The Audi Q3 is a late arrival to the compact SUV party, as the BMW X1, Ford Kuga and Volkswagen Tiguan are all established choices in the small 4×4 market. It has been worth the wait, though, as the Audi Q3 has a combination of luxurious interior quality, compact proportions and capable engines, making it a strong contender for class honours. The proven quattro drivetrain takes care of rough terrain and the entry-level front-wheel-drive model is perfect for buyers who want low running costs rather than ultimate off-road ability.

The post Audi Q3 in Vietnam appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

The Land Rover LRX concept vehicle was the most compact Land Rover to date. Its size complemented a wide array of efficiency improving technologies in the form of Land Rover’s e_Terrain technologies. These included biofuel compatibility, lightweight construction materials and technologies such as the removable carbon composite roof panels, regenerative brakes, a stop-start system, and the ERAD (electric rear axle drive) parallel hybrid powertrain system. ERAD encompasses the incorporation of an electric motor into the rear axle of the vehicle. It would propel the LRX to speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h) before the engine was started by an integrated starter generator as part of the stop-start system. ERAD was designed to reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 20 percent under the NEDC test cycle and was expected to offer another 10 percent reduction in extra-urban driving situations. The system was designed to also optimise the off-road ability of the vehicle. Land Rover aimed to achieve 120 g/km CO2 emissions and fuel economy of 60 mpg-imp (4.7 L/100 km; 50 mpg-US) on the European combined cycle with an efficient 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine. The engine would become the only four-cylinder vehicle in the Range Rover lineup.

The LRX also boasted the latest incarnation of Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response system offering a range of new and existing modes. These included general driving; grass/gravel/snow; sand; and new to the LRX are sports and eco modes.

Typical Land Rover design traits designed to improve off-road performance and practicality included the command driving position, hill descent control and good approach and departure angles. A Land Rover first was the air intake being integrated into the roof to offer exceptional wading capabilities.

Land Rover’s Range Rover DNA was visually apparent in the form of the clamshell bonnet, the ‘floating’ roof, the dual-pocket headlamps, and, borrowed from the Range Rover Sport, the raked roofline.

SUV Range Rover Evoque

The post SUV Range Rover Evoque 2012 appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

The post Mercedes SLK and Jennifer Pham appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

Toyota Altis is one of the biggest car brand been launched by Japanese car maker Toyota Motors. This car would be pruduced in India at its Indian plant Toyota Kirloskar Motor. The most amazing about the car is its amazing style and improved engine versions with advanced technologies like engine transmission, which gear up the vehicle for better fuel efficiency. It is expected that it is going to be competitive partner for Skoda and Honda group of company models.

Engine of the new Corolla Altis is a 1.8L variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i). This very special engine of the car is capable of delivering a power of 140bhp. This VVT-i engine is a 4 cylinder type with 16 valves in built, which is capable of delivering a displacement of 1794cc. Maximum power which can be delivered is 132ps at the rate of 6000 rpm. While on the other hand maximum torque delivered is 17.34 Kg m/4200 rpm. Transmission offered by the car is a four speed automatic with super ECT type. Front suspension are Mac Pherson Strut type while the rear suspension are Torsion beam. Steering is equipped with Electric Power Steering (EPS) technology.

Presently Corolla Altis is featured with wider and lower front character line, exterior flow line is also very distinctive. Wing mirror of the car is provided with turn indicators, transmission is totally alectronocally controlled, parking sensors are present at the car at the front and the rear side, AC is auto climate controlled, audio system is totally integrated, steering control is tilt and telescopic vision equipped. Other feature include 08 way power front seat. The turning radius of the car is just 5.3m.

Toyota Corolla Altis (1)

Toyota Corolla Altis (2)

Toyota Corolla Altis (3)

Toyota Corolla Altis (4)

Toyota Corolla Altis (5)

The post Toyota Corolla Altis appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

The Toyota Fortuner, also known as the Toyota SW4, is a medium-sized SUV based on the Toyota Hilux. Originally assembled only in Thailand, but later also in Indonesia and other countries, the Fortuner is built on the well-established platform of the Toyota Hilux pickup truck. It features three rows of seats and is available in rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive among others. The Fortuner is part of Toyota’s IMV project in Thailand, which also includes the Toyota Hilux and the Kijang Innova (in Indonesia). The vehicle was designed by Toyota Technical Centre Australia.[2] A number of engine options are available depending on the country of sale, including a 2.7 L 2TR-FE and 4.0 L 1GR-FE V6 petrol with Variable Valve Timing and 2.5 L 2KD-FTV and 3.0 L 1KD-FTV common rail variable geometry turbocharger diesel models.

Trim levels are G and G Luxury for rear-wheel drive diesel and gasoline, and V for 4×4 Diesel and gasoline. The common rail turbo intercooled diesel has functional scoop on its hood.

In 2007 Toyota Thailand dropped the 4×4 gasoline model and replaced it with a two-wheel drive gasoline version.

This car was the best selling in its category (SUV/PPV) in the Philippines and currently Thailand.

The Fortuner is not offered in Japan, Europe, North America, Australasia, or China. For the medium pick-up based SUV segment in those markets, Toyota offers the Hilux Surf (Japan), 4Runner (North America) and Land Cruiser Prado (Europe, Australasia and China).

The post Toyota Fortuner appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

Toyota Innova is one of the best selling Multi-Utility Vehicle in Vietnam.  It is best suited for Indian roads and family. Toyota is now planning to launch next-generation Innova in 2012. The car will be built on the same IMV platform.

Innova customers have told (feedback in Toyota’s website) that they are extremely satisfied with the existing vehicle and want very little change in it. Customers are also indicated in their feedback that they do not want an MPV with larger dimension and they are expecting more powerful engine.

Toyota is trying to find out the ways to improve and to give quality MPV. According to company sources, compare to the existing Innova the next generation Innova will have some major changes in style, space and certain body panels. Engineers are working on ways to provide a more flexible seating configuration and to improve space in the third row.

Toyota Innova 2012 (1)

Toyota Innova 2012 (2)

Toyota Innova 2012 (3)

Toyota Innova 2012 (4)

Toyota Innova 2012 (5)

Toyota Innova 2012 (6)

Toyota Innova 2012 (7)

The post MPV Toyota Innova 2012 appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

The standard features of the BMW 740 Li include 3.0L I-6 315HP engine twin turbo, 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), navigation system, side seat mounted airbags, curtain 1st and 2nd row overhead airbags, driver and passenger knee airbag, airbag occupancy sensor, automatic air conditioning, 18″ aluminum wheels, cruise control, and an ABS and driveline traction control.

BMW 740 Li luxury Sedan 4-seater car Vietnam (1)

BMW 740 Li luxury Sedan 4-seater car Vietnam (2)

BMW 740 Li luxury Sedan 4-seater car Vietnam (3)

BMW 740 Li luxury Sedan 4-seater car Vietnam (3)

BMW 740 Li luxury Sedan 4-seater car Vietnam (4)

The post BMW 740 Li in Vietnam appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

Ngoc Trinh vs Ferrari 1

Ngoc Trinh model vs Ferrari 2

Ngoc Trinh model vs Ferrari 3

Ngoc Trinh model vs Ferrari 4

Source: 24H.com.vn

The post Vietnamese Super Star by a Ferrari Super Car appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

DAK LAK — Central Highland Dak Lak Province’s famed tame elephants may become extinct in the next 20-25 years unless conservation project receive Goverment funding, experts said.

The population of existing tame elephants is being overexploited for tourism and is under threat from poachers. Elephants are also not being encouraged to breed, according to a study on tamed elephants in the province by Central Highlands University, which showed that the number of tamed elephants in the province had declined sharply from 502 in 1985 to 84 in 2000 and fewer than 60 last year.

Of those, three elephants were under 15 years of ages, 43 are aged between 15-45 while 14 are over 45. The life expectancy of an elephant is 50-70 years.

Moreover, over the last 30 years, just seven out of 37 female elephants have given birth.

Meanwhile, the province’s VND61 billion (US$ 3.1 million) project to conserve its elephants that was approved last November, has yet to receive funding from from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to kick off, said Tran Hieu, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.

Under the four-year project, due to start this year, a healthcare, research facility on elephant reproduction and conservation are to be established.

Nguyen Thi Ly, from the Central Highlands University, said elephant owners were overexploiting their animals and paying little attention to their welfare.

“The use of tamed elephants for the tourism is out of authority’s control. People do not considere elephants to be culturally significant any more. They are simply a mean to boost earnings from tourism,” Ly said.

On average, each tamed elephant serves 5-7 groups of tourists daily.

Y Thiem Bya, a resident in Krong Ana Commune, Buon Don District said his elephant died in 2001 from exhaustion.

“The elephant was exhausted after carrying timber at night and tourists during day,” he said.

Bao Huy, the university’s associate professor, said half of the province’s 60 tamed elephants were raised by local residents, with the rest belonging to tourist companies.

He said just two of 31 experienced mahouts and tamers owned elephants due to the cost involved.

Adding to the population decline, male and female elephants are permitted to spend little time together, he said.

Female elephants become fertile at 11 years of age and are capable of giving birth into their fifties. They can give birth to one calf every five years. Older and larger males dominate the breeding, winning the acceptance of females in heat. After a 22 month pregnancy, the female gives birth to a single calf which weighs more than 200 pounds and nurses for as long as four years.

Owners of male elephants do not benefit directly from allowing their animals to breed, and also have to pay compensation if their elephants injure the females during mating.

Meanwhile, poachers hunt elephants for tusks, skin and tail hairs.

In the middle last year, Dak Lak Province Police arrested four poachers for cutting elephant tail and stealing tail hairs.

Early last month, an elephant owned by Buon Don-based Thanh Ha Tourism Ltd Co died after being attacked and burn two months before.

Ea Sup District’s Ia R’ve Commune People’s Committee Chairman Le Thanh Hai, reported that within last month, local residents found the bodies of three elephants.

Meanwhile, in middle of last month, seven wild elephants went on rampage in Ia To Mot Commune, Ea Sup District, destroying local garden.— VNS

The post Central Highland Dak Lak Province’s famed tame elephants appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.

Australian-invested Cowan Design Company, which has won a contest to design a logo and slogan for Vietnam’s tourism, will likely be chosen to map out a strategy to build the tourism brand name and promote the country’s tourism image, a tourism official said.

Nguyen Van Tuan, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said that “the first-prize winner of the contest to select the tourism sector’s logo and slogan in 2011 – 2015 period will be chosen to map out the marketing strategy for the country’s tourism in the period.”

On January 26, Cowan Design Company, whose entry in the contest being a star-shaped logo and the slogan ‘Vietnam-A Different Orient,’ was announced by VNAT as first prize winner of the contest.

“We are collecting ideas from relevant departments, media, and experts for improving the slogan. We will hire the company upon the Government’s approval to select this slogan for the country’s tourism,” he said, adding the process would be completed later this month.

Tuan said that it would be the first time VNAT hires an outside company to map out the marketing strategy for tourism development.

“We’ve been doing marketing activities by ourselves. Now, we want to go professional with the new move,” he said.

The marketing strategy is expected to underpin the country’s tourism industry in its target to obtain VND110 trillion in revenue this year compared with VND96 trillion (US$5 billion) in 2010.

Along with the new change in marketing activities, the leader said that VNAT would maintain its regular activities such as joining travel fairs, organizing familiarization trips, road shows and tourism festivals to promote tourism’s image at home and abroad.

VNAT has plans to join many international travel exhibitions abroad this year such as TRAVEX 2011 in Cambodia, FITUR in Portugal, MITT in Russia, ITB Berlin in Germany, JATA Travel fair in Japan, ITB Asia in Singapore, and World Travel Market in England.

The agency will focus more on activities to promote the National Tourism Year that will take place in seven central coastal provinces this year. VNAT expects the tourism year to help woo more tourists to the central region and to promote island and beach tourism designated as the main products of the country’s tourism in the coming times.

Tuan said VNAT is also working on a plan to open representative offices in foreign countries. “We want to open offices in key markets like China, Northeast Asia and Western Europe,” he said.

VNAT expects to welcome 5.3 to 5.5 million foreign visitors this year compared to 5.05 million last year, and around 30 million local travelers, up from 28 million in 2010.

The post New Logo and Slogan of Vietnam Tourism appeared first on Vietnam Car Hire.