Automotive

The Courreges Zooop EV

By Mike Hanlon

July 10, 2006 The Zoop is a high performance 150 kW three seat electric car that weighs just 690 kilograms and has a range of 450 kilometres. It won a special award at the recent international sustainable mobility event, the Michelin Bibendum Challenge for its extreme performance. Remarkably, the Zooop is not the product of an automotive manufacturer, or even an automotive design house. It is the third fully-operative EV prototype produced by globally renowned Paris-based fashion design house Maison de Courreges and has had very little publicity outside of the car's native France. Which is all very surprising, because in the heady world of fashion, the husband and wife team of Andre and Coqueline Courreges are superstars. Both Andre Courreges and Coqueline Barriere were (separately) apprenticed and mentored by one of the original fashion designer icons Cristobal Balenciaga. Andre Courreges opened the Maison de Courreges in 1961 and was one of the most influential designers of the swinging sixties, most famously as the inventor of the miniskirt but also responsible for the trouser suit, the Moongirl look and gogo boots. Now Madam Coqueline Courreges is championing the electric car and looks set to make history in a new sphere. Read More

Microsoft goes F1 racing

By Mike Hanlon

July 7, 2006 In February this year we discussed the fascinating call by the governing body of international motorsport, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), for expressions of interest in providing the standard electronic control system for all F1 cars as part of the drive to reduce the sport's prohibitive costs. Overnight it was announced that Microsoft MES has been selected as the official ECU supplier to F1 in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Now the world's largest software vendor has had its eye on the automotive environment as one of the cornerstones of future computing for some time, recently winning Best Telematics Solution at the Telematics Detroit 2006 with its Microsoft Windows Mobile for Automotive platform, BUT ... let's hope the boys and gals from Redmond are on the ball with this one as anything less than perfect is not good enough in the world of F1 and it could prove to be the almightiest gaffe in Public Relations history if perfection isn't achieved. A large chunk of the world's population watches a Formula One race and F1 drivers are particularly unforgiving of technical failure when they get a microphone in front of them. Read More

The Limited Edition Rolls Royce Phantom Black

By Mike Hanlon

July 7, 2006 Rolls-Royce will unveil a new special edition at the Goodwood Festival this weekend in the form of the "Phantom Black."

Only 25 Bespoke Phantom Blacks will be hand-built to demonstrate the best in Rolls-Royce design, engineering and craftsmanship and emphasise the Phantom's impressive performance and dynamic character. High lustre metallic Diamond Black paint is used on the body, complemented by twin silver coach lines. 21-inch alloy wheels come fitted with high performance Goodyear run flat tyres and feature unique black detailing and centre caps with RR badges, engineered to stay upright even at speed. At the rear of the Phantom Black, visible tail pipes hint at the car's performance. No price has been announced as all 25 Phantom Blacks have already been allocated to customers around the world. Read More

The World 0-100-0 and SS quarter mile production car champion

By Mike Hanlon

July 6, 2006 A week ago we ran a story about the complete dominance of Autocar’s annual 0-100-0 mph comparison test by the world’s most powerful, most expensive and fastest automobile, the Bugatti Veyron with its remarkable numbers being 987 bhp, US$1.6 million, 406km/h and thanks to the AutoCar test, 9.9 seconds for the sprint to 100 mph and back to rest. What AutoCar failed to do, and what we failed to mention, was that it had omitted the world record holder for the 0-100-0 journey, the British built and designed US$130,000 Ultima GTR road car. The 720 horsepower 990 kilogram Ultima is built in small numbers, but we thought it sporting that we should set the record straight, on account of the Ultima having twice broken its own 0-100-0 world record which now stands at 9.4 seconds set on June 1, 2006, half a second quicker than the Bugatti. To cap it off, the car set a standing quarter time of 9.941 seconds on June 9 (with a terminal speed of 143mph), making it the fastest production road car over that distance too. And just to prove it was driven to and from the track, that's Richard picking up his maccas on the way home from the world record. Read More

Mercedes E-Class now with E-Guard ballistic optional protection

By Mike Hanlon

July 5, 2006 Last November Jaguar announced itself as the first mass-produced vehicle manufacturer to offer an armoured passenger car when it put the Armoured XJ Long Wheelbase luxury saloon car on its brochure. Now Mercedes Benz has followed suit, and as of today, the new-generation E-Class can be ordered with a ballistic protection package (known as E-Guard) directly ex factory. Mercedes and Jaguar join a host of boutique manufacturers of armoured luxury vehicles such as Donald Rumsfeld’s preferred choice of the Rhino Runner, to the Russian Combat T-98 Armoured Luxury SUV. The world can be a hostile and dangerous place with hundreds of war zones around the world at any given time, plus many countries where assassination and kidnapping are routine. Despite wars and organized criminal activity, life has to go on, and there are some people who feel the need to be transported in the manner befitting their station in life. The prime advantage of the Mercedes E-Guard system is that the cars have no external markings indicating their capability – so your adversaries will only find out you’re protected after they’ve played their hand! Read More

Nissan GT-S Concept

By Mike Hanlon

July 1, 2006 British Nissan development engineers working in their spare time have transformed a 350Z into a highly tuned ‘Saturday Special’. Called the GT-S, the supercharged super coupe is a performance-focused version of Nissan’s acclaimed ‘Z-‘car’ and is designed to appeal to enthusiastic 350Z owners who simply want more. Its first public outing will be at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (7-9 July) as an official Nissan-sanctioned entry in the hill climb, a sign the company is giving the GT-S concept serious consideration. Using a Novidem supercharger, power has increased by more than 25 per cent from 300PS to 382PS, while torque rises from 353 Nm to a heady 425Nm. Performance gains include a one second cut in the benchmark 0-60mph time (5.8 seconds for the standard 350Z) with 2.5 seconds slashed from the 0-100mph time. Read More

The limited edition Morgan Aeromax

By Mike Hanlon

July 1, 2006 In March 2005, traditional English automobile manufacturers Morgan released images of an extraordinarily beautiful one-off design commissioned by Prince Eric I. Sturdza, President of Banque Baring Brothers Suisse. Conceived as a comfortable long distance Touring Coupe, it had a gullwing boot opening, hardwood and traditional pleated leather interior and a large flat load area behind the seats plus an extraordinarily exquisite shape courtesy of Morgan stylist Matthew Humphries. The huge interest created by the images has resulted in the Morgan Motor Company deciding to produce a limited run of just 100 individually numbered cars starting in January 2008. Priced at UKP94,000 ex factory plus taxes, the company anticipates a strong response to this unique vehicle. Read on to find out how to join the reservation list. Read More

Jaguar's supercharged 4.2 litre XKR sports car

By Mike Hanlon

July 1, 2006 Jaguar yesterday revealed its new supercharged sports car – the Jaguar XKR. Building on the XK that debuted in 2005, the XKR will be available as a Coupe or Convertible. Like the XK model, the new supercharged XKR makes intelligent use of practical, modern technology such as an industry-leading aluminium monocoque structure that results in a light and yet very stiff body. An uprated 420bhp (SAE) supercharged V8 engine and class-leading calibration of a state-of-the-art, six-speed automatic transmission deliver accessible, real-world, high performance of 0-60mph in 4.9 seconds, 50-70mph in just 2.5 seconds and has an (electronically limited) top speed of 155mph. The all-aluminium body construction delivers a lighter, stiffer car, with excellent agility. At 1665kg, the Coupe is 70kg lighter than its predecessor, while the 1715kg Convertible is 100kg lighter than the previous convertible XKR. Read More

The world’s fastest cars from 0-100-0 mph (in order)

By Mike Hanlon

One of the measures of sporting performance that’s rarely used but highly relevant when measuring extreme automotive performance is the zero to 100mph and back to zero time. It incorporates both acceleration to a suitably ridiculous speed and braking from that speed to the safety of standstill again and it’s more of a guide to sporting prowess than simple standing start quarter mile times. Each year in the U.K., the world’s oldest motoring magazine runs the fastest cars against each other using this test and this year there has been a new entrant which has wiped the floor with all others. Not surprisingly, given that it has a 987bhp 16-cylinder engine and a top speed of 400 kmh, the UKP 880,000 Bugatti Veyron has blitzed everything else on four wheels by a massive margin – what is surprising is that it has also blitzed a credible representative of the fastest of the two wheel brigade as well, managing to beat a Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike by nearly a full second. Read on for the complete list of the times by 25 of the world’s fastest cars, from the 14th placed UKP79,995 Aston Martin V8 Vantage to the second-placed UKP34,995 Ariel Atom. Read More

1906 land speed record holder to go under the hammer

By Mike Hanlon

June 28, 2006 Bonhams was founded in 1793 and is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. Appropriately, Bonhams will auction one of the world’s most famous automobiles which qualifies both as an antique and a work of art - the world land speed record breaking 1905 Darracq. The 200hp Darracq was designed as a sprint special and was completed on 28 December 1905. Just two days later it set the first of a remarkable string of records undertaken on both sides of the Atlantic. On 30 December 1905, untried and untested, the car reached the speed of 109.65mph, breaking the world land speed record. Remarkably, this historic French racing car has had only two owners from new - Sir Algernon Lee Guinness, from the famous brewing family, who bought the car from Darracq in 1906, and the present owner who purchased it from the family after Guinness died in 1954. Powered by a fearsome 25.4-litre engine the Darracq is thought to be the oldest surviving V8 car in existence will be sold in Bonhams' traditional Olympia sale on 4 December. Read More

Caparo T1 for Goodwood Festival of Speed

By Mike Hanlon

June 28, 2006 One of the world’s most exclusive road and track cars, the Caparo T1, is to make its UK debut at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 7- 9), the world’s biggest celebration of motorsport history. While the Caparo T1 prototype will form a static display this year, it will make attempt on the Goodwood hill climb in 2007. The brainchild of ex-McLaren engineers, the Caparo T1 has the pedigree and qualifications necessary for a serious attempt up the famous 1-mile hill - but not before completing a rigorous 2006 test programme. The world’s first production road car to exceed 1,000bhp-per-tonne promises an astonishing 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds and the closest experience yet to a Formula One race car on the track. Previous stories on the Caparo can be found here and here. Read More

Brabus Rocket takes title of World's Fastest Sedan with 362.4 km/h run

By Mike Hanlon

June 28, 2006 German Performance vehicle manufacturer Brabus has pushed its own world record for the world’s fastest sedan from 350.2 km/h (set by the 298,000 euro 640 bhp Brabus E V12 Biturbo earlier this year) to an incredible 362.4 km/h set at Nardo in Southern Italy by the 348,000-euro (US$437,575) Brabus Rocket, a new small-series production vehicle based on the new Mercedes CLS series. The heart of the new record car is the twin-turbo V12 engine from the latest Mercedes 600 models, suitably worked to increase displacement to 6.233 litres and with a maximum power output of 730 bhp (537 kW) at 5,100 rpm. The engine is capable of producing a peak torque figure of 1,320 Nm, but is limited electronically to 1,100 Nm, available from a low 2,100 rpm, all the way through the range. The Brabus Rocket accordingly accelerates like there’s no tomorrow, particularly given its luxury girth, achieving 0-100 km/h in 4.0 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 10.5 seconds, 0-300 km/h in 29.5 seconds, and just so you don’t do anything silly, the car is limited electronically for street-legal operation to 350 km/h. Extensive image library and full story on this outrageous four door “family sedan.” Read More

USB audio interface for Volkswagen models

By Mike Hanlon

June 27, 2006 Volkswagen is well known for its futuristic outlook and in keeping with this it has become the first manufacturer to make a USB audio interface module available across a wide range of Volkswagen vehicles. The USB module is a versatile music and data source that allows users to connect USB sticks and portable media players to the vehicle's audio system and listen to music without carrying CDs in the car. Available across Europe for the current Volkswagen Golf, Golf Plus, Jetta, Touran and Passat and the new Eos, the product is distributed exclusively via VW's accessories arm, Volkswagen Individual, as an aftermarket option. Read More

The new Mercedes-Benz CL-Class luxury coupe

By Mike Hanlon

June 27, 2006 The launch of the new CL-Class in autumn 2006 will see the latest iteration of the Mercedes-Benz coupe lineage which now stretches back 50 years. The luxury two-door traditionally combines exclusivity, design and cutting-edge technology and this latest version raises the bar in vehicle safety with the PRE-SAFE brakes - a system that automatically brakes the Coupe before an imminent rear-end collision. Furthermore, Mercedes innovations such as the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system, the Intelligent Light System with five lighting functions and PRE-SAFE anticipatory occupant protection all come as standard. Buyers have the choice of 8 or 12 cylinder engines, both delivering a notable increase in output and torque. Read More

The new Land Rover Freelander 2

By Mike Hanlon

June 25, 2006 Land Rover’s all-new Freelander 2 looks set to seriously shake up the compact premium 4x4 class following it’s world unveiling on Friday. New from the ground up, the Freelander 2 delivers outstanding on-road performance as well as the off-road ability of a true Land Rover. A dynamic design, purposeful stance, smart and spacious interior, and an abundance of advanced technologies complete the package. Land Rover is claiming a superior “total breadth of capability” for the new Freelander 2. Read More

Mercedes-Benz Telephone Module with Bluetooth offers new telephoning freedom

By Mike Hanlon

June 23, 2006 Mercedes-Benz new telephone module with Bluetooth (SAP-Profile) software offers a new level of freedom for mobile phone users, as it enables a mobile telephone to remain in the user’s jacket pocket or handbag. Once registered, the Bluetooth (SAP-Profile)-compatible mobile telephone is recognized by the new system as soon as it comes within range of the vehicle. Due to the SAP-Profile software (SIM Access Profile), the module automatically accesses the SIM card. In addition, access is also possible to the internal memories of specific mobile phones. This means that the user is not only able to telephone, but can also search for a stored number or read an SMS. All these functions can be safely and user-friendly controlled by the driver via the multifunction steering wheel, the audio system and the central display in the instrument cluster. Read More

The New BMW M6 Convertible

By Mike Hanlon

June 20, 2006 The world-famous performance division of BMW, M GmbH today unveiled the BMW M6 Convertible, continuing its tradition of producing ultra-performance luxury vehicles for the genuine motoring enthusiast. In terms of performance, it’s just the open air version of one of the world’s most capable performance vehicles. It shares all the same features as the M6 Coupe, including the back-to-back Engine Of The Year 5.0-litre V10, the variable M Differential Lock, the M Power button, Electronic Damper Control, new generation Dynamic Stability Control, Head-Up Display, a Sequential M Gearbox (SMG) complete with Drivelogic, a suspension developed for supreme dynamics and lap times on the longer Nordschleife loop of the fabled Nurburgring circuit are almost as fast as in the Coupe. The M6 Convertible immediately slots into the top bracket of the most desirable open sports cars available. Read More

Mazda MX-5 gets electrically-retractable hard top

By Mike Hanlon

June 20, 2006 Mazda will use the 2006 British International Motor Show (July 18-30) to publicly debut a new version of its top-selling Mazda MX-5 Miata equipped with a powered retractable hard top roof. Now in its 17th year of production and third generation of design, the MX-5 is already the top selling sports car of all time and can be expected to get a significant lease of life with the newfound convenience of an electrical hardtop. Read More

Grand Challenge winner talks autonomous robotic vehicles of the future

By Mike Hanlon

June 19, 2006 Those who had a passing interest in the DARPA Grand Challenge and the field of autonomous robotics will no doubt be interested to learn of AutoBlog’s recent article reporting on Dr. Sebastian Thrun's keynote presentation at the 2006 Sensors Expo. Thrun you may recall, was the project leader of Stanford University’s Volkswagen-based autonomous vehicle (aka Stanley) which won DARPA’s Grand Challenge for autonomous vehicles, hence ensuring himself a place in history. Apart from being director of Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab and Associate Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, we believe that robotics will become so ubiquitous one day, Thrun's work will be regarded as landmark in the same way that the Wright Brothers first flight is revered. Thrun openly discussed Stanley’s technology and even gets into the future of autonomous navigation on the roads. Read More

Audi triumphs with TDI diesel at Le Mans 24 hour

By Mike Hanlon

June 18, 2006 AUDI AG has written an important chapter in the history of motor racing with its historic triumph in the Le Mans 24 Hour race. The new Audi R10 TDI was the first diesel car to win arguably the toughest car race in the world. In front of a record crowd of 235,000 spectators, Frank Biela (Germany), Emanuele Pirro (Italy) and Marco Werner (Germany) clinched the sixth and most important Le Mans win for Audi so far. Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) also achieved a podium in finishing third overall. Read More

General Motors debuts panoramic windscreen

By Mike Hanlon

June 18, 2006 General Motors’ Astra range is available across the world under different brand names which are comfortably familiar to the locals such as Ion (planned for U.S.), Opel (Europe), Vauxhall (UK) and Holden (Australia), yet benefit from the best of GM's worldwide design capability such as the TwinTop. One innovation certain to have all countries holding their breath will be the new UK-only-at-this-stage Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch which is now available with a Panoramic windscreen. After an initial run on GTC models, the Panoramic roof will be available as an UKP850 (1250 Euro) option across the Astra Sport Hatch range. The windscreen is made of heat-absorbing glass and extends backwards past the driver’s head, to offer what GM claims is “an unusual yet stimulating driving experience, and a feeling of freedom from behind the wheel.” An electric blind can be slid forward should you crave some more shade. Extensive image section. Read More

Audi's new magnetic semi-active suspension system

By Mike Hanlon

June 18, 2006 The Audi TT is a cult car, an icon –from the day it made its debut, in autumn 1998, it took the sports coupe segment by storm, sharpening the brand's profile in the process. We reported on the coming of the second generation of this successful model in April but overlooked one of the most interesting facets of the new machine which uses a completely new form of damping technology developed in conjunction with Delphi that resolves the age-old conflict between comfort and driving dynamics without countenancing any of the otherwise unavoidable compromises. As a continuously adaptive system, it adapts the damping characteristic to the profile of the road and the driver's gear-shifting habits within just a few milliseconds. The shock absorber pistons on the TT do not contain conventional oil, but a magneto-rheological fluid – a synthetic hydrocarbon oil in which microscopically small magnetic particles measuring between three and ten microns are enclosed. When a voltage is applied to a coil – by means of a pulse delivered by a control unit – a magnetic field is created in which the alignment of the particles changes. They position themselves transversely to the direction of flow of the oil, and so inhibit its flow through the piston channels. This alters the characteristic of the damping characteristic much faster than is the case in conventional adaptive dampers. Read More

Peugeot unveils V12 HDi DPFS diesel motor

By Mike Hanlon

June 16 2006 A year ago this week, Peugeot announced its decision to take up a new technological challenge: to win the Le Mans 24 Hours race with a car powered by an HDi diesel engine. Though much of the potential thunder of winning in a diesel has been usurped by the already dominant perfrormanc eof the Audi disel race cars this year, Peugeot intends to use the race effort to showcase its brand values: reliability, dynamic performance, style illustrated by the feline lines and, finally, innovation expressed, amongst other means, by the use of environmentally friendly technology. The level of performance expected – more than 515kW (700 bhp) of power and a torque output greater than 1.200 Nm – is without precedent in a diesel engine and is a direct result of Peugeot’s current level of know-how in diesel technology, linked to the mechanical characteristics of the V12. Read More

Audi TDI diesel claims Le Mans pole

By Mike Hanlon

June 16, 2006 The Le Mans 24 Hour race will be held this weekend and as we’ve been suggesting for some time, there’s a big chance that the brutally fast Audi R10 TDI will create history becoming the first diesel to win the legendary event and marking a changing of the guard in motor-racing. We've previously reported on the development of the world's fastest diesel car and the R10's first big win at Sebring in March, but Just to make Le Mans even more worthwhile following, both 650-hp diesel Audi R10 TDI cars will start from the front row on Saturday at 1700 hrs French time, having qualified a whopping two seconds faster than any of the petrol-engined competitors. The race can be followed live on the internet. Read More

Renault presents research into fuel cells

By Mike Hanlon

June 14, 2006 Renault will be presenting the progress it has made in fuel cell research at the 16th World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Lyons, France this week. The presentations will illustrate Renault's decision to opt for vehicles powered by fuel cells with reformers in order to apply hydrogen energy to the automobile. This technology directly produces the hydrogen on demand and on board the vehicle, solving the problem of very high-pressure or cryogenic storage. Since 2002, Renault, Nissan and Nuvera Fuel Cells have been working together on this solution, which can be used immediately, without waiting for a hydrogen distribution network to be established. Read More