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Mercedes' reinterpretation of the Gullwing
By Gizmag Team
11:56 September 10, 2009 PDT
We first wrote about the coming reinterpretation of the legendary gull-wing in March. In preparation for its first showing next week at Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes has released a lot more information about the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The super sports car’s technology package which includes an aluminum space frame body, sports chassis with aluminum double-wishbone suspension, and a kerb weight of 1,620 kilograms. The 571 hp AMG 6.3-liter, front-mid V8, runs a seven-speed transmission with dual-clutch in a transaxle configuration. The Gullwing accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and has an electronically-limited top speed of 197 mph. The most surprising aspect is the relatively frugal (for a supercar) fuel consumption of 21.4 mpg (combined). Read More
Renault to preview radical Zero Emission product range at Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
10:21 September 10, 2009 PDT
Renault will show four new electric vehicle concepts at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show, previewing what is expected to become a new Zero Emission product range from the French manufacturer. No details of the four cars have been made available, but sketches of the four vehicles have been released showing them from above, and the most exciting concept appears to be a very small and narrow single seat four-wheeled personal transport concept (pictured). Check out the from-above images of all four vehicles inside. Read More
Honda announces Dual Clutch Transmission for large-displacement sport motorcycles
By Gizmag Team
00:46 September 8, 2009 PDT
Dual Clutch Transmissions (DCT) are still a relatively rare breed, though in the past few years we have been inundated with them in high end automobiles. By using a separate clutch for odd and even gears, gears can be changed without interrupting power by applying the engine's torque to the next gear just as it is being disconnected from the previous one. This enables quicker and smoother gear changes and delivers better fuel economy while reducing emissions. Honda’s newly-announced, fully-automatic motorcycle DCT is a first for large-displacement sport bikes and will debut on the new VFR set for release in 2010. Read More
Arctic warming overtakes 2,000 years of natural cooling
By Gizmag Team
20:55 September 6, 2009 PDT
Arctic temperatures in the 1990s reached their warmest level of any decade in at least 2,000 years, new research indicates. The study, which incorporates geologic records and computer simulations, provides new evidence that the Arctic would be cooling if not for greenhouse gas emissions that are overpowering natural climate patterns. The international study, led by Northern Arizona University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), will be published in the September 4 edition of Science. Read More
Ford's iosis MAX concept becomes reality as the C-MAX
By Gizmag Team
19:55 September 6, 2009 PDT
It may not be identical but the all-new Ford C-MAX, which will make its global debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, clearly takes its design cues from the stunning iosis MAX concept car unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Departing from usual multi-activity vehicle (MAV) thinking by using Ford's 'kinetic design' styling language to adopt a more dynamic passenger-car look, the new model features a coupé-like, sweeping roofline while still retaining the established Ford C-MAX hallmarks of comfort, space, and practicality. Read More
The new Rolls Royce Ghost - the most powerful Roller ever!
By Gizmag Team
08:17 September 6, 2009 PDT
Due for its first public showing at the Frankfurt motor show is the new Rolls-Royce Ghost. Though it is the most powerful car ever produced by the company, Rolls-Royce power is delivered in a very different manner to other cars. It arrives in an elegant, cosseting way that some have described as being designed to lower the pulse, not raise it. With a plethora of complex electronic aids and safety systems designed to operate as one, imperceptibly to the driver, one can expect the new automobile to remain perfectly poised and capable of bearing the legendary Ghost name with honor. Read More
Citroen shows off the new C3
By Gizmag Team
04:02 September 6, 2009 PDT
Citroen’s task in redesigning the best-selling C3 was not an enviable one – how do you better a car that is still selling strongly, with more than two million units on the road. We’ll see the finished product at Frankfurt later this month, but the brand’s new ‘Visiodrive’ certainly looks the goods with its huge windscreen, remarkable interior space and what Citroen claims will be “astonishing” road behavior. Read More
Metz mecaHome+ home automation from the TV for USD$270
By Gizmag Team
03:49 September 6, 2009 PDT
Metz demonstrated its new home automation management system at IFA in Berlin this week and there are some highly enticing aspects to its mecaHome+ methodology, most notably that it uses the Xcomfort wireless system from electrical engineering specialist Moeller (hence no wires) and it allows control of the home’s electrical functions to be managed centrally by a Metz television. Read More
The Metz Primus 55 FHDTV 200 twin R – the TV with the lot
By Gizmag Team
03:46 September 6, 2009 PDT
The Metz Primus 55 HDTV 200 twin R was shown for the first time at IFA in Berlin yesterday and it’ll be as close to the state-of-the-art all-purpose TV when it goes on sale in November. As brilliant (200 Hz, 1920 x 1080, LED and backlight with Local Area Dimming) as the 55 inch picture is, it’s the connectivity (integrated HDTV tuner, DVB-C and DVB-T), separate sound module and 500 GB digital recorder (PVR) which makes it very special – open the back and there’s a circuit board designed for easy removal and upgrading. They’re the first to do it and won’t be the last! Read More
Canon’s new EOS 7D DSLR and the first Hybrid Image Stabilization lens
By Gizmag Team
07:21 September 5, 2009 PDT
Canon’s new EOS 7D will be released later this month with a USD$1700 tag. Key features include eight FPS continuous shooting, 18-Megapixel Resolution and full HD video with variable frame rates and manual exposure control. Three new lenses were also announced, being the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS and an interesting EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM featuring Canon's new Hybrid Image Stabilization (Hybrid IS) technology, which compensates for both angle camera shake and shift camera shake, and is designed especially for macro photography. Read More
Hyundai prepares eco-friendly showcars for Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
04:26 September 5, 2009 PDT
The race to provide ecologically responsible mobility is on and Korean giant Hyundai is preparing an interesting range for the Frankfurt Motor Show with the first showing of the ix-Metro (pictured) and i10 Electric. The ix-Metro is a Hybrid Electric CUV for the European sub-B segment and the i10 Electric is a production-ready plug-in 49kW electric vehicle set to go on sale in Korea in the second half of 2010 with a range of 100 miles and top speed of over 80 mph. Read More
Ergorapido 2in1 – the pregnant battery-powered vacuum cleaner
By Gizmag Team
15:13 September 4, 2009 PDT
No, it's not really a pregnant vacuum cleaner, it's the latest AEG Ergorapido 2 in 1 – a battery-operated vacuum with a hand-held mini-vacuum in the handle that home appliance manufacturer AEG is showing at this year’s IFA in Berlin. The pick-of-the-litter is the EUR 210 (USD$300) Ergorapido plus which has an 18-volt lithium ion rechargeable battery and outperforms its sister models by 20%, enabling around 30 minutes of cleaning. Read More
Gordon Murray T.25 City Car interior revealed
By Gizmag Team
15:02 September 4, 2009 PDT
We've been writing about Gordon Murray's innovative T.25 City Car for some time with great anticipation - after all, three of them will fit in a single parking space. Now, at long last, we can reveal the internal layout which is designed around a central driving position with six reconfigurable layouts within the same vehicle. Read More
Philips leads the marital aid industry out of the Dark Ages
By Gizmag Team
02:21 September 4, 2009 PDT
Sexual aids have been in use for thousands of years, coming in and out of official favor in different eras and jurisdictions, and indeed, many countries still outlaw them entirely. As our understanding of our sexuality has grown, sex aids have increased in their usage, with more than 40% of European couples already using them and another 35% interested and willing, but reluctant to enter what they perceive as a seedy sex store. Now Philips has created a range of sex toys specifically designed for couples, taking the genre mainstream for the first time. Bravo Philips! Read More
Iveco Electric Daily LCV prototype begins testing in Brazil
By Gizmag Team
17:18 September 3, 2009 PDT
Iveco is showing a prototype of its new Electric Daily in Brazil, a vehicle destined to become the first zero emission light commercial vehicle produced in Latin America. The vehicle has regenerative braking, a range of 100km (65 miles) and a fully-laden top speed of 70kmh (43mph). Read More
Mercedes announces three Concept BlueZERO electric vehicles
By Gizmag Team
15:05 September 3, 2009 PDT
Mercedes-Benz reckons it won’t be just one technology that paves the way to sustainable mobility. After showing the 200 km range all-electric BlueZERO E‑CELL at the NAIAS in January, the German giant is to create a family of modularly-constructed, liquid-cooled Lithium-ion electric cars by adding two more derivatives of the close-to-production vehicle in Frankfurt next week. The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS extends the range to 600 km using a turbocharged petrol engine as a range extender generator, while the BlueZERO F-CELL is fuel-cell-powered with a range of about 400 km. Read More
Toyota Auris HSD full hybrid concept for Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
17:21 September 2, 2009 PDT
Toyota is set to unveil the Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor show. The concept represents a milestone in Toyota’s strategy: introducing Toyota’s full hybrid technology to a mainstream model, and the first step in the deployment of Hybrid Synergy Drive across the company’s model range. Other firsts at Frankfurt for Toyota include the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept, an all-new Toyota Land Cruiser and two customised iQ show cars - iQ for Sports and iQ Collection. Read More
Innovative camera system improves safety by seeing around corners
By Gizmag Team
16:01 September 2, 2009 PDT
A device to see around blind corners and provide a “top view” will help drivers to manoeuvre trucks and buses more safely. Alpine’s Multi Camera technology is linked with a navigation database offering the ability to see all aspects of the vehicle and its surroundings, eliminating dangerous blind spots. Read More
BMW to show 75 mpg, 350 bhp, 150 mph hybrid at Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
15:49 September 2, 2009 PDT
BMW’s new Vision Efficient Dynamics concept is remarkable to look at and even more so when you consider the numbers. Powered by a three-cylinder turbodiesel and two electric motors (one in each axle), the all-wheel drive produces 262 kW (356 bhp) and 800 NM of torque, giving it M power performance (0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h) thanks in part to its slippery drag coefficient of just 0.22. It’ll run 50 km (31 miles) in electric mode alone and its consumption in the EU test cycle is 3.76 litres/100 km (75.1 mph imp) with CO2 emissions of 99 grams/km. Read More
Miele's hybrid unplugs vacuum cleaning
By Gizmag Team
06:01 September 2, 2009 PDT
The doors to the world's biggest consumer electronics show - IFA 2009 - opened to the press this morning and one of the first companies to showcase its latest wares was home appliance specialist Miele. Among the highlights was this very sensible hybrid compact vacuum cleaner that, like your laptop, provides the flexibility of both mains power supply and a rechargeable battery. This system provides a cord-free solution for quick clean ups and also means that when you inevitably reach the end of your tether and pull the plug out, the vacuum automatically switches to battery mode so you can finish the job uninterrupted. Read More
The Renault Dacia YAV III - the world’s most affordable motorhome
By Gizmag Team
08:21 August 31, 2009 PDT
Without doubt Caravan Salon Düsseldorf 2009 heralded a new era for the vibrant European motorhome industry when it opened yesterday, and the unlikely innovator set to stimulate the industry was Romanian auto manufacturer Renault Dacia. A collaboration with the Hymer Innovation Design Centre has yielded an ingenious motorhome for 3-4 people based on the super budget Renault Dacia Logan MCV with an anticipated price tag of less than EUR15,000 when it goes on sale in 2010. Read More
The world's best sports car show
By Gizmag Team
20:19 August 20, 2009 PDT
Imagine a sports car show held not in an exhibition center, but at the safest racetrack in the world, so the cars can be appreciated in their natural surroundings, without speed limits. The first “International GT & Supercar Show” will be held at Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France on September 26 and 27. Exhibitors include Ferrari, Gumpert, Koenigsegg, Ad Tramontana, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, F&M, Morgan, Audi Wiesmann, Spyker, Mosler, Pagani, Porsche, Saleen, TVR, Yes, Venturi, Alfa Romeo Zagato, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Castagna Milano, Maserati, Lotus, Lightning and Tesla. Read More
Porsche’s 911 race car for the road – the 911 GT3 RS
By Gizmag Team
00:09 August 20, 2009 PDT
Porsche's GT3 RS provides the basis for homologation of the 911 GT3 race cars for Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup championships throughout the world. It is a showcase of Porsche’s road-and-race know-how, and hence a most endearing creature to enthusiasts in that it is essentially a race car for the road. Next year's model will bring increased engine power, reduced weight, slicker gearbox ratios and upgraded body and suspension changes when it goes on sale early in 2010. Read More
Lexus Premium Compact Concept at Frankfurt
By Gizmag Team
18:16 August 19, 2009 PDT
Lexus, Toyota's premium auto brand, is to show a concept car at Frankfurt next month which will demonstrate “a mix of technical innovation and ground-breaking design that promises to raise the bar in the premium compact segment”. Given that's effectively what Toyota already did with the IQ - which is now in production - we're quite looking forward to seeing what the world's market leader delivers. Read More
Peugeot's frugal RCZ Sports Car
By Gizmag Team
06:05 August 19, 2009 PDT
These are the first images of Peugeot's RCZ sports car due to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. First unveiled as a concept two years ago, the production model's unique shape houses some remarkable technology. F'rinstance, an active rear spoiler, a Twin-Scroll turbocharger, direct petrol injection, variable valve lift and variable valve timing, Hill Assist to facilitate maneuvers on steep gradients, an intelligent traction control system (ASR), electronic brake force distribution (EBFD) and emergency brake assist (EBA). There's also a concept RCZ Hybrid4 which uses a 120 kW 2.0-liter HDi FAP diesel engine at the front and a 27 kW electric motor at the rear to deliver 70 mpg. Read More
rob yates
- November 26, 2009 @ 12:49 UTC
