Mazda concept to debut in Moscow

Mazda is planning to unveil a new SUV concept at the Moscow auto show in August.

Gerry Malloy

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Mazda will stage the world premiere of a new concept car at this August's Moscow International Automobile Salon, a move that shows how much the auto industry is changing.

Russia is one of the world's fastest-growing auto markets and is rapidly becoming the largest in the region. All the world's major automakers are focusing on it, along with Brazil, India and China for sales growth, now that the North American and Western European markets have become "mature."

SUVs are particularly popular in Russia, accounting for about 20 per cent of the market. Mazda says this latest, as yet un-named, concept car is designed to appeal particularly to younger SUV owners who have a strong sense of style.

It follows the design progression of the Nagare, Ryuga, Hazake, Taiki and Furai concepts introduced at major shows over the past couple years. All are different derivatives of the "flow" concept introduced by the Nagare.

The design theme for the as yet un-named Moscow concept is "crosswinds," Mazda says.

Big numbers for ZR1

According to GM's official performance numbers for the forthcoming Corvette ZR1, the supercharged super-Vette can accelerate from 0-to-96 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, reach 160 km/h in 7.0 seconds flat, and trip the quarter-mile lights at the drag strip in 11.3 seconds at 211 km/h. The car's top speed is said to be 330 km/h.

Though GM tends to be conservative with its published figures, these make it clearly the fastest production Corvette ever and place it firmly among the ranks of the world's most exotic performance cars.

Fuel consumption probably won't be high on the priority list for potential ZR1 buyers, but GM says it does well on that score also – on a relative basis, at least.

With official fuel-consumption ratings of 16.8 L/100 km in the city, and 11.8 L/100 km on the highway (based on EPA figures), it betters such competitors as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Lamborghini Murcielago and Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and is competitive with the Dodge Viper and Porsche 911 GT3.

Canadian pricing for the ZR1, which will arrive this fall, has not been released yet. But based on a U.S. price of $103,300, and the current cross-border pricing differential for the Corvette Z06, expect it to be in the $120,000 range here.

Price for luxury Hyundai

Hyundai's first rear-wheel drive performance sedan, the Genesis, will come to market with a starting price of $37,995 for the 3.8-litre V6 model and $43,995 for the 4.6-litre V8.

The Genesis offers the amenities, driving character and performance people would expect from Japanese or European luxury vehicles at a cheaper price, says John Vernile, vice-president, sales and marketing for Hyundai Auto Canada.

According to Vernile, the entry-level Genesis is better equipped and better priced than such competitors as the Infiniti G35.

All models include standard six-speed automatic transmissions, front and rear seat-mounted airbags, roof-mounted curtain airbags, Electronic Stability Control with Traction Control, front electronic active head restraints, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather seating, heated and power front seats, six-disc CD player and seven-speaker audio system with XM satellite radio and auxiliary inputs, and other features.

The 375 hp V8 model is rated at 12.6 L/100 km in the city and 8.1 L/100 km on the highway; the V6 at 11.4 L/100 km in the city and 7.2 L/100 km on the highway.

Fuel Cell Honda hits the road

Honda has begun limited production of the hydrogen fuel-cell powered FCX Clarity that made the rounds of the auto show circuit last fall and winter.

A ceremony was held this week at what Honda calls "the world's first dedicated fuel cell vehicle factory: the Honda Automobile New Model Centre in Tochigi Prefecture." The assembly line includes unique processes for the installation of the fuel-cell stack and hydrogen tank.

General Motors of Canada has already built more than 100 fuel-cell powered Equinoxes in Oshawa, but they were assembled in the company's Regional Engineering Centre, not in an assembly plant.

They are currently being distributed to selected drivers in three areas of the U.S. for three-month periods.

Honda plans to build 200 of its sleek zero-emissions Clarity sedans over the next three years and lease them for three-year terms, at $600 per month, to selected customers in Japan and Southern California.

One of the criteria for selection is that lessees must live close to existing hydrogen filling stations, of which there are three in the Los Angeles area.

Among the first five American customers to receive an FCX Clarity will be movie actress Jamie Lee Curtis and Canadian-born actress Laura Harris, both of whom are well-known "green" advocates. Delivery of the cars will begin in the U.S. in July.

The FCX Clarity is propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, which was developed and built internally by Honda. The company says its fuel-efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile (on a fuel-energy basis).

Cayenne prices up for 2009

Porsche Cars Canada has announced pricing for its 2009 Cayenne lineup, which will go on sale in Canada on July 14. The big SUV is Porsche's best-selling model.

Prices for normally-aspirated versions range from $56,100 for the base Cayenne to $87,000 for the GTS — representing increases of just 1.0 to 1.6 per cent. The price of the Cayenne Turbo is up 3.1 per cent to $118,000.

In addition, a new top-of-the-line Turbo S model will join the lineup on Aug. 8, at $150,400.

"Because of the relative strength of the Canadian dollar, we were able to keep price adjustments to a minimum," noted Christian Marti, president and CEO of Porsche Cars Canada.

In the U.S., the 2009 Cayenne models range in price from $44,600 for the base model to $123,600 for the new Turbo S.

New features on the 2009 models include advanced audio and communication systems, more powerful brakes on the Turbo models, extended service intervals and a multitude of equipment options currently unavailable for most models.

The new Porsche Communication System PCM 3.0, introduced in the new-generation 911 sports cars, will also be available in all 2009 Cayenne models.

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