Lancia Delta Executive

Lancia Delta Executive which will have its debut in Geneva next month has been unveiled by the company as the new flagship of the brand.

Lancia Delta Executive can outputs 200 hp as it will be powered by 1.8 liter Di TurboJet engine and coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Lancia Delta Executive will comes with some equipment list, which includes dual-zone automatic climate control, parking sensors, a Granluce sunroof, a Reactive Suspension System, and also 6 airbags.

Lancia Delta Executive also equipped with special diamond-edged alloy rims, and comes with a gold ‘D’ logo on the door pillar and a two-tone bodywork.

Lancia Delta Executive interior features a Montblanc black dashboard and Frau Pieno Fiore beige leather.

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Nissan GT-R Price

Nissan GT-R US pricing list has been announced bu Nisssan. It’s starting to take pre-orders for the North American market. The price for Nissan GT-R US starts at $69,850 for the base version and for the Premium version goes up to $ 71,900. A few options that will increase the price for the new Nissan GT-R are : iPod Converter ($360), Super Silver Special Paint ($3,000), and Carpeted GT-R Floor Mats ($280).

Press Release

Nissan today announced that the all-new Nissan GT-R supercar is now available for pre-ordering at 691 officially certified Nissan dealers across the United States. The 2009 Nissan GT-R, equipped with a 480-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 engine and advanced 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $69,850 for the GT-R and $71,900 for the GT-R Premium model (exclusive of Destination & Handling). Customer deliveries of the new GT-R are scheduled to begin in June 2008.

Nissan dealers have attained “GT-R Certification” status by meeting a number of strict sales, service and facilities commitments, including dedicating a master technician to GT-R service,
special training for service managers and technicians, and designating dealer principals, executive managers and general managers as the primary communicators/negotiators in sales transactions.

“A supercar as special as the new Nissan GT-R – and its owners – requires a truly exceptional level of care and handling,” said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. “These Certified GT-R dealers are making a substantial investment in their showrooms, service tools and technician training – helping ensure that the purchase and ownership of the new GT-R will be an exciting experience for our customers, every step of the way.”

About the 2009 Nissan GT-R

The all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R, the fifth-generation of the legendary Nissan supercar, is a multi-dimensional performance machine that lives up to the concept of “the ultimate supercar that can be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere.”

It features an all-new 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque (estimated), backed by an all-new, paddle-shifted, GR6-type dual clutch rear transaxle. The new Nissan GT-R is built on an exclusive, all-new Premium Midship platform. This new platform enables the use of a world’s first independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, which places the transmission, transfer case and final drive at the rear of the vehicle, optimizing weight distribution and maximizing handling capability.

The Nissan GT-R’s functional styling utilizes advanced aerodynamics, evoking the lines of a well-trained athlete. GT-R’s hybrid body construction combines steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum, and features a low coefficient of drag of 0.27, while achieving high front and rear downforce. GT-R’s four-passenger cabin features a sloping “aero blade canopy” roofline and curved C-pillar “sword edge,” as well as GT-R’s hallmark four-ring taillights, functional rear carbon fiber underbody diffuser, rear spoiler and large, integrated quad exhaust tips.

GT-R’s interior balances functionality with a sense of ease and comfort. It features sculpted performance bucket seats for an optimal driving position, a cockpit-style instrument panel with a large center-mounted tachometer and multi-function display – which includes mechanical and driving information, as well as an on-board driving recorder.

Renault AvtoVAZ Partnership

Today, Renault announced a strategic partnership with the Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ. The Renault and AvtoVAZ partnership will allow AvtoVAZ to accelerate the development of its vehicle range and to grow the Lada brand while preserving its identity. The main shareholder of AvtoVAZ is currently Russian Technologies. Russian Technologies will still keep an interest in AvtoVAZ’s capital and ensure continuous support from the Russian State.

Press Release:
RENAULT BECOMES THE STRATEGIC PARTNER OF AVTOVAZ
• Sergey Chemezov, Head of Russian Technologies, Chairman of the Board of AvtoVAZ, Serguei Skvortsov, President of Troika Capital Partners and Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Renault signed on December 8, 2007 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Togliatti, Russia.

• This partnership would allow AvtoVAZ and Renault to:
o Accelerate the development of AvtoVAZ, renew and expand its vehicle range
o Grow the Lada brand while respecting its identity, in order to maintain its leadership
o Share technological expertise and know-how

• Russian Technologies, currently representing the main shareholder of AvtoVAZ, would keep an interest in AvtoVAZ’s capital and ensure continuous support from the Russian State.

Russian Technologies and Renault would become equal shareholders of AvtoVAZ in the spirit of a long-term partnership. Once the capital of AvtoVAZ has been restructured in the first half of 2008, a holding equally owned by Russian Technologies and Renault would control a total of 50% of the shares of the company (AvtoVAZ). Renault would become a significant AvtoVAZ shareholder.

AvtoVAZ and Renault would share know-how and technology particularly in relation to manufacturing and marketing and with the aim of improving the attractiveness, competitiveness and overall quality of AvtoVAZ’s products. They would also exchange executive managers in various fields of expertise in order to optimise integration and boost the transformation of AvtoVAZ into a global automotive player with a capacity of well over 1 million vehicles per year. The partnership would also include cooperation in relation to engines and gearboxes with the view to equip both AvtoVAZ and Renault vehicles.

This investment should also significantly contribute to enhancing Renault and the Renault- Nissan Alliance’s competitive position on the Russian market.

AvtoVAZ would benefit from Renault’s contributions in relation to platforms and powertrains which are expected to help the company to renew faster and enhance the entire Lada product line. This would apply to AvtoVAZ’ C-segment project.

Russia should become Renault Group’s main market as a result of the partnership. Sale volumes of Lada vehicles, in agreement with AvtoVAZ and its
shareholders, will be consolidated by Renault. Consequently, sale volumes represented in Renault’s Commitment 2009 will be revised upwards.

This agreement punctuates a long and transparent selection process that led to Renault’s offer being considered competitive financially and the best from an industrial and technological viewpoint.

About AvtoVAZ
AvtoVAZ is one of the biggest car makers in Europe and the leading auto manufacturer in Russia, controlling around 70% of domestic car production. Company manufacturing capacities allow for production of over 1 000 000 cars annually. The company features models such as the LADA-ELFI (a miniature city car), the VAZ-1111E (a four-seat electric car), the VAZ-2115 (sedan), and the Niva 2131(an all-wheel drive SUV). The company has a $330 million joint venture with General Motors – GM AvtoVAZ — to manufacture the Chevy-Niva SUV and Chevy Viva cars. AvtoVAZ and GM each hold a 41.5% share in the venture, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development owns the remaining 17%. In 2006, AvtoVAZ’s net profit was 2 512 million rubles (70.5 million euros), up by 79,4% from 2005.

About Renault and the Alliance in Russia
Renault is a global automotive manufacturer selling 2.5 million vehicles worldwide (2007 forecast including 100 000 in Russia).

Renault, together with Nissan, its strategic partner in the Renault Nissan Alliance, is the fourth biggest manufacturer worldwide with 6.3 million cars forecasted for 2007.

Both companies are developing quickly on emerging markets and have already announced in 2007 important joint projects in India and Morocco.

Renault was established in Russia in 1905, created the Avtoframos company in 1998 in partnership with the City of Moscow, began production in its Moscow plant in 2005, and announced in 2007 that the plant’s capacity would be doubled.

Nissan’s production site in Saint Petersburg is under construction.

This partnership with AvtoVAZ would open new development opportunities for Renault and for the Alliance on the Russian market, as well as component sharing activities.

Renault Commitment 2009
• Is a growth plan whose ambition is to make and sustain Renault as the most profitable European volume car company. The three major commitments are:
• Quality: Position the next Laguna, which was launched in October 2007, among the top three models in its segment in terms of product and service quality;
• Profitability: Achieve an operating profit margin of 6% in 2009;
• Growth: Sell an additional 800,000 units in 2009 as compared to 2005.