July 2, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Dennis J James

The 40th birthday celebrations of Range Rover brought Victoria Beckham to the team of design projects. The first project she will be working on is the special edition of Evoque baby SUV. As a talented fashion designer, Victoria Beckham could use her expertise on design and future trends to enhance the brand. She has been a fan and owner of such a car for many years.

Victoria Beckham has become famous in the late 1990s with the girl pop group Spice Girls. She then pursued a solo music career but international success came with her modeling and fashion designer career. She was recently named the World’s Most Glamorous Celebrity by the make-up brand Max Factor. She is married to soccer star David Beckham and they are currently living in Los Angeles.

Victoria has always been glamorous starting with her music career with Spice Girls and as a style icon she hopes to help boost the image of Range Rover. The new Range Rover Evoque will be on sale in a year and will be the cheapest, lightest and greenest Range Rover ever. This compact Range Rover will be $15,000 cheaper than Range Rover Sport, and similar in price with Land Rover Discovery.

First produced in 1970 initiated a new trend in all wheel drive vehicles. The design concept was aimed at offering excellent performance on pavement in addition to superlative performance off road. The acceleration and speed surpassed many conventional cars. A completely new model replaced the Classic Rover in 1994. Features such as improved air suspension, stronger chassis, improved dust sealing, more ground clearance or manual control of low range ratios made the new model become king off-road.

A more dramatic redesign took place in 2002, when a stronger monocoque body and chassis with independent suspension came with Range Rover III. All the ulterior updates tried to secure their position as the world’s most capable vehicle. Combining luxury with off-road abilities, Range Rover is as suitable for driving to the most exclusive club or on the roughest country terrain.

The recent addition to the line, the Sport puts an emphasis on sporty performance while maintaining off road abilities. It was designed as a more sporty luxury SUV trying to equal the on road performance of Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes ML, or VW Touareg. It also had more stylish bodywork. The body shape was more compact and aerodynamic.

The vehicles have always been innovative in suspension design. This was probably the most important factor that distinguished it from its competitors. But this was not the only feature they have mastered over the years. The solid construction of underbody parts made it sustain very severe off road treatment. Such features have always distinguished Range Rovers from other SUVs that were mainly designed for looks. Will this change with Victoria Beckham as part of the creative team? Will Victoria help them make their vehicles as successful for their looks as they are for their performance?

Dennis runs Car Dealer Check a site that provides user generated Car Dealer Reviews and information on California Car Dealer.

Article Source: Dennis J. James

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July 1, 2010 by jameslucas.

By Deepthi Alvares

Based on Ford’s Global B platform, the Figo gets its name from the colloquial Italian expression Figo which is similar to the colloquial English expression ‘cool’. This new car with its chic looks has been brought to India keeping the young minds in mind. The Figo looks small, but nevertheless, has a lot of space in its four-metre length. The car does bear a tall, purposeful look. In this article let’s have a look at the Ford Figo in detail.

While speed breakers on the Indian roads pose as problems for almost every other vehicle, the Ford Figo will not face anything of that sort. The ride quality is outstanding and there is nothing that disturbs the peaceful ride of the occupants. The Figo leverages Ford’s small-car platform architecture with solid proportions. Ford has been intelligent enough to incorporate the already familiar Fiesta technology in this new car.

The Figo is available in 8 variants in India. A 1.2 Duratec motor powers the petrol variants while the diesel variants derive their power from 1.4 Duratorq engines. The petrol engine is further powered with SEFI technology that enables it to give an output of 70 bhp at 6,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 102 Nm at 4000 rpm. Meanwhile the CRDi diesel engines are capable of stirring up 68 bhp at 4,000 rpm and maximum torque of 160 Nm at 2000 rpm.

Both engines are mated with a 5-speed automatic transmission that makes sure the car runs smoothly, no matter what the road conditions are. Both engines delivery exceptional fuel economy figures too and the car has been priced aggressively, thus attracting more sales.

The well-engineered steering and suspension system add to the comfort levels. One can simply sit behind the wheels of the Figo to know what is called stupendous performance. The hydraulic power assisted steering gives sheer driving pleasure.

The Figo also takes cues from the company’s Kinetic Design. The Ford Figo flaunts a classy design with a lower grille, sloping roofline and edgy side panels. The chic and stylish headlamps, well-designed bonnet, an integrated spoiler and the chamfered shape of the window at the rear accentuate the car’s youthful appeal. Body-coloured door handles and side mirrors add to this appeal.

The Ford Figo has a 2498 mm long wheelbase and the car’s interiors put on show a unique blend of quality, substance and generous proportions. 5 adults can easily fit in the cosy inner space of the Figo. The leg and head space is mind blowing and the rear boot space can hold anything from light shopping bags to big heavy luggage. On the whole, the Figo can be considered to be one of the most spacious cars in its segment.

The Figo comes in two interior finishes, a cool Coral IP theme and an Ebony Black one with matt finish. The two finishes are sure going to take care of everybody’s tastes, be it the urban youth or that of people looking for class and aesthetics. The car is a winner in its segment even when it comes to safety. Airbags, ABS with EBD and more take care of driver and occupant safety.

Deepthi Alvares

Get more information on Ford Figo Price and Ford Cars in India

Article Source: Deepthi Alvares

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