New Ford Fiesta Makes ASEAN Debut at Thailand Motor Expo

Coinciding with its U.S. launch at this week's Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford's new Fiesta will also make its ASEAN (Southeastern Asian nations) debut at the Thailand International Motor Expo that runs from December 2 to 13. FoMoCo's supermini will go on sale in Thailand in early 2010 as a five-door hatchback and four-door sedan.

It will be locally produced at AutoAlliance Thailand's new $500 million plant, which will supply the entire ASEAN region, as well as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

"The ASEAN launch will write the next chapter in our global Ford Fiesta success story and continue to highlight Ford's leadership in small car design and development," said David Alden, president, Ford ASEAN.

"Stylish Thai and other ASEAN consumers will appreciate the uniqueness and undeniable appeal of the Fiesta to express their individuality, style and sophistication."

According to the Detroit automaker, the new Fiesta has already sold more than a half million units since its introduction a year ago.

Wimmer RS Tuned VW Golf GTI Packs 386 Horsepower 2.0 TFSI

Similarly to the German tuning firm's latest projects like the Porsche GT2 Speed and the Ferrari F430 Spider, Wimmer's take on the new VW Golf GTI is almost all about performance and very little about appearance. The stock GTI rolls out of the factory with 210 horsepower and 280Nm (207 lb-ft) of torque, but after Wimmer RS gets its hands on the 2.0-liter turbo unit, those numbers are increased to a hefty 386 hp and 455 Nm (332 lb-ft) allowing the hot hatch to achieve a top speed of 267 km/h or 166mph.

This extra power comes thanks to an optimized turbo, the use of a sports CAT, a modified intake system and fuel pump as well as a reprogrammed ECU just to mention a few of the upgrades.

Wimmer RS also installs a sports clutch and a height-adjustable HR sports coilover suspension system while the package can be completed with a choice of 18-, 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in high-performance tires.

Scion to Debut 2010 xB RS 7.0 Limited Edition with DAMD Bodykit at LA Auto Show

Another auto show, another special edition Scion model. This time, Toyota's youthful Scion division will be displaying the 2010 xB Release Series 7.0 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But before you get excited and all, be advised that the xB RS 7.0 is not a performance model as it retains the standard xB's 158-horsepower 2.4-liter engine.

What it does get is a distinct purple exterior finish combined with a four-piece DAMD body kit that includes front and rear lower lips along with side skirts and an optional rear spoiler.

There's also a sport exhaust system with twin double-walled tips while the car's stance and handling are further enhanced with the TRD lowering springs that bring the ride height down over an inch. Oddly enough, the xB RS 7.0 does not come equipped with alloy wheels.

Inside, the RS 7.0 option provides a little more exclusivity with specific black fabric seats featuring color-tuned highlights and embroidered 'RS' logos along with a leather-wrapped RAZO GT Formula Spec shift knob.

Scion said that only 2,000 units of the xB RS 7.0 will be built, with each one featuring an individually numbered stainless-steel badge.

The xB RS 7.0 will begin arriving in dealerships later in December 2009, with prices starting from $18,320 with a manual transmission, and $19,270 with an automatic transmission. To that you'll have to add a delivery, processing and handling (DPH) fee of $670.