Thursday, May 3, 2012

Ford Tourneo Custom

The Tourneo Custom – which will take the iconic Transit name in commercial vehicle form – was first unveiled in concept form at the 2012 Geneva motor show and has been confirmed for production.

The Transite/Tourneo follows Ford's Kinetic design approach that features on the company's passenger car range, including a sportier stance, bold rising shoulder line, flush glazing, distinctive trapezoidal grille and prominent wheel lips.

Available in eight or nine seat configurations as a passenger vehicle, the Tourneo Custom comes in both short and long wheelbase, which measure in at 4,970mm and 5,430mm respectively while the vehicle stands at less than two meters high. The longer wheelbase means there is extended luggage space behind the third seat row.

The cockpit features a driver-focused instrument panel with technologies also found in Ford's passenger car range. The rear seats are a completely new design that can be folded into multiple configurations and removed in sections or completely.

Ford's SYNC voice-activated connectivity system enables the connection of mobile phones and an advanced restraint system including driver, passenger, and side and curtain airbags feature in the Tourneo Custom. A rear-view camera is also integrated into the rear view mirror as an added safety feature.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Chevrolet Trailblazer

The Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV made its production debut at a special launch event ahead of the 2012 Bangkok International Motor Show and now Chevrolet has confirmed that the vehicle will be available to purchase throughout the world, starting in Thailand in June.

The car was created by the GM South America Design Center in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil, and shares a number of design cues with the Chevrolet Colorado, following the brand's global design DNA. The dual-port grille, synonymous with the brand's range, is again present with the bow tie proudly displayed on the horizontal bar.

Matt Noone, director of Design for GM do Brasil, says: "There's an obvious sense of muscle in the design, but at the same time a very sophisticated appearance in line with the world's premium SUVs.

"From every angle, the Chevrolet Trailblazer looks agile and athletic, with a refined finish that makes it a vehicle our customers will aspire to own," he adds.

Inside the car features a flowing IP, integrated center stack and Chevrolet's dual cockpit design, attempting to marry the features of an SUV with the characteristics of a passenger car.

Chevrolet hopes that the contrasting trim used with the light-colored leather seating and dual-grained surfaces on the instrument panel convey a premium feel.