Mitsubishi Motors Corporation will take the covers off of a new global standard SUV Pajero at the 2006 Paris Motor Show to be held at he Paris Expo porte de Versailles. Offering legendary reliability, durability and endurance, the Pajero has become the iconic sport utility vehicle (SUV) in its roughly 25 years of existence.

More than 2.5 million Pajeros have been produced since the first generation was launched in 1982. Now it is sold in over 170 countries and territories. This new Pajero is the fourth in the series. It retains the SUV specifications of its predecessors in terms of approach angle, ground clearance, and all-terrain performance parameters.

New features on the fourth generation Mitsubishi include a new 3.2 liter 4-cylinder diesel engine with common rail direct fuel injection and a 3.8 liter V6 MIVEC*1 gasoline unit. Other new features are a 4WD system which is composed of a sophisticated Super Select 4WD-II transfer case. The new Pajero will also offer a new tastefully designed interiors and dashboard. High-end interior equipment will include a Rockford Acoustic Design Premium Sound System(TM) with a new 860W 12-speaker.

BMW’s navigational system will start offering Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) at no additional cost on select 2007 BMW models including the X5, M5, M6, 3, 5, and 6 Series. Slated to be launched this September, the premium service will offer up-to-date traffic information for BMW drivers in 44 major metropolitan areas in the US. The system will also offer dynamic rerouting, the first of its kind on any production vehicle sold in the US. RTTI is the latest innovation from BMW highlighting the company’s commitment to offer industry-leading service, technology and innovation.

Now the navigational system is not anymore just an optional feature that is mostly used when customers get lost or need to find a way to their destination. The RTTI is an innovation that will help drivers reach their destinations more efficiently and easily than before. The RTTI will be available through Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network. Drivers won’t need to search for traffic information on radio stations. The BMW RTTI system gathers timely traffic information from different sources such as FM radio stations, highway-embedded sensors, video monitors on roadways and bridge ways and local traffic monitoring centers.

The information is then streamed to a dedicated tuner on the car’s radio. In dynamic rerouting, the navigation system calculates the best routes depending on the traffic conditions, incidents and other potential delays. If the delay will exceed 5 minutes, the system will provide alternative routes around the congestion.

The BMW RTTI will be part of the cost of the navigation system in selected 2007 BMW models and there are no activation fees and monthly recurring charges.

Passion and Reason – these are the two inspirations of Citroen’s newest concept car, a 4-door coupe named the C-Metisse. Oozing with style and sexiness, the Citroen C-Metisse is already an eye candy even in pictures. It features a front gullwing and rear scissor doors. The exotic façade is highlighted by styled vertical headlamps and intakes. Inside the long sleek and sculpted body of the C-Metisse is a sophisticated passenger cabin complete with plush white leather seats and modern center console design.

The Citroen C-Metisse is powered by a cutting-edge Hybride HDi system which is composed of a diesel V6 engine capable of producing 208 horsepower that drives the front wheels and two electric motors producing 20 horsepower and 300 lb-ft. of torque that drives the rear wheels.

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More than seven months into its restructuring plan, Ford Motor Co. has a new CEO. Bill Ford has resigned as the company’s chief executive and is replaced by Alan Mulally, a top executive from Boeing. However, Ford will remain as chairman. Under Bill’s watch, the company has so far failed to turn around the fortunes of the second largest domestic automaker. He is the great-grandson of company founder Hey Ford. In efforts to cut production costs, Ford closed down five plants and cut 35,000 jobs. In the Way Forward Plan, 14 facilities will be closed down and 30,000 jobs cut up by 2012.

Meanwhile, Alan Mulally was responsible for the recovery of Boeing’s commercial airplanes unit. He was a top contender for the CEO post over at Boeing but the company chose Jim McNerney, CEO of 3M. Bill Ford described Mulally as “ideally suited” for the job. “We need somebody with extensive turnaround experience, who was a leader and a real team builder”, said Bill during a news conference. Ford has a lot of work to do especially now that Toyota has eclipsed it to become the second most profitable automaker in the US today. We’ll see if Mulally can turn things around for Ford. He doesn’t have any experience in the automotive industry but he is praised for putting Boeing’s commercial planes unit back in shape. Will he be able to do the same for Ford?