Ford eyes new compact for North America

Sales of C-Max expected by 2012; new supercar from McLaren; BMW, Hyundai go `green'

Sep 12, 2009

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Special to the Star

Ford has released images of its redesigned C-Max, one of a gaggle of small Fords potentially coming to Canada.

The C-Max is based on the automaker's compact C-platform that also underpins the redesigned 2011 Focus, 2012 Escape and possibly a Lincoln based on the C Concept that debuted at this year's Detroit auto show.

To take on the current Mazda5 and 2012 Chevrolet Orlando, a lengthened, seven-passenger C-Max may also come our way.

In Europe, the new C-Max will be one of the first Fords to receive the company's first four-cylinder versions of its EcoBoost direct-injection/turbocharged engine technology: a new 1.6-litre iteration.

Sold in foreign markets since 2003, North American sales of the C-Max are expected to begin in late 2011 or early 2012, according to Automotive News.

McLaren's new supercar

During the same week Mercedes-Benz announced details of its new SLS AMG super car, former production car partner McLaren revealed the goods on its own new super car.

As a follow up to the 1993-1998 McLaren F1 (1993-1998) and the 2003-2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the new McLaren MP4-12C is the first car from the new McLaren Automotive – the production arm of the Woking, England empire that also includes the McLaren Mercedes Formula One racing team.

The MP4-12C – "MP4" stands for McLaren Project 4; the "12" refers to McLaren's internal Vehicle Performance Index; and the "C" refers to Carbon, highlighting the carbon-fibre technology – is a two-seater powered by a McLaren-built 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8. The engine produces "around 600 hp" with power going to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

McLaren is making much noise that the car's chassis is made from a single piece of carbon fibre and this is just the first of a range of supercars.

Sales start worldwide in early 2011. McLaren plans to sell 1,000 units the first year, despite the effect the current economic downturn has had on performance car sales.

Save your pennies: Expect MP4-12C pricing to be in the $200,000-plus range.

Hyundai goes green

The home-market German brands will no doubt dominate this year's Frankfurt auto show, but Korea's Hyundai will try to steal some of the spotlight with a raft of green vehicles.

Previewed earlier this week is Hyundai's idea of a new city car. Dubbed the ix-Metro, it looks eerily similar to Toyota's iQ, which is expected to end up on our shores as a Scion.

A 125-hp turbocharged 1.01-litre gas three-cylinder engine powers the gas-electric hybrid ix-Metro mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Hyundai's first all-electric vehicle, based on the automaker's current i10 foreign-market city car (supposedly to hit some markets in 2010), is also slated for Frankfurt.

Called the i10 Electric, it will be powered by a 49 kW e-motor and a 16 kW/h battery; has a claimed top speed of 130 km/h and a range of 160 km.

Energy saving features include drive-by-wire systems for steering, air conditioning, water pump and brake vacuum pump.

A cheaper kind of Rolls

Rolls-Royce has released more details on its so-called small sedan, the Ghost.

A little larger all-around than a full-size BMW 7-series sedan, the Ghost complements Rolls' only other model: the humongous Phantom. Code-named RR4 and previewed as the 200EX at this spring's Geneva auto show, the new Ghost is named in honour of a Rolls first produced in 1906.

And instead of chauffeurs, the Ghost is being promoted as the Rolls for owners who may actually drive their cars.

As such, it boasts a 563 hp 6.6-litre BMW-derived V12, 0-to-96 km/h time of 4.7 seconds and SUV-like fuel consumption of 13.6 L/100 km (20 m.p.g.).

Options include: lamb's wool floor mats, veneered picnic tables fitted to the rear of each front seat with leather-covered backs and a cool box with interior illumination and integrated champagne glasses.

If you must ask, expect pricing for the new recessionary Rolls to come in around $300,000 – or about $200,000 less than a Phantom.

BMW green?

Pop quiz: What would you consider the greenest car company on the planet?

How about Toyota, with its raft of hybrids led by its iconic Prius? Or what about Honda, with its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell car?

According to this year's Dow Jones Sustainability Index World, in both cases you would be wrong. In fact it's the purveyor of the Ultimate Driving Machines. Yes, that BMW.

Based on how an automaker designs, builds and recycles its products, the BMW Group (that includes Mini and Rolls-Royce) is the "most sustainable automobile company worldwide."

In fact, the German automaker has won the title five years in a row.

BMW is patting itself on the back: "the BMW Group declared sustainability one of the company's core strategic principles back in 2000."

Toronto Star