Automotive
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New Ferrari California
Ferrari has released three enticing photographs of the California in the build up to the car's official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show. The new stablemate for the 612 Scaglietti and the 430 Scuderia features the marque's first mid-front mounted engine. (read more...)
Limited edition SL 63 AMG Edition IWC
May 13, 2008 Mercedes' high-performance division AMG has developed a new limited edition version of the SL 63 roadster. WIth only 200 destined to see the light of day, the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC combines its specially tuned, naturally aspirated, 386 kW/525 hp 6.3-litre V8 engine with a designo magno Kashmir white finish, an exterior carbon package and a a range of handling and performance enhancements in a vehicle that can hit 100 kmh 4.6 seconds from a standing start and has an electronically limited top speed of 300 kmh. Aside from the luxury timepiece that comes with the car, the "IWC" refers to the design collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, a relationship which began in 2004 with the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Engineer". (read more...)
A1GP's Ferrari Race Car
The single car A1GP race series has released details of the Ferrari to be used next season. The car employs a 600bhp V8 in a derivative of the highly successful F2004 F1 chassis. (read more...)
Keating: the next British supercar brand makes a double debut
With British performance car brands being sold to overseas interests left, right and center, it seems it's up to enthusiasts to create the next truly British supercar. And after an eight year development process, here it is: the Keating SKR and its racetrack-only, all-carbon TKR brother offer continental good looks, lightweight snappy handling and stonking power, from 400hp on the 6-litre V8 base model to a ridiculous projected 1500hp for the twin-turbo top dog. With sensible service intervals and a bespoke approach to supercar-building that will see everything from the dash instruments to the seat coverings and interior tailored to each buyer's specifications, Keating hopes to rekindle the British performance auto industry. Tally ho! (read more...)
Rinspeed’s spectacular zero emission amphibious concept car
May 7, 2008 Following its preview late last year and head turning debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, it's time we took a closer look at the sQuba - a James Bond inspired, zero-emissions, electric aqua-car from Frank M. Rinderknecht and the concept magicians at Rinspeed that "moves like a fish in water" to depths of up to 33 feet (10 meters) and still manages to reach speeds of around 75mph (120kmh) when on terra firma. Continuing its ongoing relationship with Rinspeed, Swiss engineering firm Esoro was hired as the general contractor on the project - which amazingly took only six months complete - and replacing the combustion engine with a series of electric motors was the first task. (read more...)
Latent demand for stop-start engine technology?
UK-based car supermarket group Motorpoint sells cars into every postcode in the UK each year and relies heavily on surveys to watch for coming trends in order to continue to meet public motoring needs. The latest informational gem to be released by the group is that a recent survey shows that 75% of UK drivers say they would buy a car that automatically cuts and restarts the engine in traffic – this is notable because the technology is straightforward and readily available to any auto manufacturer but suffers from restricted availability. (read more...)
Weber Sportcars Faster One: Swiss supercar eats Bugatti Veyron's lunch
If your neighbor swans around bragging about his 253mph Bugatti Veyron, then this Swiss supercar might be just what you need to wipe the smile off his face, because the world's got a new contender for the fastest road-legal car. The crudely-named "Faster One" from Weber Sports might not have the Bugatti's dashing good looks, but if you ever found enough straight road to give them both a gumboot full, the Faster One's claimed top speed of 260mph (420kmh) would see it crawl away from both the Veyron and the SSC Ultimate Aero. With only 900hp to the Veyron's 1001, the Faster One lives up to its name by virtue of its superior aerodynamics. And the price of ultimate velocity? A little over US$1.5 million. (read more...)
Corvette ZR1's certified power ratings exceed expectations
April 30, 2008 When the preliminary performance specs for the new 2009 Corvette ZR1 appeared on the radar late last year ahead of its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, predictions were for a supercar producing 620 horses and topping 200mph, making it the most powerful and fastest automobile ever produced by General Motors. Now with the release of the certified power ratings there's no cause for disappointment, in fact it seems that initial predictions were a little underdone. According to Chevrolet, the ZR1's hand-built, supercharged LS9 V-8 engine will produce 638 horsepower (476 kW) and 604 lb.-ft. of torque (819 Nm) - an output of almost 103 horses per liter - and will achieve a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h). On top of that, although fuel economy testing has not yet been completed, engineers remain confident that the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market. (read more...)
envisionCAM video camera, GPS and G-force Event Data Recorder
April 29, 2008 Big brother has found his way into the company car, so leadfoot drivers beware; he sees, and remembers, and tells all. We wrote recently about the CarCam Voyager, basically a small dash videocam that acts as an infallible witness in accident situations - but the envisionCAM from Advanced EDR systems takes the concept to another level entirely. (read more...)
Three decades of enhanced vehicle safety: ABS turns 30
April 29, 2008 It's now three decades - and an untold number of near-misses - since Bosch introduced the first-production line electronic antilock braking system (ABS), a safety feature that's almost taken for granted in modern automobiles. (read more...)
ThoRR, the fully electric open-wheeler
If Caterham Seven-style open-wheelers are last century's pinnacle of pure performance machines, it seems the concept will survive the transition to the electric age. Evisol's ThoRR takes its body shape inspiration from a Lotus Super 7, and adds a 272hp Siemens electric motor with a Lithium Polymer battery pack. Quick, light, accurate and nearly silent apart from road noise, ThoRR fits the Caterham model of a driver's car - there's no power assisted steering or brakes, no ABS, gearbox or even a windshield, so you're in complete control and you feel completely connected to the road through your machine. A range of 140km if you're doing more than 100kmh limits ThoRR to being a Sunday afternoon thrasher, but new tech batteries like those in the Lightning GT will fix that in due time. (read more...)
Volkswagen demonstrates fully-automatic reverse parking system
Minor collisions as a result of parking mishaps are a common, costly and extremely frustrating occurrence and for several years auto manufacturers including BMW have indicated that solutions that take human error out of the equation are on the way. The latest news in the area comes from Volkswagen, which has demonstrated its “Park Assist Vision” system at this year’s Hanover Fair. The fully-automatic, remotely-operated self-parking system lets you get out of the car and watch as it backs itself into even the skinniest of perpendicular spaces, using cameras located in the left and right exterior mirrors to gauge the dimensions of the parking area available and communicate this information to the computerized steering and drive systems. (read more...)
H2Origin demonstrator vehicle achieves 300km range
April 23, 2008 A three year collaborative research project by PSA Peugeot Citroën and fuel cell specialist Intelligent Energy has born fruit in the form of the H2Origin demonstrator vehicle, a battery-electric vehicle that uses a specially designed hydrogen fuel cell to triple its range to an impressive 300km (186 miles). The hydrogen storage system developed for the zero-emission demonstrator vehicle, which is based on the Peugeot Partner Origin van, is compact enough to squeeze under the bonnet and utilizes a swappable storage rack of compressed hydrogen tanks that slide out the rear, by-passing the need for a conventional fuel station and therefore simplifying the infrastructure needed to make hydrogen-powered vehicles a commercial reality. (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz debuts GLK-Class at Auto China 2008
The keenly anticipated world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class at Auto China fair in Beijing saw Chinese superstar Zhang Ziyi (think “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) champion the product. The compact SUV employs Mercedes' Agility Control suspension, the aim being to offer outstanding performance and handling AND ride comfort. (read more...)
New Porsche Cayenne Turbo S debuts in Beijing
April 21, 2008 With an output of 550 hp (404 kW) and a top speed of 280kmh (174mph), the new Porsche Cayenne which premiered at Auto China 2008 in Beijing is the most powerful model in the company's SUV range to date. Capable of achieving zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, the twin-turbo, 4.8 liter V8 S model gains the edge over the standard Turbo model via a modified exhaust system and improvements in engine control that have also resulted in an increase in maximum torque by 50 Nm to 750 Nm (available between 2,250 and 4,500 rpm). Marked by 21 inch SportPlus alloy wheels, a four-pipe sports exhaust system and an exclusive “lava gray metallic” paint option, plus a host of standard interior goodies from memory seating to a touch-screen operated multimedia system, the Turbo S will be introduced from August 2008 at an expected basis price of EUR 111,400. (read more...)
Honda FCX fuel cell vehicle on show at Indy Japan 300
April 18, 2008 Honda's zero-emission FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle will serve as the official car of the Indy Japan 300 this weekend at Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi, Japan. (read more...)
Gearing up for Goodwood
April 17, 2008 The wheels are in motion for this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed which will be held between 11-13 July under the theme ‘Hawthorn to Hamilton – Britain’s Love Affair with World Motor Sport’. (read more...)
Electronic ‘digiflag’ displays to enhance F1 night-time safety
Every cloud has a silver lining – sometimes it’s just hard to see. One of the potential disadvantages of holding a Grand Prix at night is driver awareness – being able to see the things that count. Turning a negative into a positive, the first-ever night race in F1, the Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix to be held on September 28, will also mark the introduction of electronic flag displays as well as the colored flags traditionally waved by race officials to communicate with drivers. Already it promises a safer environment (read more...)
The ingenious P-eye pressure sensing valve cap
April 14, 2008 We like this – it’s a patented new device which makes it easier for commercial vehicle operators to efficiently check the tyre pressures of their fleet. The P-eye monitoring device replaces the tyre valve cap and monitors the preset minimum tyre pressure. If the tyre pressure drops more than 5 per cent below the ideal pressure the LED lamp starts blinking and the trucker can top up the pressure when he stops next. (read more...)
Volvo adds new massage seats to S80 and XC90 Executive models
April 14, 2008 Seats which include massaging and ventilation functions are among the new luxury trimmings Volvo has added to their S80 and XC90 Executive models. The new massage function consists of five inflatable pockets which have been built into the front seats and are pumped up and drained sequentially to create a wave-like motion that is adjustable at two levels. As well as massaging the lower back they also double up as a new lumbar support, while built-in ventilation is designed to keep the occupant’s body and clothing fresh. (read more...)
The world’s first drive-in car-fitting room – does my bumper look big in this?
People don’t drive cars – they wear them. In the vast majority of cases, the car you choose is a reflection of who you are. A recent U.K. survey showed three out of four (72 per cent) drivers recognise they use their car as a status symbol – wanting other drivers to view it as a reflection of the owner’s personality and success. Recognising this, Chevrolet has created a bespoke drive-in fitting room in South London, which allows motorists to check out what they look like in their car before they commit to purchase. (read more...)
A stretched Smart car, with a stretch Murcielago next
April 13, 2008 Carbonyte made headlines for its stretched Ferrari 360 Modena ‘limousine’ created using the HotFusion Composite Manufacturing Technology first used on the McLaren SLR Supercar. This week the company unveiled the Carbonyte Smaaart, but it’s the plan to follow up the stretched Ferrari with a range of elongated supercars that caught our eye – a Stretched Lamborghini Murcielago is next, with a stretched Bugatti Veyron and a stretched Koeniggsegg CCR on the drawing boards. (read more...)
New design proposed for T-REX three-wheel street racer
Young industrial designer Johnathan Côté has proposed this slick re-design for the legendary T-REX 3-wheeler, retaining an updated variation of the distinctive recessed headlights and above seat air in-takes, dropping the exposed roll-bars and adding a heavily sculpted feel to the vehicle's low-slung aerodynamic profile. With the the first prototype released in 1994, the T-REX is a pioneer in the rapidly expanding world of modern 3-wheeled transport that has now spawned such exotic gems as the Can-Am Spyder, Brudeli's Three-Wheel Leanster, TriRod's F3 Adrenaline and the upcoming ZAP Alias highway electric car. (read more...)
Electronic four-wheel steering from Renault
April 9, 2008 Renault is set to introduce its new electronically-controlled Active Drive chassis with four-wheel steering next month in new GT versions of the Laguna Hatch and Sport Tourer. Four-wheel steering systems of the 1980s were essentially mechanical, with the wheels linked at pre-determined angles to make up for a vehicle's tendency to understeer. Such systems were gradually superseded by the advent of ESP. In recent times some manufacturers have begun developing electrically- and even hydraulically-operated actuators, enabling handling to be fine-tuned even further. (read more...)
World's first hybrid refuse truck launched in Sweden
April 8, 2008 Volvo has announced that Swedish refuse collection firms Renova and Ragn-Sells will begin regular daily testing of two of the company's hybrid refuse trucks ahead of a market launch in 2009. Using a 7 liter diesel engine and an electric motor that utilizes regenerative braking, the trucks are capable of delivery fuel (and therefore emissions) savings of 20 percent. (read more...)
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