Monthly Archives July 2014

Mercedes-Benz has used the 7G-Tronic transmission for many years, it is time for a renewal.

Last year, Mercedes-Benz has released its successor: the 9G-Tronic 9-speed transmission, and was firstly put in the 2014 E350 BlueTEC sedan, the CLS 220/250/350 BlueTEC and also the CLS500.

Now the factory has decided to extend the new transmission to the latest S500 Coupe. According to Mercedes-Benz, the 9G-Tronic transmission is able to handle torque up to 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm). More information and detailed analysis about this transmission, can be found in our article three month ago:

Insight: the Mercedes-Benz 9G-Tronic nine speed transmission

Mazda just announced that they will reveal the next generation of the MX-5 Miata, on Sep. 3rd. Below is the image of the current MX-5 Miata.

According to Mazda, the new MX-5 Miata will be around 220 lbs lighter than the current generation. Also from the video on YouTube posted by Mazda, the engine sounds is very similar to a turbo engine. Will the new Miata be offered a turbo engine? Or the rumored Skyactiv-D diesel engine?

Below is Mazda’s press release.

ALL-NEW 2016 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA CONFIRMED
– Fourth-Generation Roadster to Debut via Simultaneous Global Events on Three Continents –

IRVINE, Calif...

We all know the Cadillac ATS is the brand’s compact sports sedan, with limited rear seat legroom. But you may not know, car with such rear seat space won’t sell in some markets, because people there have different mindsets on what features a car should have.

The Chinese market is a typical example: a compact car should not equivalent to less space for the back seat. So you see almost every cars has long wheel base version in China. For example the Volvo S60L, BMW 3-series L, 5-series L, Mercedes-Benz E Class L etc.

Previously Cadillac only imports the standard wheel base ATS (which is the same as the one in US) to China, and its sales is just so-so...

Please note that the “VW Passat” is different in Euro market and the US market.

The Passat sold in the US, is not the same Passat sold in Europe. The Passat sold in Europe, is the B7 Passat; the Passat sold in US, is based on the NMS platform, and it is not the B7 Passat in Europe. If you feel confusing at this point, consider you are still more lucky than other markets, for example in China, VW sold two kinds of Passat at the same time, one is call VW Magotan, another is called Passat, they are related to the European B7 Passat and the US Passat, respectively.

Today VW released some information and also images of the newly redesigned European-spec Passat, therefore Passa...

Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) have two major types: one does not use a belt to transmit power, such as Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, which uses mechanical gears; another type of CVT uses belts connecting two pulleys.

The first type has the advantage of real mechanical hard connections, high efficiency and high capacity (can handle large torque), but one limitation is that the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive, its mechanical structure can only be used in hybrid powertrains, that transmission will not work in a traditional internal combustion engine powered car.

For the belt type CVT, it can be used in all cars with different types of power sources, and it has unlim...