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July 26, 2005
SAMSUNG Unveils 'Bluetooth Voice Recognition Phone'
Combines the bluetooth and the voice recognition technologies.
Using the Bluetooth headset, users can make and receive calls without touching the phone.
Samsung Electronics is launching a cutting-edge mobile phone that has combined the Bluetooth with the Voice Recognition technology.
Samsung Electronics announced that it has released the 'Bluetooth Voice Recognition Phone (Model: SGH-E620)' into the European market, which can make calls using one’s voice via a bluetooth headset.
This product exhibits a state-of-the-art technology of placing a call to the person whose name has been called out into the bluetooth headset, by automatically searching the phone book of the mobile phone that is placed at a distance away from the user.
Bluetooth headset has been used in the past to allow wireless call reception, however this 'Bluetooth Voice Recognition Phone' has become more advanced and allows to even make a wireless call via a bluetooth headset.
Samsung Electronics’ 'Bluetooth Voice Recognition Phone' is, as compared to the existing gadget which needs to be placed close to one’s mouth, much easier to use, and its voice recognition capacity has also been greatly enhanced.
Furthermore, since the calls can be made with the mobile phones left untouched inside one’s bag or pocket, it has become much more convenient.
In the past, even when using the voice recognition functionality, the mobile phone had to be switched over to stand-by mode first before a call was placed. However, with the bluetooth voice recognition technology, there is no need to lay hands on the mobile phone. As such, calls can be placed safely even when one is driving a car. For this reason, this technology is expected to be much welcomed by the users.
A ‘speaker independent voice recognition’ technology has been adopted to SGH-E620 so that voice recognition won’t be limited to the voice type. E620 supports 5 languages, namely English, French, Spanish, German and Italian.
In addition to the bluetooth functionality, SGH-E620 has a refined intenna design and comes equipped with 1-megapixel camera, video wallpaper, silver nano anti-bacteria functionality, speaker phone and 64 polyphonic ringtones among others.
Particularly eye-catching features are the video wallpaper functionality, which displays moving pictures for 10~30 seconds every time the mobile phone is switched over to standby mode, and the silver nano health coating. This is the first product released in the European market that has adopted silver nano health coating.
A Samsung official explained, “Samsung Electronics is planning to expand the range of languages supported by the bluetooth voice recognition technology, that is, to cover Chinese and Russian, and certainly Korean for release into the Korean market.” He further added, “Samsung will eventually lead the global bluetooth market by further strengthening the bluetooth technology so that Samsung mobile phones become even more competitive.”
Samsung Electronics has sparked the bluetooth craze in the domestic market by releasing bluetooth phone with stereo headset, ‘Bluetooth Blue Black Phone (SPH-V6900)’, in April this year, and subsequently releasing the ‘Bluetooth Super Slim Phone (Model: SCH-V740)’
Bluetooth functinonality is gaining great popularity because it is easy to use and allows for fast, short-distance wireless telecommunication. Using a wireless headset, one can listen to the music or exchange files amongst notebooks and mobile phones. With Bluetooth, one can enjoy game or print out pictures stored on the phone in a wireless environment.
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2004 parent company sales of US$55.2 billion and net income of US$10.3 billion. Employing approximately 113,000 people in over 90 offices in 48 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing brands, Samsung Electronics is the world's largest producer of color monitors, color TVs, memory chips and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com .
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:36 AM | View the original post
July 17, 2005
Apple Takes Podcasting Mainstream
Discover, Subscribe, Manage & Listen to Podcasts Right in iTunes 4.9
Apple has announced that it is taking Podcasting mainstream by building everything users need to discover, subscribe, manage and listen to Podcasts right into iTunes 4.9, the latest version of its award winning digital music software and online music store. iTunes users can now easily subscribe to over 3,000 free Podcasts and have each new episode automatically delivered over the Internet to their computer and iPod.
“Apple is taking Podcasting mainstream by building it right into iTunes,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Podcasting is the next generation of radio, and users can now subscribe to over 3,000 free Podcasts and have each new episode automatically delivered over the Internet to their computer and iPod.”
The new Podcast Directory in iTunes 4.9 features over 3,000 free audio programs, making it one of the largest Podcast directories in the world, with favorites such as ABC News, Adam Curry, BBC, Clear Channel, The Dawn and Drew Show, Disney, Engadget, ESPN, Newsweek and NPR member stations such as KCRW in Los Angeles and WGBH in Boston.
iTunes enables anyone to quickly and easily find and subscribe to their favorite Podcasts so that every time there’s a new episode, it’s automatically downloaded to their Mac or PC and Auto-Synced to their iPod. iTunes also makes it easy to manage multiple Podcast subscriptions with simple organization and display by episode and date. Starting today, iPods will offer an easy to use Podcast menu, including bookmarking within a Podcast and the ability to display color Podcast artwork.
iPod and iTunes are leading the digital music revolution. With over 15 million iPods sold as of March 31, the iPod is the world’s most popular digital music player, and the iTunes Music Store is the number one online music store with over 430 million songs purchased and downloaded worldwide.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes 4.9 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available immediately as a free download from www.itunes.com. The new Podcast menu is available starting today via a free iPod software update for all Click Wheel iPods and iPod minis from www.apple.com/ipod. iTunes 4.9 users can download and subscribe to Podcasts with no additional software required, as support for Podcasts is built right into iTunes and iPod.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:04 PM | View the original post
July 10, 2005
Pontiac Stages Solstice Show In Times Square
Summer Solstice Event Signals New Season for Pontiac
New York - June 21 – With the sun at its peak, Pontiac used the summer solstice to shine new light on its brand and vehicle line – including the Solstice two-seat roadster, G6 coupe and Torrent compact SUV– through a wide-ranging event extending from Times Square to the Hollywood.
• The solstice represents a turning point in the seasons, and we felt it was important to celebrate this particular solstice as a turning point in the renaissance for Pontiac as we bring three new products to market this summer,” said Mark-Hans Richer, Pontiac marketing director. “What better way to celebrate than to ‘fuse’ the excitement of these new Pontiacs with the excitement and energy of Times Square.”
The Pontiac Summer Solstice Party included:
• Virgin Megastore In-Store Concerts — Three performances by emerging bands inside the Virgin Megastore – Times Square. The bands, currently featured in new Pontiac advertising, include The Vacation, Citizen Cope and Kinky. Each performance is featured on Pontiac.com.
• Maxim “Pick Me Up” Winner Announcement — Pontiac and Maxim co-sponsored a nationwide online contest called “Pick Me Up” featuring Maxim Hot100 model Rachel Perry and the new 2006 Pontiac Solstice roadster. The winner with the best pick-up line received a brand new 2006 Pontiac Solstice hand-delivered by Perry at the event.
• Pontiac Garage Unveiling and Times Square Performance by Jet — To introduce its new presence in Times Square Pontiac didn’t hold a press conference, it threw a surprise musical performance. An interactive multimedia billboard and stage – called the Pontiac Garage – was the site for platinum-album band Jet’s impromptu Times Square performance, complete with light show and pyrotechnics.
• Jimmy Kimmel Live — June 21 also launches Pontiac’s relationship with ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, which airs weeknights at 12:05 am. The show broadcast Jet's Pontiac Garage East performance and sent their special Hollywood correspondent, Guillermo, to cover the Summer Solstice event. Additionally, Jimmy Kimmel Live will announce the opening of the Pontiac Garage West in Hollywood later this week, where the show will continue to broadcast high profile musical acts on a custom-built stage.
• VIP Party at The Whiskey Bar — An exclusive VIP party, The Whiskey Bar featured a live feed from the Pontiac Garage Concert and an acoustic concert by Jet featuring songs from their not-yet released album.
• Online Musical Performances — Jet’s Pontiac Garage East performance, along with select performances from Jimmy Kimmel Live's Pontiac Garage West,can be viewed at JimmyKimmelLive.ABC.com. The Vacation, Citizen Cope and Kinky performances, as well as a behind-the-scenes podcast from the Summer Solstice Party are available on Pontiac.com.
The Pontiac Summer Solstice Party is the latest in a series of highly targeted marketing programs that leverage top entertainment properties, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Apprentice. Pontiac’s appearance on The Apprentice launched the Solstice’s early order program and resulted in 1,000 orders in 41 minutes and a 1400% jump in traffic at Pontiac.com.
Pontiac is a division of General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) and markets the G6 sedan, GTO, Grand Prix, Vibe and Montana SV6. Pontiac sold more than 474,000 vehicles in 2004, ranking third among GM divisions in total sales. In 2005, Pontiac will introduce the Solstice roadster, G6 coupe and Torrent compact SUV, followed by the G6 retractable hardtop convertible in early 2006. More information on Pontiac and its products can be found on the division's website at https://www.pontiac.com and in Spanish at https://www.pontiac.com/espanol.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:43 PM | View the original post
Fanta: A brand of The Coca-Cola Company
As a global leader in the non-alcoholic beverage industry, The Coca-Cola Company offers nearly 400 brands in over 200 countries. Many of these brands, including soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled waters and sports drinks, are only available in specific regions of the world - sometimes in just a single country. The reason for this is that different people like different beverages at different times for different reasons.
Available in Europe since the 1940s, Fanta was introduced in the United States in 1960. Consumers around the world, particularly teens, fondly associate Fanta with happiness and special times with friends and family. This positive imagery is driven by the brand's fun, playful personality, which goes hand in hand with its bright color, bold fruit taste and tingly carbonation.
Fanta is available in the following flavors:
Apple, Apple Kiwi, Apple Lime Melon, Apple Vanilla, Banana, Berry, Berry Cherry, Berry Floral, Birch Beer, Bitter Lemon, Bitter Orange, Bitter Water, Black Cherry, Blackcurrant Lemon, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, Candy Cane, Chamoy Orange, Cherry, Chocolate Orange, Cinnamon Rum, Citrus Blend, Club Soda, Coconut Pineapple, Collins, Corn, Cucumber Melon, Currant, Floral Lemon, Fruit Punch, Ginger Ale, Grape, Grapefruit, Grapefruit Lemon Lime, Grapefruit Pineapple, Grenadine, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi Lime, Kiwi Starfruit, Kiwi Strawberry, Lemon, Lemon Lime, Lemon Orange, Lime, Lime Orange, Lychee, Mandarin Orange, Manderin Tangerine, Mango, Mango Orange, Melon, Orange, Orange Passionfruit, Orange Peach, Orange Raspberry, Orange Tangerine, Orange Vanilla, Passionfruit, Peach, Pineapple, Plum, Raspberry, Raspberry Strawberry Vanilla Cream, Root Beer, Strawberry, Strawberry Yogurt, Tamarind, Tangerine, Tropical Fruit Punch, Tutti-Fruti, Vanilla Cream and Watermelon.
Fanta is available in the following locations:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau (Macao), Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mariana Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Republic of Ireland, Republic of Korea, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarteen, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia & Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Bank-Gaza, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:09 PM | View the original post
July 5, 2005
THE BENETTON GROUP
A FASHION GROUP WITH A STRONG ITALIAN CHARACTER
Today, the Benetton Group is present in 120 countries around the world. Its core business is clothing: a group with a strong Italian character whose style, quality, and passion reflect in its brands: the casual United Colors of Benetton, fashion-oriented Sisley, Playlife leisurewear, and Killer Loop streetwear. The Group produces around 110 million garments every year. Its retail network of 5,000 contemporary stores around the world, offers high-quality customer services, and generates a total turnover of approximately 1.7 billion euros.
The Benetton’s commercial management has been supported by significant investment in megastores. These stores have large dimensions, their prestigious locations in historical and business centers, and by the high level of customer services they offer. The new Benetton megastores carry complete casual womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and underwear collections, as well as a wide selection of accessories, offering a full range of Benetton style and quality.
As in the case of the commercial network, a constant commitment to innovation, a crucial factor for development, has always characterized the Group’s business organization, from communication to IT, from research into new materials to integrated logistics. A high-tech facility co-ordinates the Benetton production system at Castrette (Treviso), which is one of the most advanced clothing-manufacturing complexes in the world.
Despite its global spread, the Benetton Group has maintained close relations with its local origins, primarily through cultural activities of the Fondazione Benetton Studi e Ricerche and through programs about sport. From its involvement in rugby, volleyball, and basketball, to its legendary victories in Formula One, Benetton's interpretation of game has focused, besides athletic excellence, above all on its social aspects such as meeting, sharing and physical wellbeing; all these aspects result in introducing thousands of young people every year to the world of sport.
The Group’s ability to engage with society is also evident in Fabrica, Benetton’s communication research center. Fabrica’s challenge is both an innovative and international one. It is a way of marrying culture and industry, using communications which no longer rely only on the usual forms of advertising, but transmit “industrial culture” and the company’s “intelligence” through other means: design, music, cinema, photography, publishing, Internet. Fabrica has chosen to cultivate the hidden creativity of young artists/researchers from all over the world. These artists develop concrete communication projects under the direction of some of the leading players in these areas.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:00 PM | View the original post
Cadbury Dairy Milk - The Megabrand
"A glass and a half of full cream milk in every half pound"
When Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, with its deliciously smooth texture and unique creamy taste, was first introduced in the early 1900s, it made an immediate impact quickly becoming the market leader. The success story has continued until today when it is still the top-selling chocolate brand in the country. The Cadbury Mega Brand's broad family of products has a universal retail value approaching US$1billion.
As an international brand, Cadbury Dairy Milk carries the same distinctive image all over the world. Wherever you buy a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk, the pack design will be precisely the same. Only the language will be different. The famous slogan "glass and a half of full cream milk in every half pound" with the picture of milk pouring into the chocolate bar is one of the all-time greats of British advertising.
How Cadbury Dairy Milk came about
The Cadbury Brothers first made milk chocolate in 1897, but by today's standards was a very coarse dry product made by blending milk powder with cocoa and sugar. The milk chocolate market was then dominated by the Swiss, who produced a superior product by using condensed milk.
In the early 1900s, George Cadbury met the Swiss challenge and, together with the Bournville experts, started to research new recipes and production methods. By June 1904, the formula was perfected, and delicious new milk chocolate made with full cream milk, and containing far more fluid than any previously known product, was ready for production in 1905. Although considerable technological advances have since been made in the production processes, the Cadbury Dairy Milk recipe is still basically the same as it was in 1904.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:51 PM | View the original post
July 3, 2005
Siemens S75 –The business mobile to unwind with
Whether you are on a business trip or traveling in a private capacity – the Siemens S75 takes care of musical entertainment while you are on the move. There is music in abundance in this fully equipped business mobile that combines an organizer, Bluetooth and a megapixel camera. All newly received calls, messages and appointments can be seen at a glance and the unified inbox – the shared incoming communication system – ensures that you are always well informed. The clearly designed address book, which shows which of your friends is currently online, is a practical feature for instant messaging. Spice up your working day with the integrated music player. You can play music with one single push of a button – whether you are calling up your emails or writing a text message at the time. Furthermore, you can use EDGE/GPRS technology to download the latest hits onto your mobile at high speed.
As a mobile office and music system in one, the S75 amalgamates a number of different talents. With the built-in organizer, you always have all your appointments and tasks fully under control – both in your hectic working life and during diverse leisure activities. Important data can be saved quickly and simply onto your PC either by USB or wirelessly via Bluetooth. The newly designed address book has a particularly clear layout displaying all contacts stored on both your SIM card and in the telephone. It also shows immediately whether your calling partner is currently available for instant messaging online. Do you have large numbers of messages, appointments and calls? Now you can always keep track of them on the large, resplendent telephone display (262,000 colors) in the unified inbox. Apart from emails, text messages and such like, it also contains the numbers of incoming calls and notifies you of important appointments.
Mobile musical appreciation for discriminating listeners: While on the move, you always have an excellent music center in your pocket with the S75. At the touch of a button, the multimedia mobile plays not only MP3 music, but also music in the particularly spacesaving AAC formats. As you are listening to your favorite songs, you can update your appointments diary, access emails, write an MMS or chat via instant messaging.
Finding your way around even the largest music collection is child’s play – all your music is automatically sorted by artist, album and style. Up to 10 hours of CD-quality music fit on the 128 MB RS multimedia card that comes with the S75, as well as in the 20 MB phone memory. Whether you want to stream or download music or video clips – you can do any of these simply and quickly with the mobile using an EDGE/GPRS cellular connection. Rich sound is guaranteed by the stereo headphones supplied with the S75.
The Headset Bluetooth Stereo HHB-750 (original accessories) with integrated display is the ideal complement to the S75. As well as allowing you to enjoy music in superb sound quality, it also enables you to talk comfortably handsfree without any cable connection to the telephone a nd operate the telephone’s music functions by remote control. Together with the folding active hi-fi speakers of the Mobile Music Set IMS-700 (original accessories), the S75 turns into a mobile stereo system guaranteed to get every party swinging.
You can capture the most beautiful moments with the built-in 1.3 megapixel digital camera with digital zoom and photolight. Then you can send off the photographs directly to a photo printer via Bluetooth without cumbersome wires. And if you wish, you can also take your own video clips when the mood takes you.
Siemens’ extensive range of matching original accessories for the S75 includes the newly designed Car Kit Bluetooth SIM HKW-720, providing wireless operation in premium audio quality in your car while making only minimal energy demands on your mobile’s battery resources. Its multi-function display permits the S75 to be controlled remotely and the address book entries of the phone are automatically transferred to the car kit.
The S75 will be available in the colors "Piano Black" and "Zirconia" from October 2005.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:07 AM | View the original post
Time Launches Archive
Magazine's Articles Since 1923 Now Online
TIME magazine's archive is now available on TIME.com, bringing to life over 81 years of history as reported by the world's largest newsmagazine. The archive (www.timearchive.com) provides one of the most comprehensive news resources on the web with over 266,000 articles dating back to TIME's inaugural issue in March 1923.
To help archive users navigate the vast resource, TIME editors have organized thousands of articles into collections of research on popular topics such as TIME's Person of the Year, the British Royals, Love and Sex, World War II, Space Travel and Illegal Drugs.
TIME's extensive coverage of health issues is organized into easy-to-use collections of articles on diet and nutrition, heart disease, infectious diseases, cancer, cloning, psychological diseases and learning disabilities. TIME will add new collections on additional topics based on feedback from archive users.
The archive is available for free to TIME subscribers.
"This is an invaluable resource that spans our collective history since 1923, and it's a history that is often surprisingly relevant to the issues we face every day," said Joshua Macht, TIME.com's Editor and General Manager.
The TIME archive is built on HP server and storage technology.
“Transforming more than 80 years of paper content into an instantly accessible online tool is unprecedented," said Gary Elliott, vice president of global brand marketing at HP. "By turning analog content into digital information, this project unlocks the vast resources of TIME magazine, giving anyone with a PC and a bit of curiosity immediate access to how the great events and trends of our time were first reported."
Other features of the archive include:
TIME covers archive: Archive visitors can search all of TIME’s covers since 1923 by date, keyword and topic. Covers can be framed and purchased as gifts, home or office decoration.
Find Your Birthday Cover: The Find Your Birthday Cover feature allows users to find the TIME cover that was on newsstands the day they were born.
First Mentions: The ‘First Mentions’ section will cite the first mentions of such well-known people as Bruce Springsteen, Osama bin Laden, Elvis and Princess Diana.
Ask the Archivist: The archive has an interactive feature called “Ask the Archivist” which allows users to interact with the archive editors.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:01 AM | View the original post
July 1, 2005
Mitsubishi Motors Releases Restyled Lancer and Lancer Wagon
New-identity design; enhanced on-road performance
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has announced that restyled Lancer sedan and Lancer Wagon compact class models will go on sale at dealerships throughout Japan. MMC expects combined sales of 2,000 units a month in the Japanese market.
The restyled Lancer and the Lancer Wagon models adopt the front end look that defines the new MMC identity, distinguished by vibrant lines and crafted around the Mitsubishi 3-diamond badge. This distinctive design element has already proved popular on the 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter Colt compact class and the 2.0-liter Lancer Evolution VIII high-performance sports sedan models.
Exterior
The restyled Lancer models adopt the new MMC identity in their front end design. The new-design headlamps, front grille-integral bumper and engine hood are among the elements that contribute to a spirited new-look nose that gives pride of place to the Mitsubishi 3-diamond badge.
Black-finish headlamp extensions add a sporty dash to the Lancer MX-Touring sedan and all Lancer Wagon trim levels. Xenon-gas high-intensity discharge headlamps (low-beam) that improve visibility at night and add a sporty zest to the appearance are available as a factory-fitted option.
Sedan models feature an elegantly sporty rear end design that is styled around an oversize trunk lid accented by a centrally located license plate. On the MX-Touring, a new rear-lid spoiler and side airdams that are design-keyed to the generous and flowing lines of the trunk lid stamp out the model's sporty personality.
Again on sedan models, the rear end is distinguished by the distinctive light pattern that results from the use of curved tail and stop lamp reflectors in the combination lamp units. Rear clearance lights on the MX-Touring add zest to its already sporty flavor.
Reflecting the popularity of the current model's design, rear end styling changes on the Lancer Wagon have been kept to a minimum. The rear bumper uses a smoother surface composition that ties it in to the front visage, and rear combination lamp visibility has been optimized for improved safety.
Interior
Lancer sedan models come in three interior color schemes: Sport uses a black monotone keynote color; Elegant a dark-gray/beige two-tone; and Casual a black/light-gray two-tone. The new two-tone colors have been developed to impart a light and bright feel to the interior. All trim levels are offered in a choice of two of these schemes. (The MX-E Business Package model comes in the Casual interior scheme only).
All Lancer Wagon models use a sporty black monotone interior color scheme. On the T-Touring, the standard leather trim for the steering wheel, with its thumb-operated gear selectors, for the shifter and the shifter boot adds accent to the model's sporty personality.
All Lancer and Lancer Wagon models are fitted as standard with SRS airbags for driver and front passenger. With the exception of the MX-E Business Package, all models are also available in a factory-fitted option with roof-mounted side curtain airbags that provide extra head protection in a side impact.
Drivetrain
The Lancer MX sedan, powered by MMC's 1.5-liter ECI-Multi fuel injection engine, is J-ULEV emissions rated. Returning 16.8 km/l with the 5-speed manual gearbox (0.4 km/l better than its predecessor) and 16.2 km/l with the INVECS-III CVT transmission (0.6 km/l improvement) in the Japanese 10-15 urban mileage test, it meets Japan 2010 fuel efficiency standards and qualifies for the Vehicle Green Tax dispensation.
SE-G sedan and Touring wagon trim levels are powered by MMC's 1.8-liter GDI3 engine, tuned to use regular instead of premium grade gasoline, and are LEV emissions rated. In the Japanese 10-15 urban mileage test, the SE-G sedan returns 15.4 km/l and the Touring wagon 14.2 km/l, matching the mileage performance of their premium grade gasoline predecessors.
The Lancer Wagon IT-Touring model is powered by MMC's highly popular 1.8-liter GDI Turbo engine, which has undergone detail tuning to enhance response and feel.
3 Gasoline Direct Injection
Body and suspension
Along with the extensive restyling, the body has been made stronger and suspension tuning has been optimized front and rear on both sedan and wagon models. The greater stiffness resulting from these changes improves handling stability, without sacrificing ride comfort, and reduces vibration and noise levels.
Braking performance on Lancer Wagon models has been improved with the use of 15-inch ventilated disc front and 14-inch disc rear brakes.
All Lancer Wagon models ride on 15-inch aluminum alloy road wheels and all sedan and wagon models, with the exception of the MX-E Business Package and MX-Touring trim levels, use new-design full wheel covers. The MX-E is fitted with 185/65R14 size tires, 10mm wider than on its predecessor.
Equipment specification
All Lancer and Lancer Wagon models, with the exception of the MX-E Business Package, are fitted with an anti-theft alarm system as standard. Other items in the uprated equipment specification include: a Door-Ajar warning light and buzzer that are activated when vehicle speed exceeds 8 km/h if any door is not closed properly; wipers with a car speed-sensitive intermittent wipe interval; and an automatic Headlamp Off control that prevents battery drain should the driver forget to turn off the headlamps when he leaves the car and locks the doors.
Trim levels
The Lancer sedan is offered in four trim levels. The entry level MX-E Business Package, the casual MX-E and the sporty MX-Touring are all powered by a 1.5-liter ECI-Multi engine.
The elegant SE-G is powered by a 1.8-liter GDI engine. The Lancer Wagon is offered in two sporty trim levels: Touring powered by the 1.8-liter GDI engine; and T-Touring powered by the 1.8-liter GDI-Turbo.
A number of customizing packages that include those items most keenly sought by customers are available on both sedan and wagon models. These and the straightforward lineup simplify the customer's task of choosing the model that best meets his needs.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:34 AM | View the original post
