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Automotive
London’s iconic black cabs to go green
By Darren Quick
20:54 May 22, 2008 PDT
May 23, 2008 While improvements in engine technology have led to a marked improvement in fuel efficiency and carbon emissions in vehicles running on internal combustion engines in recent years, even greater cuts in emissions need to be made to tackle the global environmental problems associated with them. We’ve seen commercial airlines turning to biofuels, trucks running on liquefied natural gas and buses using ethanol engines. One of the most promising solutions for the humble car of the future could is hydrogen fuel cell systems, with a number of car manufacturers investing heavily in development. Read More
Electric supercharger promises instant power boost
By Mike Hanlon
16:08 May 21, 2008 PDT
Now here’s an idea that begs the question as to why someone hasn't thought of it before. Controlled Power Technologies (CPT) has come up with a clever technical solution for the problem of ‘downsizing’ engines without compromising driveability and performance – the electrical supercharger. The company’s low-cost, production-ready, Variable Torque Enhancement System (VTES) employs an electrically-driven supercharger to significantly improve low speed torque response for naturally-aspirated or turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines. Unlike traditional mechanically-driven superchargers and exhaust-driven turbochargers, it doesn't suck power all the time because it is only engaged when needed, and delivers an immediate boost within 350 milliseconds. Most significantly, CPT claims the VTES can be implemented on current vehicles, using existing 12 volt electrical architecture, and when used in series with a turbocharger, the 2kW of electrical power translates into 20kW at the crankshaft. Read More
TVA Gazelle - 4-wheel tilting car/bike hybrid
By Loz Blain
02:23 May 21, 2008 PDT
We are on the brink of a new commuting age; cars are too heavy, too inefficient, too dirty and too big to be viable in tomorrow's traffic-clogged cities - and motorcycles are too dangerous and too hard to ride to be a real option for many. The new TVA Gazelle tilting 4-wheeler could be the answer, capable of over 100mpg, incredibly agile in the corners and with a price tag of less than US$10,000. Read More
Antonov develops low cost gearbox for the low cost car
By Mike Hanlon
02:17 May 21, 2008 PDT
Antonov is developing an interesting new transmission for the next generation of ultra low cost cars. Such a transmission must be simple, low cost, reliable and repairable without no pneumatic or hydraulic controls, minimal components and only the simplest of electrical systems. Some innovative thinking was required ... Read More
The missing link prototype Jaguar ‘E2A’ goes up for sale
By Mike Hanlon
22:38 May 19, 2008 PDT
It is the missing link – the prototype Jaguar ‘E2A’ that bridged the gap between D-Type and E-Type, being raced along the way by Sir Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren and Dan Gurney. Timed at 194 mph down the Lumsanne Straight at Le Mans, the totally unique, one-off piece of history is up for sale. Since leaving Jaguar, it has been owned by one family. It is in effect a one-owner car ex-works. Expect to part with at least USD$7 million. Read More
New Ferrari California (UPDATED - new images)
02:12 May 15, 2008 PDT
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
17:11 May 13, 2008 PDT
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
By Mike Hanlon
07:44 May 13, 2008 PDT
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
By Loz Blain
03:20 May 8, 2008 PDT
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
00:28 May 7, 2008 PDT
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?
By Mike Hanlon
03:49 May 5, 2008 PDT
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
By Loz Blain
18:23 May 2, 2008 PDT
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
00:07 April 30, 2008 PDT
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
01:51 April 29, 2008 PDT
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
01:38 April 29, 2008 PDT
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
By Loz Blain
06:17 April 24, 2008 PDT
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
22:34 April 22, 2008 PDT
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
18:45 April 22, 2008 PDT
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
By Mike Hanlon
11:49 April 21, 2008 PDT
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
19:40 April 20, 2008 PDT
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
01:04 April 18, 2008 PDT
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
23:41 April 16, 2008 PDT
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
By Mike Hanlon
18:35 April 16, 2008 PDT
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
Volvo adds new massage seats to S80 and XC90 Executive models
By Darren Quick
00:05 April 14, 2008 PDT
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 ingenious P-eye pressure sensing valve cap
By Mike Hanlon
22:08 April 13, 2008 PDT
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
Freedom Glen
- November 25, 2009 @ 02:47 UTC
