Automotive

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI - the world’s most powerful diesel passenger car

By Mike Hanlon

September 15, 2006 Audi is set to debut the first twelve-cylinder diesel engine in a series passenger car. A six-litre V12 will be available in the Audi Q7 that is reminiscent of the engine featured in the all-conquering R10 Le Mans racing car and it catapults the driving performance of the Audi Q7 SUV into the echelons of top-class sports cars. The V12 TDI engine produces a colossal 500 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque giving the car a 0 to 100 km/h time of just 5.5 seconds, and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750 rpm. The high-tech diesel engine, with the world’s first 2,000 bar Bosch Common Rail system, provides the high-performance Audi SUV with superior power reserves in any situation. The impressive sound of the new Audi is provided by the ultra-modern piezo-injection system. The V12 TDI transmits this power through a new six-speed tiptronic gearbox to the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system. Read More

New VW Touran has automatic parking

By Mike Hanlon

September 13, 2006 Volkswagen has revealed the first images of its new Touran compact MPV, ahead of its world public debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. With a fresh new appearance and innovative technologies, yet still boasting all the practical features for which the Touran has become renowned, the revised seven-seater people carrier looks set to continue the model’s success. The new Touran will be the first Volkswagen available with ParkAssist, an optional parking guidance system developed by Volkswagen engineers. ParkAssist enables automatic parking, using front and rear ultrasonic sensors to detect available parking space and a control unit to calculate the ideal manoeuvring path. Acoustic and visual displays guide the driver to the correct parking start position, then once reverse gear is selected the car parks itself in under 15 seconds. All the driver has to do in this time is accelerate and brake – the Touran does all the steering. The system will be available in the from June 2007. Read More

Fiat’s Oltre to debut in London at Viva Italia

By Mike Hanlon

September 13, 2006 As befitting a company whose development has coincided with that of Italy itself, Fiat has a major presence at London’s Viva Italia Show, a celebration of all things Italian, which opens on Friday 22 September at the National Hall, Olympia. Exhibits on the Fiat stand include the company’s highly successful new Grande Punto supermini, which became Europe’s best selling car soon after its international launch last autumn, the new Giugiaro-designed Sedici compact SUV, the Panda 4x4 and the Oltre, which dwarfs its brethren. Derived from the Iveco LMV, (Light Multirole Vehicle), a new military off-roader that embodies cutting edge technical features and has already won the FCLV (Future Command and Liaison Vehicle) contract for the British Army, Oltre Fiat was first exhibited at the Bologna Motor Show last year, and can perform a wide range of functions. It is powered by a turbocharged 3-litre common rail diesel engine producing 185bhp and driving through a six-speed automatic transmission. Despite weighing over seven tonnes, Oltre Fiat has a top speed of over 70mph, has a payload of around three tonnes and can seat up to five people while negotiating longitudinal gradients of 80%, and tackling rivers, lakes and streams up to a depth of 1.5 metres. We wrote up the Oltre in depth here. Read More

BMW Hydrogen 7 - production-ready, hydrogen-gasoline V12 Saloon

By Mike Hanlon

September 12, 2006 BMW has become the first auto maker to present a hydrogen-drive car which has successfully completed the process of series development: The BMW Hydrogen 7 with its hydrogen combustion engine is the result of a consistent development strategy now rendering this trendsetting concept of sustained mobility fully suitable for regular use in today’s world. The Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 191 kW twelve-cylinder engine and accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 9.5 seconds with a top speed limited electronically to 230 km/h. Ingeniously, the dual-mode power unit switches quickly and conveniently to conventional premium gasoline providing an overall range of more than 700 kilometres. The integration of hydrogen drive in an existing vehicle concept which has already proven its merits in the market paves the way for an alternative to conventional drive concepts fully accepted in the market and with all the assets the customer is looking for in practice. Read More

Porsche motorsport heritage on display

By Mike Hanlon

September 12, 2006 Porsche aficionados down under will be in for a rare treat this Southern Hemisphere summer when a priceless collection of iconic racing cars from the Porsche Museum tour the country and appear at two of the country’s glamour historic racing events - the Classic Adelaide and the Phillip Island Classic. Among the seven unique Porsche racing cars will be Formula One, Le Mans and Targa Florio winners, with each car having its own unique place in history. Heading the list is the 804 – Porsche’s first and only wholly-produced F1 car that won the 1962 French GP driven by Dan Gurney. Other vehicles to be seen at the Classic Adelaide and Phillip Island Classic include a 1954 Carrera Panamericana-winning 550 Spyder, a 1977 Le Mans-winning 936 and a Targa Florio-winning 908/03 Spyder. Read More

Peugeot 207 EPURE fuel cell concept car tipped as future model

By Mike Hanlon

September 9, 2006 Peugeot is clearly talking up its latest Paris Motor Show concept car as a glimpse of a future 207 model and the prospect is very exciting – the 207 EPURE concept car uses an electric motor combined with PSA Peugeot Citroen Group’s new 20 kW GENEPAC experimental fuel cell which has been designed in partnership with the French AEC (Atomic Energy Commission). The electricity produced by the fuel cell is used to provide extra power and operating range to the lithium-ion battery and hence the 50kW electric motor. The combination fuel cell - electric powertrain gives the 207 EPURE a range of around 218 miles while still providing a maximum speed of 81 mph. The pearl white exterior of the 207 EPURE highlights the purity of the concept car’s lines while strengthening the ecological credentials of the technology that powers it. Read More

Renault Nepta joins Citroen C-Metisse in the French Ballet of the doors

By Mike Hanlon

September 8, 2006 Paris is renowned for the beauty of its springtime, but in autumn the spectacular sites around the beautiful capital are enhanced by the French automotive industry showcase, the Paris Motor Show. And this year the French have debuted some spectacularly elegant egress solutions offering doors that open in new ways. Yesterday we ran news of Citroen’s C-Metisse Concept – a diesel-electric, 4-seater coupe with a spectacular four door ballet command performance when the doors open to present the passengers to the pavement - the front doors open gull-wing style while the rear doors spin round. Now comes Renault’s Nepta concept car, a four-seater cabriolet with an equally dramatic and elegant egress solution in the form of motor-driven gull wing doors that open to reveal the interior and the engine. The doors pivot so high that they are fitted with electronic obstacle detectors. As is befitting the current F1 championship status of Renault, the Nepta is seriously fast with a 3.5-liter V6 powering a seven-speed automatic gearbox via F1-style steering flick-shift. The 420hp direct injection petrol engine combines outstanding performance, with low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Read More

Nissan Qashqai Crossover to go into production

By Mike Hanlon

September 7, 2006 Nissan yesterday presented for the first time its new Compact Crossover for Europe, the QASHQAI at an event hosted in Paris by Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's President and CEO. Inspired by the concept car of the same name that was presented at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show, the QASHQAI (pronounced "cash - kai") is a new vehicle for Nissan in Europe, with sales starting in February 2007. It will cater for those car buyers who want a more dynamic design than that offered by a traditional C-segment car, but who are not attracted to the large, aggressive nature of a compact SUV. Read More

Citroen's spectacular C-Metisse Concept

By Mike Hanlon

September 7 2006 Citroen seems to save its best concept cars for its home Paris Show and this year it has unveiled a beauty. The C-Metisse Concept will be seen in the flesh for the first time at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. With its elegant proportions, flamboyant bodywork and spectacular door design, the C-Metisse is an elegant 4-seater 4-door coupe reminiscent of the most prestigious Grand Touring vehicles. The car has a high-performance diesel hybrid drivetrain, excellent aerodynamics and a weight of just 1400 kilograms complete with batteries. C-Metisse is based on the same future-oriented solution as the C4 HDi hybrid demonstration vehicle apart from one key difference: the electric motors are installed in the rear wheels. Looking at C-Metisse is a visual shock in itself. Long (4.74 m), wide (2 m) and low (1.24 m), the car is sculptural and almost intimidating. Read More

Chevrolet WTCC Ultra - a ready-to-drive race and road car study

By Mike Hanlon

September 7, 2006 Chevrolet Europe will be showing an exciting racecar study called the WTCC Ultra at the Paris Motor Show from September 30 to October 15, 2006. The ready-to-drive concept car was developed by a global GM team and illustrates Chevrolet’s commitment to using GM’s global resources. The vehicle was styled by 25-year old designer Ewan Kingsbury, who works for GM in Australia, while development work on the concept was carried out in the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The Ultra’s engine was built in Korea, and the prototype was assembled in Japan and will be presented as a fully working vehicle, that’s not just ready for the road, but raring to go on the racetrack. It’s equipped with a 190PS common rail turbodiesel engine, based on the 2.0-litre unit that will debut in the Captiva SUV and Lacetti models next year, and unlike most motor show styling studies is a fully-working vehicle, with performance to rival high performance petrol cars. Read More

Sebastien Loeb becomes the world’s most successful rally driver

By Mike Hanlon

September 6, 2006 When Sebastien Loeb narrowly held out Marcus Gronholm to win the Rally of Japan last Sunday, he became the most successful rally driver in history. His 27th career victory edged the double World Rally Champion past former Citroen driver Carlos Sainz and into the record books once again. Unbelievably Loeb only made his WRC debut in 2002 and has taken just four seasons to overtake the success of rally legend Sainz. Along the way, it’s been a tour de force, as he now holds the record for the most consecutive victories, and last year performed what many people consider to be his most astounding feat – winning every stage in a World Championship Rally. This year the Frenchman has demonstrated his versatility winning the Race of Champions (December) and finishing in second place in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. Read More

The world’s first truck

By Mike Hanlon

September 6, 2006 It was one of the greatest talents of inventor Gottlieb Daimler to find ever more applications for his engine. He came up with the motorcycle, the motorized handcar, a motorized fire-fighting pump, and – eventually and almost inevitably – with the truck. Back in 1896, he set up the first truck on iron-clad wooden wheels – a type of carriage without a drawbar but with an engine instead. But as all inventors know, all beginnings are difficult – not only for people who are ahead of their time. While it is true that the world’s first truck initiated motorized road transport as we know it today, it did not attract a single buyer in Germany. In the early stages, the truck had to overcome a great deal of resistance – much more than the passenger car. This story explains the early development and marketplace problems of the truck - the very first truck and a brand new category of vehicle. Read More

Happy 40th birthday to the Corolla!

By Mike Hanlon

September 5, 2006 Cars come and go but the Toyota Corolla – much like Dr Who – has regularly regenerated to meet the demands of time and outlasted most rivals. This year the world’s biggest selling nameplate is celebrating its 40th birthday – and it is not finished yet. The first generation Corolla was introduced in Japan in October 1966. Now, 40 years on, the Corolla is built in 16 different countries, a barometer of the global expansion of Toyota towards its stated aim of becoming the world’s number one automobile manufacturer as much as the popularity of the model itself. In 2005 alone, 1.36 million Corollas were produced in 16 countries and by the end of June this year, cumulative worldwide production reached 31.60 million units. That represents more than 2,160 cars every day – 90.1 cars per hour, every hour – for 40 years. Though it's now four decades old as a nameplate, the best selling automotive design in history is not the Corolla but the Volkswagen Beetle which sold an incredible 21,529,464 over 68 years before it ceased production in Mexico in 2003, surpassing the previous titleholder, the Model T Ford (16.5 million) in 1972. And the most prolific motorised conveyance in history is the Honda Super Cub scooter which reached 50 million units sold late in December, 2005. Launched in 1958, the Super Cub is the first motor vehicle to achieve total sales of 50 million units.A trip down memory lane in the image gallery. Read More

Audi first to win international motorsport championship with a diesel engined sportscar

By Mike Hanlon

September 5, 2006 Congratulations to Audi on becoming the first car manufacturer to win an internationally recognised motor racing championship with a car powered by a diesel engine. Having made history by winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with its revolutionary Audi R10 TDI, Britain’s Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, of Italy, have added to the German manufacturer’s incredible 2006 success story to take the prestigious American Le Mans Series championship. That’s six starts and six wins so far and it’s a far cry from the until-recent perception of diesels as those rough-sounding, smelly, commercial vehicles that billow black smoke. Read More

The 640 bhp MINI QED plug-in EV

By Mike Hanlon

September 4, 2006 Q.E.D. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "quod erat demonstrandum" which means, "which was to be demonstrated". In simple terms, it indicates that something has been definitively proven. Accordingly, the MINI QED electric hybrid is aptly named as it dispels any doubts about the validity of in-hub electric motors playing their part in the future of the automobile. PML FlightLink designs and manufacture electric motors, EV drive systems, joystick controls and controllers and bespoke motors for specialist applications and the MINI QED was built to showcase their expertise in wheelmotors, with a view to supplying what we expect will be a booming market in electric vehicle applications over coming decades. The result is a MINI with four times the horsepower of a Cooper S, supercar performance and the prospects of some very serious EVs in the near future. The QED is a ripper, using four 120kW (160bhp) wheel motors complete with invertors to convert momentum back into stored energy under brakes. With one on each corner you have Ferrari-like power and very controllable independent drive on all four wheels. In the MINI QED, this package offers a 0-60mph time of 3.7 seconds and a 150mph top speed – supercar territory. An on-board petrol engined generator offers enough electrons to run continuously at motorway speeds without depleting the battery, and you can plug it in at night and commute in full electric mode if you wish. Read More

Honda’s all-new CR-V

By Mike Hanlon

September 4, 2006 The Honda CR-V has posted strong retail sales everywhere since it was launched but with the benchmark being raised daily in the increasingly crowded SUV sector, Honda has completely reengineered the CR-V to be even better on the road at the same time as being more practical. The entirely-new Honda CR-V will hit showroom floors in January 2007 and according to company sources promises a driving experience as good as a D-sector saloon car, improved equipment levels and two optional active safety systems that are unique to the SUV segment. The first, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a radar-controlled cruise control function which maintains a set distance to the vehicle in front, while Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) predicts collisions and warns the driver, before applying strong braking and retracting the front seatbelts if the situation becomes critical. The new CR-V will receive its international show debut in Paris on 28 September. Read More

Nissan and Marc Ecko forge partnership

By Mike Hanlon

September 1, 2006 Nissan North America has teamed up with lifestyle fashion superstar Marc Ecko to create what’s being billed as a “unique strategic partnership blending the world of fashion and automotive design.” The announcement was made at the MAGIC men's apparel and accessories trade show in Las Vegas and the partnership will allow each brand to retain their individuality while expanding their audience and reach. To celebrate the partnership, Ecko will modify two of Nissan's most popular SUVs - the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Armada - giving each a hip, new design inspired by his clothing lines. The two one-of-a-kind vehicles will be displayed at events across the country following a special unveiling in October in New York. Read More

Power steering first for Yamaha Grizzly ATV

By Mike Hanlon

August 31, 2006 In a first for the ATV market, Yamaha has introduced an electric power steering system on its new Grizzly 700 EPS. The Grizzly’s power steering system varies with both vehicle speed and engine speed (RPM), so that the rider benefits from more assistance when needed at low speeds and tight corners and less when on the move. Powering the Grizzly 700 EPS is the proven fuel injected, four-stroke forward-inclined single cylinder and liquid-cooled engine now with a ceramic composite coated, all-aluminium cylinder and a swept volume of 686cc, a reverse-facing air intake, electronic fuel injection, straight intake tracts and four valves per cylinder. The Grizzly comes in several variants including a duck hunting version complete with rifle carrier and a box to keep the ducks in (pictured). Another great photo gallery with this story. Read More

Mitsubishi launches Lancer Evolution IX MR and Lancer Evolution Wagon MR

By Mike Hanlon

August 29, 2006 Mitsubishi’s new Lancer Evolution IX MR high-performance 4WD sports sedan (GSR/RS) and Lancer Evolution Wagon MR high-performance 4WD sports wagon (GT/GT-A) went on sale at affiliated dealerships throughout Japan today. The MR designation is an abbreviation for Mitsubishi Racing, and is restricted to the most prominent sports model in Mitsubishi's line-up. The new models are the second group of MR models released by Mitsubishi, the first being the Lancer Evolution VIII MR launched in February 2004. The new models mark the 14th iteration of the series that began with the Lancer Evolution in October 1992 and both sedan and station wagon are third-generation compilation models and are designed with a focus on on-road sports driving. Read More

GM builds the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle

By Mike Hanlon

August 28, 2006 Way back at the start of 2005, the world’s largest automotive manufacturer, General Motors, showed the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle at the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), billing it as the culmination of US$1 billion of intensive research it had conducted into fuel cell technology. Like most show cars, the Sequel was not a working model, but now General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner has gone on record as saying “the most technologically advanced car GM has ever built” has actually been built, has an operating range of 300 miles, and will be made available to journalists in the near future. The Sequel is a truly remarkable vehicle, having superseded the AUTOnomy and Hy-wire as GM’s primary showcase of future fuel cell vehicles. See the extensive technical diagrams and photographic library we have assembled here, and read on for all the available detail. Read More

International Race Formula for hybrids set for 2007

By Mike Hanlon

UPDATED September 4, 2006 Here's one out of left field. Only a week ago we reported on the coming Formula Zero series for fuel cell go karts. Now comes the breaking news from Italy that N.Technology S.p.a. and Tatuus s.r.l. have signed a deal to produce a new single-seater Formula car. Tatuus, which builds Formula Renault cars, will take care of bulding N.Technology’s concept and will also provide technical assistance and spare parts service to the teams involved in the new series.

The new single-seater car will have a 2-litre, 4-cylinder, 250-bhp engine, gearbox and clutch controls on the steering wheel and has been conceived to be fitted with an hybrid engine system. N.Technology's Andrea Fiorani reports that the first season for the formula will be the 2007 season. Formula N.T07 cars will compete in a new international series within the European rounds of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Eurosport will be responsible for the TV production and broadcasting of the events of the international series. That's the first sketch of the Formula N.T07 car which predictably looks a lot like a Formula Renault - more news when it comes to hand, but we must say we're excited at the prospects of creating an environment where creative and higly competitive engineers develop hybrid technology. Read More

JCB DIESELMAX pushes diesel record to 529 km/h … then 563km/h

By Mike Hanlon

August 25, 2006 Last Friday (August 18) , the JCB DIESELMAX broke the Bonneville record speed for diesel engines, setting a time of 317 mph. On Tuesday (August 22), the vehicle broke the FIA international land speed record for a diesel vehicle with 328.767 mph (529.099 kph) and beat the existing record by more than 100 mph. Returning to the Bonneville Salt Flats with its FIA sealed engines on Wednesday, things went even better. Running soon after daybreak driver Andy Green recorded 365.779mph (588.664kph) on his first run and 335.695mph (540.248kph) on his return, giving an average of 350.092mph (563.418kph). It was the third speed record achieved by the JCB DIESELMAX in only six days, and demonstrates the power and reliability of its Ricardo-developed engines. There’s a fascinating rundown on the technical development of the engines in PDF format available here. Read More

Volkswagen Reveals Iroc Sports Car Concept

By Mike Hanlon

August 25, 2006 Volkswagen has revealed its Iroc sports car concept at a special event in Berlin last night. The Iroc marks the return of the Scirocco, Volkswagen’s iconic sports coupe, which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show 33 years ago. Under the bonnet, the Iroc features Volkswagen’s TSI petrol technology, which uses a turbocharger and a supercharger to produce diesel-like consumption with impressive performance. Designed to maximise driving fun, the concept has a 210 bhp TSI engine, but a range of TSIs, starting from under 150 bhp, are also feasible. Most distinctive, however, are the gauges and controls in the Iroc’s cabin. Two large and newly-designed round instruments form the visual centre of the cockpit. The driver looks into two cylinders with twelve illuminated bars which create a three dimensional segmentation within the instruments. The Iroc combines practicality with driving fun and expressive design in a car that as a possible series-production vehicle would be “attractively positioned in price” according to VW. Read More

British Racing (Very) Green Lotus

By Mike Hanlon

August 24, 2006 Lotus has always danced to a different drum. When the rest of the world was building muscle cars in the sixties and seventies, it went the other way. Light weight, superb handling, miniscule frontal areas and svelte aerodynamic efficiency became the hallmarks of Lotus roadsters which always did more with less. Now the Lotus brand is further extending its values towards the responsible use of resources with the Lotus Exige 265E which runs on environmentally friendly bio-ethanol E85 - 85% ethanol alcohol and 15% petrol! As the Exige uses a supercharged and intercooled engine, Lotus engineers saw the opportunity to prove the point that green sportscars can offer high performance by exploiting the performance characteristics of ethanol. Ethanol has a high octane rating, which allows an optimum timing for engine ignition and has a fast flame speed in the combustion chamber, so the fuel burns faster, increasing the efficiency of the engine. Ethanol has less stored energy per unit volume than gasoline so the fuel economy is less, however as E85 ethanol is 85% sourced from renewable bio matter, there is a net reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2). The beauty of using ethanol though, is its ability to produce more power in the engine than with conventional petrol and the Exige 265E is the most powerful road Exige ever. The Exige 265E now produces 264 bhp at 8000 rpm (up 21% over the petrol Exige S), and 184 lbft of torque at 5500 rpm (up 16%). The performance figures are pretty healthy for a green machine: 0-60 mph in 3.88 seconds, 0-100 mph in 9.2 seconds and a top speed of 158 mph! Read More

The cars with the highest retained value after three years and 60,000 miles

By Mike Hanlon

August 24, 2006 It doesn’t matter what you call it – residual value, retained value, depreciated value – it’s the key variable in the cost of ownership of any car and it would be folly to purchase any vehicle over another without first investigating the amount of money you’re likely to get for it when you sell it. Lex is the UK's largest contract hire provider of company cars and vans, owning a fleet of 180,000 cars and vans and supplying over 20,000 businesses across the UK, including two thirds of the FT-SE 100 companies. Given such a rich database of information, each year it compiles a list of the ten vehicles with the greatest retained value after three years and 60,000 miles on the road. Traditionally, the Porsche Boxter is the car to beat, winning the title of the highest retained value (54% last year) four years in a row, from 2002 (results), 2003 (results), 2004 (results) and 2005. Last year the German manufacturers had a clean sweep of the top 10 with an amazing six BMWs, two Mercs and two Porsches beating out all other nationalities of manufacturer. This year Lex has produced its first-ever Top 10 residuals list for cars in three price sectors - below UKP15,000, UKP15,000 to 30,000 and above UKP30,000. The results underline the wide choice of vehicles available to today’s company car drivers and show that style, individuality and build quality are now the key factors in enabling a car to retain its value. German cars are still strong, but Japanese, English and Swedish manufacturers are also now well represented. Read More