Daihatsu Copen 1.3-liter Headed for the UK Market

The Daihatsu Copen, a 2-door roadster model from the Japanese car manufacturer is poised to arrive in dealer showrooms all over the United Kingdom. Although the Daihatsu Copen is exclusively sold for the Japanese Kei-car market, UK-based Daihatsu Vehicle Distributors Limited convinced the Japanese automaker to revamp some of the vehicle's components including the small engine with only 660 cc displacement to adapt in the European vehicle standards.

In addition, to comply with the European Whole Vehicle Type Approval, Daihatsu equipped the Copen with a larger 1.3 litre petrol engine that now pumps out an additional 19 hp and a 14.5 lb.-ft. increase of peak torque, for a total of 86 hp at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 88.5 lb ft at 4,400 rpm. Daihatsu said the Copen offers an improved fuel efficiency and low fuel consumption rate, thanks to the advance engine systems like Dynamic Variable Valve Timing (DVVT) which enhances low-speed pulling power, the compact twin overhead camshaft unit equipped with alloy head and block. Moreover, the Daihatsu Copen also comes with the first ever self regenerating catalytic converter made palladium, the most heat sensitive material used in catalytic converters. As a result, the catalytic converter has the ability to regenerate and prolong its function in reducing CO2 exhaust emission coming out from the Daihatsu Copen.

With the new engine, the Daihatsu Copen can now sprint from 0 to 62 mph time in just 9.5 seconds, about 2 seconds faster than the previous 660 cc engine. The Copen roadster can reach an electronically limited full throttle speed of 112 mph.

According to Paul Tunnicliffe, Daihatsu Managing Director, "We are all car enthusiasts here at Daihatsu and were instrumental in bringing the original model to market in the UK. With this lively new engine and a highly competitive price, we are delighted not only to have a 'halo' model in our range but to be able to offer fellow enthusiasts such a characterful and affordable fun car.

Honda - All Car History Volume 13

Honda is the world's largest engine maker, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines every year. Honda's began building motorbikes but the S500 2-door roadster featuring a 492cc engine saw the company move into car production in an innovative way in the 1960s. The highly acclaimed Civic and Accord saw Honda make rapid international progress. Today, the company makes everything from cars and motorbikes, robots, jets and jet engines, to lawn and garden equipment. Honda's current crop of cars includes the Accord, CR-V, Civic, FR-V, Jazz, Legend and S2000. HONDA HISTORY In 1948 Honda's founder, Soichiro Honda, started a new company: Honda Motor Co. They soon came up with the "batabata", a motorised bicycle named after the sound the engine made which became a huge hit across Japan. Later, Honda's most popular model, the Dream, could be spotted all over the Japanese islands. Honda introduced its first car in 1957, the N360. In 1958, the American Honda Company was created. In 1972 Honda entered the American market with the small fuel efficient Civic - just as the energy crisis was hitting economies. In 1986 Honda introduced a luxury line of cars and in 2007 Honda announced plans to launch low-priced hybrids.

HONDA FACTS

Type: Public company
Founded: September 24, 1948
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Key People: Soichiro Honda, Founder. Takeo Fukui, CEO
Industry: Automobile & Truck manufacturer & Motorcycle
Products: cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, electrical generators, robotics, marine equipment, jets and jet engines, and lawn and garden equipment, Acura vehicles.

FEATURED MODELS

HONDA ACCORD - manufactured since 1976, first as a compact hatchback and then evolving into a premium large family estate and saloon car

HONDA CIVIC - a compact car first manufactured in 1972 and now in its eighth generation. The Civic Type-R is a widely respected hot hatch, while the Civic IMA is a hybrid with an electric motor and petrol engine

Honda Car Accessories

All over the world people know Honda cars and are using them as their mode of transportation. The Honda cars have made their mark in the automobile industry for being durable and offer world class performance. The unmatched performance of the engines, the mileage coverage and the various other benefits offered by the Honda cars have made this brand one of the most favorite brands in the automobile industry.Whether one has an older model of Honda or a new one, seldom are there car owners who would want to change their Honda cars for any other brand. The real reason for the popularity of the Honda autos is their adherence to quality which they ensure to provide in not only the major car parts like engine etc. but also in the basic car-accessories.

This is the reason those car owners and the drivers who do not have the Honda models as their cars, like to use the Honda accessories for their vehicles and benefit from the functionality, durability and the comfort attributes it offers. The Honda-accessories have been known to protect the vehicles from the damage and also in adding more years to the strength and the durability of the vehicle. There are various mediums of finding the Honda auto-accessory one is looking for.

Though one can get the authentic and genuine Honda auto accessories form the Honda dealers and their offices in the various countries and cities of the world, one can also make use of their websites to purchase the Honda accessory they are interested in buying. However, buying the new Honda accessories for the cars can prove to be costly. This is the reason people make use of other channels to get hands on the Honda accessories that can be procured at cost effective rates.

Under the Hood of the 2013 Honda Crosstour

Underpinned by the same platform powering the popular Honda Accord, the Honda Crosstour is a crossover SUV or a wagon-like vehicle that offers plenty of interior room, safety and technology innovations, and two engine choices. The 2013 edition is currently being showcased in prototype form at major auto shows, a design that will most likely be very close to what Honda buyers will find in dealer showrooms when the new model goes on sale this fall.

Engines and Transmissions

The 2013 Honda Crosstour offers two engine choices for buyers. A 2.4-liter four cylinder engine produces 192 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 162 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. This 16-valve DOHC engine is paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The four cylinder engine has a 10.0 to 1 compression ratio and measures 87 millimeter bore by 99 millimeter stroke, Grade logic control is standard.

A 3.5-liter V-6 engine outputs 271 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 254 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm. This 24-valve engine is also paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. This V-6 engine has a 10.5 to 1 compression ratio and measures 89 bore by 93 stroke.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy projections have not been released for the 2013 model year Crosstour. Based on the current numbers, the Crosstour EX, a front-wheel-drive model, gets 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway. The EX-L V-6 model, powered by all four wheels, comes in at 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway.

Every Crosstour model takes regular grade gasoline. This vehicle features an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, providing a cruising range of 536 miles with the base model. That represents enough fuel to take you from Denver to Salt Lake City on one tank of fuel.

New Opel Adam Officially Unveiled, Ready to Take on the Fiat 500 and Mini [30 Photos]

We don't know if Fiat should be flattered or annoyed by Opel's (and Vauxhall's) attempt to recreate the 500's success in more ways than one with its new "urban-chic small car" named Adam, which coincidentally or not, is the name of the company’s founder, Adam Opel.
While some will see traces of the Fiat 500's design here and there and even more so at the rear - as evidenced by our readers' comments in our previous story on the car, GM's European brand is quick to point out in its press blurb that "unlike other rivals", the Adam has a modern feel to it:
"But unlike other rivals in the segment, ADAM bucks the trend for retro-based design with a fresh and bold look that will appeal to open-minded individuals who want to defy convention with a car that’s distinctive and striking," says Opel.
Among other styling highlights underlined by Opel is the so-called "floating roof", which is visually disconnected from the body and can be ordered in two different shades that contrast the rest of the car.
The German carmaker and its British counterpart say that the Adam will be the first model in the A-segment to have the option of LED daytime running lights.

Renault Video Reveals New Clio Sports Tourer

There's no way of knowing if Renault did it on purpose or by mistake, but in a freshly released video about the Clio Mk4 that shows how the five-door hatchback went from a design on a computer to a production model, we get to see the station wagon version of the new supermini.

The yet to be revealed station wagon version of the Clio Mk4, which depending on the market, will carry the Estate, Grand Tour or Sport Tourer moniker, was filmed on a test bed without any camouflage whatsoever.

Carscoop is Looking for New Writers

Are you a news and internet junkie with an obsession about cars who would like to share his or her automotive insights and thoughts with the world?
Well, we may just have something for you as we are seeking new writers who wish to join our motor-head team here at Carscoop.
If you happen to be interested, then by all means, click through the jump to learn more about the details and how to apply for the position.

Teknikens Värld Defends Moose Test Findings, Chrysler Says the Magazine Cheated

The battle of press releases and statements that erupted between the Chrysler Group and Swedish car magazine Teknikens Värld after the latter published a video showing the Jeep Grand Cherokee almost tipping over in the infamous "moose test" continues to rage on.
In its first response, the Detroit carmaker said its engineers tried to "reproduce the wheel-lift in a properly loaded vehicle" without success.
Chrysler pointed out that neither Teknikens Värld was able to recreate the original event in a subsequent evaluation of three vehicles performing 11 runs, which were conducted by the magazine on July 8 in Sweden and witnessed by the automaker's engineers.
According to Chrysler, "The uncharacteristic result was obtained using a vehicle loaded beyond its weight specifications."
Today, Teknikens Värld notified us about its latest posting that rebukes Chrysler's claims saying that the aforementioned moose test with the Jeep Grand Cherokee was conducted according to strict parameters that were followed "to the smallest detail".

Mitsubishi to Pull the Plug on the Lancer EVO X in the UK

If you live in Britain and have been eyeing a brand new Lancer EVO X, you may want to hurry up and complete your order as Mitsubishi UK's managing director, Lance Bradley, told Autocar magazine that the all-wheel drive sports saloon will be axed from the UK once the company sells the last 10 units that remain in stock.

The Mitsubishi executive said that imports of the Evolution X have ceased now because of the increasing strength of the Japanese Yen, which eventually made it impossible for the company to continue selling the car in the UK.

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Omega Tool Lawyers Up and Pulls Down Pictures and Video of Corvette C7's Bumper

Any doubts we may have had about a video that hit the web on Monday and which showed a front bumper from what most believed to be the next Corvette (C7) were completely erased today once we received an email from a law firm representing Omega Tool Corp. asking us to remove the print screens.

The automotive supplier said the video depicted the mold of a front bumper of a General Motors prototype and that it was posted online without the company's consent by a "third-party".

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Watch How a Front Splitter gets a Carbon Fiber Look with the Hydrographic Process

There many ways to apply a carbon fiber film on a component of your car or various other surfaces, for that matter, but one of the lesser-known techniques is Hydrographics, also referred to as immersion printing and water transfer imaging.

In a nutshell, Hydrographics is a process that offers a 360-degree transfer of any kind of graphics onto three-dimensional objects, just as long as the material is non-porous and can be immersed into water without the fear of being damaged.

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Fiat Professional Releases New Panda Van

Given that, not all professionals need a van as capacious as a Ducato or a Ford Transit to do their work, ever since the first generation of the Panda, Fiat has offered a van variant of its city car model.

After the release of the regular versions of the new Panda in Europe earlier this year, Fiat Professional has introduced a van model of the Italian city car, which is offered in two flavors, with or without the rear seat bench.

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Gymkhana Five Sees Ken Block Turning the Streets of San Francisco Into an Urban Playground

What a man will do to sell some shoes – well, actually, make that lots and lots of pairs. In partnership with DC Shoes, professional rally driver Ken Block has unleashed his 650-horsepower Ford Fiesta racer on the quiet streets of San Francisco for the fifth installment of the popular Gymkhana video series.

And just in case you missed out, we have added all the previous clips for your enjoyment right after the break.

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VW Brand's Sales Up 10.2 Percent at 2.7 Million Cars in the First Half of the Year

The Volkswagen brand (not to be confused with the VW Group) recorded an impressive 10.2 percent growth in sales in the first half of the year, handing over 2.79 million passenger cars to customers all over the world.

The German automaker also announced a 13.7 percent increase for the month of June, when it delivered 498,600 cars, and all this in spite of the financial turmoil in Europe.

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A Speculative Take on the Next Generation 2013 Toyota RAV4

With seven years on its back, the current, third generation of the model series that kicked off the SUV craze back in the mid-1990s is well overdue for replacement.

But if the word on the street is to be believed, then we could see a new RAV4 making its debut as early as this fall before it hits showrooms either towards the end of the year or in early 2013, depending on the market.

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Seat Introduces New Mii Vibora Negra Edition and Customization Options in the UK

The new Mii hatchback only just went on sale in Britain last month, but Seat is already expanding the model lineup and available options for its city car model that is the alter ego of the Volkswagen Up! and Skoda Citigo minis. Read more »

BMW Group and PSA Peugeot-Citroen to Break Up Electrification Partnership

It's only been a little over a year since the BMW and the PSA Peugeot Citroën groups announced a joint venture named the BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification (BPCE) for the development, production and purchasing of hybrid and electric powertrain components, and even less since operations began last October, but the two automakers are already parting ways. Read more »

It's Not Always Easy Being a Pedestrian These Days

If there's one thing that's even harder than driving a vehicle in Russia is trying to navigate the roads on foot.

Granted, the pedestrian in the second clip has no one to blame but himself for…crashing into the van, but the person driving the vehicle in the first video should have been much more careful when passing a crossing even though he had a green light.

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Schmidt Revolution Announces New Upgrades for VW Golf Cabrio

In one of its less impressive tuning takes, Schmidt Revolution, a wheel manufacturer and customizer from Germany, has released a handful of upgrades for the European market Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. Read more »

Two Femme Fatales, a Renault Twingo RS RB7 and a Goldfish Meet Up at the 'Ring

Just by reading the title and looking at the opening picture, you should probably have already figured out that this is not one of your run-of-the-mill promotional clips.

The video is part of a new series from Renault, which has invited its Facebook fans to suggest ideas for crazy challenges that showcase both the fun side and sporty character of the Twingo RS city car.

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