Owner: My Blog URL:http://dikarockz.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:58:42 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: It's about news from automotive's world. Including spy shot, auto show report, news, new cars, etc... Site statistics:Click here
Spied: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox 2008-03-07 18:29:00 A few months ago, we were there when the 2010 Cadillac BRX, an upcoming version of GM’s TE family of crossovers that also includes the recently released Saturn Vue and the upcoming Saab 9-4X, was let out of the house for track testing. Now, another of the TE platform-mates has not only gotten out of the house, but is out on the road, barking and chasing cars.Based on the pictures we just got from our spies, the 2010 Chevy Equinox appears to share its bodyside stampings, wheelbase, and certain other key elements with the Cadillac. This prototype’s front end appears to be darn close to that of the shorter-wheelbase Vue, though its thin bar in the middle of the grille—as opposed to a fat bar at the top of the grille—clearly gives this one away as a Chevy.The interior shot reveals inte Read more:Chevrolet
Spied: 2009 BMW X6 Hybrid 2008-03-07 07:19:00 X Marks the spot for hybrid SUVs! BMW has already confirmed plans for a clever petrol-electric version of its new X6, which our spy snappers have just caught testing (above) with a huge bump in the bonnet. And now the firm has taken the wraps off this ultra-advanced X5. Set to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the car looks like a standard version of the 4x4, but the Efficient Dynamics logo on the side signifies that it’s anything but. Underneath the standard body, there’s a hybrid powertrain, which enables the concept to match the ability of a conventional X5, despite only having a 2.0-litre diesel engine. The twin-turbo unit is supplemented by a 20bhp electric motor mounted to the car’s eight-speed automatic transmission. The result is a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.9 se Read more:Hybrid
Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Toyota Urban Cruiser 2008-03-06 20:12:00 Toyota showed the Urban
Cruiser concept at Geneva
in 2006, but that time the car was clearly an SUV crossover. The new production Urban Cruiser debuting in Geneva this week has hints of SUV in its DNA, but is essentially a slightly tall and boxy small hatchback. This is because it is very closely based on the recently-announced Ist for the Japanese-market, a car identical to the US-market Scion Xd. The differences appear to be only in the front and rear bumpers which are black at their bases to give the impression of greater ground clearance.The Urban Cruiser was displayed with no access to the interior, but the exterior appears to be well resolved, albeit without many points of real interest. The front and rear lights are notable for sitting on a different plane to the surfaces around the Read more:Highlights
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Volvo XC60 2008-03-06 20:10:00 Previewed as a concept in Detroit 2007, the XC60 is Volvo's bid to compete with compact SUVs such as the BMW X3 and Land-Rover Freelander. More sculptural than the XC90, the new XC60 is the first full project overseen by Design Director Steve Mattin and very much reflects his taste in design, according to former colleagues from Mercedes. The front face features the new bolder look that Mattin will introduce across the range. This comprises a 6-sided grille with satin silver frame, black egg-crate mesh and much larger Volvo ‘Iron Mark' emblem. Slim running lamps are mounted between the headlamps and grille, to provide a new night-time signature for Volvo. The rear view is also unmistakably Volvo, with the swoop-down bevel in the rear bumper echoing the striking lamp graphic and its blade Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Magna Steyr Mila Alpin Concept 2008-03-06 20:02:00 Remember the Steyr Pinzgauer of the late 1960s? The Mila Alpin is a reinterpretation of that simple 4x4 vehicle and takes the idea for its styling and color scheme from the mountain rock and ice of the Alps. The car is split into two halves: the lower part is hard-edged and geometric and finished in rock gray. A low center of gravity was achieved by positioning the three-cylinder, 1000cc engine beneath one of the rear seats, hence the 3+1 seating arrangement. A CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) hybrid power system is used, whereby the 20KW electric motor provides additional torque to the 62KW engine.Speaking with CDN, chief designer Andreas Wolfsgruber explained: "The hybrid system is evident in the external appearance of the Alpin, with a CNG display on one side of the car, and a Lithium Ion d Read more:Geneva
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First Sketch: Suzuki Kizashi 3 2008-03-06 19:58:00 Following the red Kizashi (pictured middle) from the 2007 Frankfurt auto show and the white Kizashi 2 (pictured bottom) from the 2007 Toyko motor show, Suzuki
will roll out the Kizashi 3, its third take on a flagship model, on Thursday, March 20, at the New York auto show. The first two Kizashi concepts will join the newer sibling at New York. Suzuki hopes the concepts will wow American audiences and show the company's intentions to eventually offer a "larger, more It's fitting that Kizashi is the Japanese word for "prelude" or "foretaste." We don't yet have details, but expect wheels around 21 inches as on the first Kizashi as well as an environmentally friendly powertrain like the first Kizashi's 2.0-liter four-valve turbodiesel. With the Kizashi 2, Suzuki got an off-road-ready version o Read more:First
Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Lancia Delta 2008-03-06 19:54:00 This is an important new car for Lancia, as the brand has been limping for several years now with a odd range comprising of the small Ypsilon and Musa and the larger Thesis sedan and Phedra MPV. Based very closely on the Fiat Bravo launched last year, and previewed by the near identical show car at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, the Delta
is a new lower-medium hatchback.The first impression of the car is that it is large and, specifically, long. This is in part because it is indeed slightly longer than other cars of the class, but also because of the dark gray rockers and cant rail, the floating black roof and the six-light DLO. All of these elements visually lengthen the car. Voluminous surfaces - and the ‘up-scale' classic Lancia grille and lights - further this impression. Two other in Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Skoda Superb 2008-03-06 08:22:00 This second-generation Superb is based on a mildly-lengthened VW Passat platform, with transverse rather than longitudinal engines as before. Walking around the car, there's a slight mixture of character together with odd reminders of several other cars. The front end is quite powerful and classy: the grille is sharper and more strongly defined than other Skoda
s, with a new six-sided grille outline, vertical grille bars and ends that wrap over into a new surface on either side, not unlike the new Volvo XC60 design. The adaptive headlamps are sharply outlined and feature a small ‘Superb' signature in the corners.By contrast, the rear appears a little low rent and somewhat unbalanced in character to the front end. There's a softer treatment to the surfaces than that of the front and an ove Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Kia Soul Concept 2008-03-06 08:21:00 The Kia Soul concept was presented nearly two years ago in Seoul. But this new Soul concept car in Geneva
is a production preview concept car which closely follows the design theme of its predecessor namesake.The car is half way between a Kia C'eed and a Kia Sportage - a unique vehicle typology closest in concept to the Suzuki SX4 / Fiat Sedici and the Skoda Yeti concept from 2005(?). The Soul is reminiscent of the Skoda Roomster as well, in its rear three quarter aspect with its upright tailgate and, in particular, its lamp graphic. But the rest of the car is more distinctive and has a nice balance of being strong without being overly masculine.Gregory Guillaume, chief designer at Kia Design Center Europe, told us how the three different versions of the Soul on display at Geneva demonstra Read more:Highlights
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Italdesign Quaranta Concept 2008-03-06 08:18:00 The Quaranta is an environment-friendly, 4WD super sports-car which celebrates 40 years since the founding of Italdesign. Using a Toyota Hybrid Synergy drivetrain, the design clearly references the 1968 Bizzarinni Manta, one the first projects undertaken by Italdesign, which was also featured on the stand, freshly repainted in its wonderful original turquoise color. The continuous '1 line' profile is enhanced by a simple graphic treatment where the glass extends from nose to tail and features embedded solar panels. These create a central opaque strip which, although it is a distinctive feature, inevitably disturbs the purity of the graphics. The solar panels are said to generate a power of up to 250W, sufficient for the functioning of the cockpit conditioning system and for recharging the Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Opel Meriva Concept 2008-03-06 08:14:00 This is a concept car preview of the forthcoming production Meriva, which, like its predecessor, is based on a mix of Corsa and Astra underpinnings. As a compact MPV, the Meriva will fit into the Opel range below the seven-seat Zafira. But it has grown approximately 200mm over its predecessor to compete with the five-seat junior MPVs in Europe, such as the Ford C-Max and the Citroen Picasso.Beyond the more substantial proportions of the car, one of the most significant design features is the ‘suicide' (or ‘flex-door' in GM speak) rear doors - only the Mazda RX8 and Rolls-Royce cars have anything like this in production. Also evident at the side of the car is the stepped base line of the Picasso-like DLO that will aid vision out of the car particularly for the junior rear seat occupants Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Ken Okuyama K.07 Concept 2008-03-06 08:11:00 This was the biggest surprise of the show. Ken Okuyama, one of the industry's more prolific designers having held senior positions at GM, Porsche, Pininfarina and Art Center College of Design, announced a new car company producing his new sports car: the K.O7.Taking inspiration from the Lotus Super Seven, the minimalist K.O7 is conceptually closest to the Ariel Atom and the KTM X-Bow; with its transverse mid-mounted four-cylinder engine, ‘cycle wing' fenders separate to the main car body and no windshield. The sister K.O8 coupe shown adjacent to the K.O7 differs in having integral fenders to the body a windshield and a detachable single-panel roof.Series production in Japan will begin later this year at a rate of about 100 per year at a price of approximately quarter of a million US doll Read more:Geneva
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Spied: 2009 Toyota Avensis 2008-03-05 09:15:00 And it appears the design team at the Japanese company has gone for style over load space. The newcomer’s tapered tailgate should look great when it’s finally revealed, although the angled bootlid will eat into luggage capacity. Despite the disguise, it’s also clear the forthcoming Avensis will get a shapely new front end to replace the dull design of the existing model. Slow sales, plus competition from a host of new arrivals in this class, mean the big Toyota
needs to take a significant step forward.As a result, customers can expect big improvements in terms of cabin quality and handling as the Avensis takes the fight to the latest Ford Mondeo and the forthcoming Vauxhall Insignia and Honda Accord.The British-built newcomer isn’t due to hit dealers in this country until 2009
Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009Toyota iQ 2008-03-05 09:10:00 Previewed last year as a concept, the iQ debuts here as a new entry model for Toyota
that incorporates a 3+1 seating layout with a new compact size of just 3 meters - 410mm less than an Aygo and similar in length to the Smart ForTwo. Compared to the concept, the styling is more orthodox: gone are the sharp triangular lamps but the character lines at front and rear still exist, albeit in diluted form. One line from the A-pillar sweeps inwards across the lamp onto the short, stubby hood, while a complimentary line feeds from the headlamp down to the lower corner. Dubbed 'cubic super stance', this wheel-at-each-corner look is actually quite a good way of understanding the design of this new premium baby car, and is repeated at the rear end too.The side view is changed little from the concept, Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Ford Fiesta 2008-03-05 09:08:00 We've seen the Verve concept in Frankfurt when Martin Smith told us that this was very close to what we should expect for the new Fiesta
. And he was right. This new production design is 25mm taller and differs only in detail to the Verve. And, just as the Verve was presented in a strident violet hue, the two Fiestas displayed in Geneva
were in equally big statement colors: 'Squeeze' acid green, and 'Hot Magenta'!Smith took us around the car, highlighting the 'linen' finish to the slush molded IP, and also its expressive form. He is clearly particularly proud of the way the whole design evidently combines high perceived quality with a relatively extrovert design identity from the Kinetic Design language he introduced with the Iosis concept.The exterior, by Chris Hamilton, starts at the fron Read more:Highlights
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Pininfarina Sintesi Concept 2008-03-05 09:06:00 Design Director Lowie Vermeersch said to us: "We like cars that are long and low". And the Sintesi is just that. At 4800mm long, it is slightly shorter than a Mercedes-Benz E-class, but at 1280mm it is slightly lower than a Porsche 911. The reason for this is not simply that the Pininfarina
design team love long low cars, but because the design is based on 'liquid packaging' - which essentially means that the core technical elements may be separated and positioned all over the car.The Sintesi has a central fuel cell spine whose shape helps create a long diffuser under most of the car, and an electric motor powering each wheel. This technical configuration allows passengers to sprawl out over the long cabin which is Chief Designer Fuiseppe Randazzo's take on modern luxury.The core design in Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Saab 9-X BioHybrid Concept 2008-03-05 09:04:00 Saab first showed a 9-X concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2001, a sports estate car that introduced new Saab design themes. It was also the first new Saab designed under then recently-appointed Director of Design, Michael Mauer. The 9-X launched at Geneva
yesterday shares its namesake's estate sports car conceptual design, but is GM Europe Design center's take on what a lower-medium Saab should be (using the 'Delta' platform in GM speak; as per the Opel Astra) .Like the Saab 9-4X shown in Detroit, the 9-X is clearly close to production in its design intent, if not exact surface detail. At 4424mm long, 1382mm high, 1826mm wide, it is a useful 172mm longer than the conceptually-similar Volvo C30, which gives the car more of a sports 'shooting wagon' and less of a standard hatchback feel Read more:Highlights
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Renault Megane Coupe Concept 2008-03-04 06:28:00 The 2008 Geneva
expo is just a few hours old but Renault
has already stolen the show with this – the MeganeCoupeConcept
.Previewing the all-new family car range, which arrives in the UK later this year, it’s a stunning sports car that truly follows in the footsteps of the recently revealed Laguna Coupe.Constructed almost entirely from carbon fibre, it features dragon-fly doors – so called because they open in two sections and are mounted on a central cross beam – light reflective paint and a sleek body that looks more Alfa Romeo than Renault.Under the bonnet lies a 205bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine, while inside the cabin gets seats that are built into the bodywork along with personal MP4 players fixed to the front headrests.Set to spawn an entire range of family Read more:Highlights
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco 2008-03-04 06:23:00 The Scirocco has been revealed. Journalists were jostling for position to get a clear view of the stunning new VW coupe, and these are the first pictures taken from the show floor.The car has classic coupé proportions – it’s 4,256mm long, 1,404mm high and 1,810mm wide. That makes it longer and wider than the Golf GTI, while it sits lower to the ground, too.The wheelbase is virtually identical to the hatchback’s at 2,578mm, so the coupé is claimed to offer a similar amount of space. The styling is the work of a team led by Klaus Bischoff, chief designer at VW, and has been heavily influenced by the Iroc Concept displayed at the Paris expo back in 2006. Deep front air dams and a slim radiator grille are framed by dramatic twin-lens headlight units.The look is completed by slim c Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: SEAT Ibiza Concept 2008-03-04 06:14:00 It’s the most sensational new SEAT yet! Bringing a large dose of style to the firm's show stand, the Bocanegra previews the replacement for the Ibiza supermini, which is due in dealers here in 2009.The name Bocanegra means black mouth, and is a clear reference to the model’s innovative Perspex-trimmed front end. The transparent covering houses the LED headlights, and comprises a recess for the number plate as well as vents that feed cooling air to the engine. There’s also a panoramic sunroof, dramatic high-level side indicator repeaters and distinctive slashes in the bodywork, all of which gives the car an instant ‘Wow!’ factor.Although bosses are keen to stress that the Bocanegra is a prototype, they promise that the design touches on the forthcoming production ca Read more:Geneva
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Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: 2009 Honda Accord 2008-03-04 06:10:00 We’ve already seen the pictures – but the all-new Honda
Accord looks even better in the metal! The Japanese firm took the wraps off its new family car at the show, with the fresh saloon and sporty Tourer models the stars of its Geneva
show stand.The upmarket newcomer features a host of advanced technologies, including Honda’s Lane Keep Assist System, Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Mitigation Brake System.Buyers will get the choice of three new engines, with 2.0 and 2.4-litre petrol units joined by the firm’s new 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel unit. Later next year it will be available mated to an automatic gearbox – a first for the family model.The eighth generation Accord goes on sale in June as a saloon, with the Tourer arriving in September. Prices are likely to be similar to Read more:Highlights
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New Concept Car Bentley Continental GTZ 2008-03-03 09:52:00 The coupé made its debut at this week’s Geneva Motor Show, and is the work of coachbuilder Zagato, from Milan. The car started life as a BentleyContinental
GT Speed, but you’re unlikely to confuse it with the standard model, thanks to a wide range of unique styling changes. From the front, its headlamps and massive mesh grille are pure Bentley, but the all-new bumper and long bonnet vents provide the hand-built Zagato-bodied version with a much more dramatic look. A pair of front foglamps and 10-spoke alloy wheels add to the visual impact.Traditional Zagato touches include a double-bubble roof and a neatly rounded tail. A host of functional parts have been carried over from the production car, but the slab-sided looks of the Continental GT have been dropped in favour of a much curvie Read more:Concept
New Concept Car: Land Rover LRX 'Black' 2008-03-03 09:51:00 Check out Land Rover
’s latest stunning show car – the LRX black and silver.Following on from the popular baby-Freelander concept revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the re-modelled Geneva Motor Show star is designed to show just how good the little Landie can look with a range of colours and accessories.Powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel hybrid powerplant, Land Rover
claims the LRX is capable of 60mpg fuel economy with emissions of 120g/kmThe black and silver model will be unveiled at the first Geneva show press day tomorrow alongside the existing white LRX."With its metallic black paintwork, silver roof and precisely detailed exterior features, the second version of the LRX concept is designed to show how well the vehicle can deliver a contemporary example of personalisatio Read more:Concept
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No title 2008-03-03 09:45:00 Daihatsu Sirion is the Favorite Mini HatchbackDaihatsu Sirion (42%)Suzuki Swift (23%)Honda Jazz (14%)Toyota Yaris (14%)
Spied: 2009 Nissan Qashqai 7-Seater 2008-03-03 09:40:00 It's seven-up for the Qashqai! Here’s the proof that Nissan
’s compact SUV is getting in the family way. Our spies have caught this seven-seat version undergoing winter testing – and it will arrive in Nissan showrooms later this year, where it’s set to compete with Citroen’s C-Crosser, Mitsubishi’s Outlander and the Peugeot 4007. Buoyed by the success of the Qashqai, Nissan is keen to expand the range, and this seven-seater is the next logical step. As you can see from the light disguise on this prototype, the seven-seat Qashqai is identical to the five-seater up to the B-pillar. But as it sits on a wheelbase that’s stretched by around 200mm, the newcomer features a longer rear end, with revised quarterlights and a raised roofline to give even more headroom. Behind the second Read more:Nissan Qashqai
Spied: 2010 Opel Astra 2008-03-12 09:47:00 Vauxhall is set to launch a fierce new attack on its bitter rival Ford with this: the next Astra
.Boasting a fresh look and a wide range of engines, the striking hatchback will combine style and driver appeal like never before.It goes on sale in 18 months’ time, and is the next step in Vauxhall’s renaissance. The new Astra will follow in the footsteps of the Vectra-replacing Insignia – which debuts at July’s British Motor Show in London – as well as the redesigned Meriva, due in dealers here early in 2009.As with those models, the Astra has received a style overhaul, bringing in a shape which is sleeker than before. And with replacements for big-hitters such as the Volkswagen Golf and Renault Mégane scheduled to arrive within 12 months, that’s just as well.W
Hot News: Alfa Romeo MiTo 2008-03-12 09:40:00 Say ciao bella to Alfa Romeo’s new MINI rival. Thanks to inside information, we can exclusively reveal not only how the new car will look, but also what it will be called!Alfa bosses considered the Junior and Furiosa badges for the forthcoming model, but sources tell us they’ve chosen MiTo. It is derived from two Italian cities: Milan, Alfa’s traditional home, and Turin (Torino), where owner Fiat is based. The MiTo uses Grande Punto underpinnings, but is inspired by the 8C Competizione, with slanted headlights and a shield-shaped grille.However, its engine line-up promises to eclipse the Punto’s, thanks to a new 1.8-litre turbo motor delivering 180bhp. This will eventually be tuned to deliver as much as 230bhp. Other options include the Grande Punto’s 1.4 T-jet petrol and 1.9-lit
New Car: 2009 Proton Gen-2 Persona 2008-03-11 08:55:00 Malaysian manufacturer Proton has stuck the boot in! The company has revealed an all-new saloon version of its Gen-2 family hatch.Called the Persona, the newcomer is intended as a luxurious range-topper for the mid-size range. From the nose to the base of the C-Pillar it uses the same body panels as the existing five-door model. Beyond this stylists have neatly integrated a traditional booted rear end, which promises increased luggage space.In keeping with its premium pretentions, the Persona comes loaded with standard kit. Included in the specification are climate control, electric windows, an MP3/CD stereo system and parking sensors.Under the bonnet is familiar Lotus engineered 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, connected to either a five-speed manual or four-cog auto gearbox. The British s
New Car: 2009 Volkswagen Touareg R50 2008-03-10 08:16:00 Could this be the fastest SUV in the world? German firm VW has pulled the wraps of its new high performance Touareg
, the R50.The new range-topper features a tweaked version of the company's 5.0-litre V10 diesel that now pushes out 345bhp - and increase of 37bhp over the standard car. Even more impressive is the peak torque figure, which rises from 750 to 850Nm. As a result performance is blistering with the Touareg sprinting from standstill to 62mph in 6.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 146mph. However, the fuel economy and CO2 emissions remain the same as before at 22.4mpg and 333g/km respectively.To cope with the extra performance, VW's engineers have fitted the R50 with springs that are stiffened and lowered by 20mm. This is in addition to the grippy 4MOTION all-wheel drive systems and Read more:Volkswagen
Geneva Show 2008 Highlights: Fioravanti Hidra Concept 2008-03-09 23:37:00 This design is a progression of the Fioravanti Thalia design presented last year in Geneva
, differing mostly in its rear aspect where it has a lower roof line. The overall theme is of a svelte coupesque estate with similar dimensions to the Pininfarina Sinseti also debuting in Geneva. In typical Fioravanti fashion, the car showcases a new functional design solution and has a delicate design language quite different to the zeitgeist of today.Designed by Matteo Fioravanti, the core motif of the design is the way the DLO sweeps up into the C-pillar and over the roof and is then echoed by the lower side feature line that sweeps up to form the trailing edge of the C-pillar. There are several other interesting design details such as the downward tapering A-pillars, the way the body color C-pilla Read more:Highlights
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