spaces popping up everywhere from school parking lots to high rise parking structures. 

First, a vehicles ability to maneuver easily in and out of tight parking spaces (as well as make U-turns) is determined by its turning radius.  The turning radius of a vehicle is the smallest possible U-turn the vehicle is capable of making.  The smaller, the easier it is to squeeze in and out of tight places.

Most people assume that a vehicle’s turning radius is directly correlated to the car’s length and width.  Those dimensions are only a small part.  Other factors, like the type of steering system, also play a part.

If you’re interested in which SUV models offer the tightest turning radius, here’s a list of popular models and where they fit in.
After comparing several models, we found the best SUV to be the 2008 Isuzu Ascender.  With a turning radius of only 36.4 feet, it’s incredibly easy to park considering it’s a midsize SUV.  By comparison, several compact models actually have higher turning radiuses. The Chevrolet Equinox has a turning radius of 42 feet, the BMW X3 turns at 38.4 feet, and the Mitsubishi Outlander at 37.5.  The Saturn Vue has a turning radius of 39.4 feet and the Suzuki XL-7 turns at 38.9 feet.

In addition, the Isuzu Ascender has other features that make parking a breeze.  The most important, is that the vehicle’s full-sized spare tire is not mounted to the rear tailgate, allowing for better visibility through the rear window (essential when backing out of a parking space).  Motor Point warns SUV owners about the safety hazards of tailgate-mounted spares. According to an online article, Motor Point states, “A very important warning for buyers of [SUVs] is the danger of having the spare tire mounted on the tailgate. This has no upside and is a definite negative. First, it reduces badly needed rear visibility. Secondly, it makes opening the tailgate extremely difficult to open and close when on an incline. In addition, if the vehicle has a tailgate window that opens to enable you to place items inside, the rear spare gets in the way, making it very difficult to use without getting your outfits dirty. Finally, it makes rear end collision repairs much more expensive. All of our best choices managed to engine engineer a place for the spare tire to reside either inside the car or under it clearly indicating better thinking and engineering.”

In short, don’t assume that parking an SUV will be a hassle and certainly don’t avoid purchasing an SUV for this reason.  Do your homework.  Find out the turning radius of your favorite model and pay close attention to visibility when you’re test drivingtest-driving it.  Don’t be afraid to ask the salesman if you can try parking it while you’re out on your test drive. Despite an increasingly compact world, the SUV can be your friend, so choose your friends wisely.

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By: Noble Berger

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Understanding the Radius of Your SUV

Nissan’s product design director, Taiji Toyota (how ironic…), tells us that the Patrol’s all-new exterior design, which was previewed by the 2006 Terranaut Concept, is less rugged and more upscale.

“Not as edgy and hardcore as its predecessor, the softer new surfaces are beautiful and add a sense of modernity to the design equation, while still maintaining a ruggedness and commanding road presence” he said.

In similar fashion, the new Patrol’s interior is a much more luxurious place to be with the company claiming that since most customers spend less than 15% of the time off-road, it wanted to create “a better, higher quality interior for the whole family”.

That translates to a more premium design with generous amounts of leather, polished aluminum and wood grain paneling as well as a bevy of luxury features such as a new multi-screen DVD entertainment system with two rear-facing 7-inch screens embedded into each front seat headrest.

Furthermore, Nissan says that it has improved passenger space with the 2011 Patrol offering over 100mm more legroom for second row passengers, and a roomier third row of seats as well.

The latest generation Patrol is built on a new platform and is offered with a new and more powerful 5.6-litre V8 engine that replaces the previous model’s 4.8-liter V8. Featuring direct injection technology, the new V8 produces 400hp and 550Nm of torque. Nissan did not disclose any details on any other future powerplant offerings for the Patrol.

The 5.6-liter V8 engine is linked to a new 7-speed automatic transmission and an upgraded 4WD system that incorporates a variable 4×4 mode package allowing the driver to quickly switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock.

The 2011 Patrol gets a new suspension setup that now employs 4-wheel independent suspension, upgraded from the previous rigid axle setup, while Nissan also equipped the SUV with a Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC), which is said to reduce body roll during lane-changing and cornering.

Other highlights include the new Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control and a revised brake system with new hydraulic brake booster and a 4-piston opposed front caliper setup with larger 358mm front discs.

While the new Patrol will form the base for the 2011 Infiniti QX (see here) – due for launch in North America towards the end of the year or in early 2011- it remains to be seen if Nissan’s luxury SUV makes it on this side of the Atlantic.

Via | Carscoop

And it doesn’t end there. Today, we found a whole set of official photos as well as a video of the new Patrol -courtesy of a Nissan forum in the Middle East- that you can check out in all their glory after the jump.

The latest generation of the Patrol is Nissan’s largest and most capable 4X4 model and it will compete in most markets with the Toyota Land Cruiser. The new Patrol will form the base for the 2011 Infiniti QX (scooped here) which is due to be introduced in North America sometime this year or early 2011.

The Patrol’s exterior styling has been modernized adopting several key design cues from the Nissan Terranaut Concept that was shown at the 2006 Geneva Salon.

Even though details about the mechanics remain scarce, the photos confirm earlier reports that the Patrol will be offered with the Nissan group’s new 5.6-liter V8 petrol engine that cranks out 420-horsepower in the 2011 Infiniti M56.

The range is also expected to include six-cylinder petrol and diesel units.

Stay tuned on Carscoop as we’ll have the full story on the new Patrol on Sunday after it’s official presentation at a special event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Via: Nissan-Arabia

Via | Carscoop

SUV tires

• Beware of Load Rating

SUV tires are often times overloaded. That’s why they should be rated for how the vehicle will actually be used. Otherwise they may be subjected to conditions that make them unstable and actually dangerous. That’s why for most SUV use, an all-season light truck model works well.

This class of product carries higher load ratings but still provides excellent handling and braking while riding almost like a car model. A plus is the tread life rating of these is often very high.

• Get Mudders Only If…

The best rated mud tires still work quite well on pavement. But many mud bogging tires are enormous, expensive and impractical. Get them if you must, but know that they won’t work well in normal road use. Make sure normal use for mud tires is muddy or you may wish you had.

• Think Sidewalls

Heavy sidewalls in more truck-like tires generally do two things. They stand up without overly much flexing to heavier loads. That means both loads due to the actual weight of the loaded vehicle and loads generated by towing weights too. In both cases that means a safer and also a more stable ride. Overloaded sidewalls flex and sway and may be more prone to fail.

Also, all other things equal, heavier tire walls equals a stiffer tire and a corresponding stiffer ride. At some point a stiffer tire results in a harsher riding experience. It’s a necessary trade-off if you want a tougher tire and much higher load carrying capacity.

• Winter Style For More Than Light Snow

All season tires excel at dry weather traction and do well in light snow and ice. But for heavy snow and ice regions, you’re better off with a specialized winter tire. Also all terrain tires work best in moderate, as opposed to heavy, winter conditions too.

• Don’t Give Up On Tread Wear

All season tires usually have tread life ratings in the 50 to 70,000 mile range. That’s really amazing given that most of these vehicles are quite large and heavy. Consider though that many all terrain, as opposed to all season, tires don’t even come with a mileage rating or warranty at all. That may not be because the tires won’t last. It may be more of a matter of the uncertainty about how these tires will get used or abused.

In the case of all season tires, the better rated tires sport long life especially for such large vehicles.

SUV tires that are light truck tires often perform best in a wide variety of conditions. Often the load rating of these tires is a critical factor. An SUV often gets used in a manner that results in overloaded tires if the tires it sports are actually made for passenger cars.

Tuners from TechArt obtained a speed record for large SUVs on the Italian circuit at Nardo. They reached speeds of 321.2 km / h on the Italian track. Germans compete with a Porsche Cayenne Turbo that has changed really. The specimen tested was equipped with TA 055/2.2 package, which climbs to 130 hp engine power of Cayenne, reaching a peak of 680 hp. Along with the kit performance of the TechArt Aerodynamics kit I have installed the package and sports suspension module.

TechArt Formula wheels are 22-inch Cayenne Turbo Porsche’s wear tires were Continental Cross Contact UHP for this particular sample. Sandro Reuter pilot was extremely pleased with the performance of the engine and tires, saying that the SUV was “ideally prepared for this event and that both elements mentioned above have provided a high level of performance.

Circuit Nardo 12.4 kilometers from the place where many automobile manufacturers and tuners test their new creations in order to obtain records. This circuit is considered the fastest circuit in the world, even faster than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Record of the TechArt competition was recorded in the High Speed Event disputed on this circuit and hosted by the Germans at AutoBild and sponsored by Continental.

After six years, Alfa Romeo introduced the concept of an SUV at the Geneva Motor Show. Kamal concept a step towards the production version, which has not appeared on the market. Engineers working at a research center of the Fiat Group in Pomigliano d’Arco photographed wearing emblems of an SUV Alfa Romeo seems to be the prototype stage. Photographs presented today were made in September this year, but were posted on an Italian site with some delay.

If we look carefully at these images, we notice that almost all the ornaments are in place, the only elements lack the supports for registration numbers. What is strange about this model is that successfully managed to avoid all the photos that may have to pry it during testing, so not easy to succeed.

The elements “borrowed” from other models of the Fiat group as optical blocks similar to those of Fiat Grande Punto and Alfa Romeo 147’s taillights. The platform of this model is of unknown origin, but there is a possibility to be developed by Alfa Romeo and even by Chrysler. If the specimen caught in these images is the successor of the Alfa Romeo Kamal and will go into production, it will fight on a niche segment of premium manufacturers already played.