Automotive
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Mercedes-Benz Presents Crossover Concept at Hanover
A new crossover concept from Mercedes-Benz will gauge the level of interest in vehicles that depart from the beaten track and take new roads into the future at this year's International Commercial Vehicle Fair (IAA) in Hanover at the end of September. Combining American styling with European dimensions and dynamism, the Activity study combines the different automobile cultures in Europe and America and is based on the Mercedes-Benz Vito van and Viano MPV. (read more...)
Honda NSX Police Car
We've covered some exotic police cars in Gizmo, such as the Lamborghini Gallardo and the Dodge Magnum SXT, but the unveiling of a Honda NSX in police livery has added weight to the trend. The car was exhibited by Avon and Somerset Police in the UK at a car show and drew some interesting responses from the punters. (read more...)
KIA to show new concept KCV-III sports car at Sydney Show
There'll be a new place to look for a sports car at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney (7-17 October 2004) with Kia, best known for its top selling family cars, revealing the KC-III, a sports car study that is set to join the Kia range. Designed at Kia's Namyang R&D Centre, the KCV-III is a small coupe convertible that showcases the best-of-breed technologies and styling that Kia will be incorporating in its future line-up. (read more...)
Formula Ford revamped after 40 years
The world's most successful racing car category will undergo its most radical upgrade since its launch in the late '60s, with the introduction of a new 1.6 litre Ford Fiesta road-car engine and front and rear aerodynamic aids. Ford has announced a new engine and aero package for Formula Ford in 2006 to complement its five-year financial commitment to Formula Ford. (read more...)
Significant new rotary engine design runs on compressed air
There is no other motor as efficient as the Di Pietro Rotary Air Engine. It is 100% more efficient than any other air powered engine built to date and its high torque makes it the first air engine suitable for mobile applications. The invention has the capacity to revolutionise transportation, plus offer a multitude of energy-saving benefits in stationary applications. The engine has no emissions, is very quiet, has constant high torque, a low parts count, no vibration and is very efficient - only 1 PSI of pressure is needed to overcome the friction to enable movement. (read more...)
Smart roadster - schizophrenic automobile on test
In the case of the smart Roadster, the word Smart is both a brand and an adjective. The global automotive industry is a voracious user of global resources. This year it will create 60 million cars and consume around 50% of the world's oil production, 50% of rubber production, 25% of glass production, and 15% of steel production. If everyone drove a smart car, we'd make a massive shift towards smart sustainable living. The feel-good Smart Kart is two cars in one - a ballsy sportster and a good citizen with modest consumption for everything except fun. (read more...)
8WD Electric limousine handles like a sportscar
The KAZ (Keio Advanced Zero-Emission Vehicle) is a Japanese-designed Italian-built limousine prototype with eight wheels. The KAZ is not your average limo though. The all-electric KAZ can travel at 300kph and it handles more like a sports car than a 6.7m-long whale thanks to its computer-controlled eight-wheel drive train and low centre of gravity for added stability and handling around curves. (read more...)
Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione at Australian Motor Show
Alfa Romeo will provide one of the highlights of the 2004 Australian International Motor Show by displaying the 300 kph Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione. Designed and developed at the Alfa Romeo Style Centre and debuted at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 8c Competizione is a new icon for Alfa Romeo, evoking the great sports car tradition of which the name is part. In the Thirties and Forties, the '8c' signature identified the racing and road cars that were equipped with the new eight cylinder engine developed by the famous engineer Vittorio Jano. The term 'Competizione' is a tribute to the 6C 2500 Competizione, the sports coupe driven by Fangio and Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race in 1950. Therefore, '8c Competizione' is not an invented name, but a clear reference to Alfa's racing history. (read more...)
English company shows V10 hybrid sports car
An entirely new spin on the hybrid automobile has been developed by Connaught Motor Company (UK) - a V10-electric hybrid engined, Type-D sports coupe capable of 140mph, 0-60mph in 6.2s, and a stunning 42mpg while still complying with ultra-low emissions targets set for 2010. Connaught plays down the Type-D's hybrid drive, wishing to distance its sports coupŽ "from existing hybrid cars with their utilitarian aura and earnest greenness." So for 'hybrid', read Connaught's alternative description: HigherBred. They think of the electric motor as a torque-assist system, a means to an end rather than an end in itself. (read more...)
Citroen's versatile Pluriel - five cars for the price of (a cheap) one
September 14, 2004 Different cars suit different purposes. It's a sad fact that few cars tend to meet more than a handful of those purposes. Accordingly, we love Citroen's convertible C3 Pluriel, a single car that can convert in seconds from a versatile hatch back, to a hatch with a massive open roof, to cabriolet, then a spider and, finally a Ute with a drop down tail gate. All of this versatility does not come at the expense of good looks, as would be expected of a company that has already won world's most beautiful car crowns for the Citroen C3 and C2 models. Nor does it come at the expense of ... err, expense. At AUD$31,490, the Pluriel versatility is very cost effective. (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz CLK designo by Giorgio Armani
Mercedes-Benz will be presenting an exclusive special-edition CLK-Class Cabriolet personalised by the renowned Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani at the Paris Motor Show. The colours and materials used give the successful four-seater Mercedes cabriolet a highly distinctive look. Only 100 units will be offered worldwide as part of the exclusive Mercedes-Benz designo range, which allows discerning customers to personalise their Mercedes-Benz using a selection of exclusive material and paint finish options. Each of the 100 vehicles represents the common design philosophy of Mercedes-Benz and Giorgio Armani and will be issued with a certificate that confirms its limited-edition status. (read more...)
The new Golf GTI - New design, new engine, new fascination
The new Golf GTI is on its way, powered by a 200 horsepower turbo engine and set for delivery in Europe in Q4. First unveiled in 1976, the new Volkswagen Golf GTI will be the fifth generation of a vehicle with an extraordinary brand recognition - 93.2% of all Europeans equate the GTI letters with the high performance Volkswagen Golf and the standard Golf is Europe's top-selling car. To power the Golf GTI, Volkswagen is using a newly developed 2.0 litre FSI turbo engine. The 147 kW direct injection petrol unit powers the GTI to 235 kmh, a remarkable increase from the original (then regarded as firebreathing) GTI's 81 kW and 182 kmh top speed. (read more...)
Peugeot creates the 907 GT coupe
August 27, 2005 Peugeot always saves its best for it's home motor show and at last year's Paris Motor Show it unveiled several radical new designs, and without doubt one of the most beautiful motor vehicles ever seen - the magnificent 12 cylinder Peugeot 907 GT coupe. The 907 GT has been so popular and such an icon for the brand over the last twelve months that it will again be seen at Frankfurt this year. is the archetypal touring car, discreet, but processing a sculpted and elegant shape, luxurious on account of the choice of materials it incorporates, and also extremely sporty as a result of its styling and its engineering credentials. (read more...)
New hydraulic hybrid technology developed by EPA and Ford.
A new hybrid technology known as hydraulic launch assist system (HLA) promises dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency, performance, and cost-effectiveness. Initially developed by the Environment Protection Authority in the US, initial tests on the proof-of-concept chassis has since led to remarkable progress with the release of a Ford F-550 commercial demonstration vehicle earlier this year. The HLA has a regenerative braking system that can reportedly improve fuel efficiency by 25 to 40 percent. It works by recovering some of the energy wasted as heat by the vehicle's brakes when slowing. This energy is harnessed and used to propel the vehicle the next time it needs to accelerate. The hydraulic system offers great advantages for vehicles operating in stop and go conditions because the system can capture a large proportion of the energy lost to the automobile when the brakes are applied. (read more...)
Details of the Volvo Extreme Gravity Car
The origins of the soapbox derby or billykart race are not well documented, or so we thought. Volvo's press release on its Extreme Gravity car dates the first organised soapbox derby in 1933 at Dayton Ohio, USA. Regardless of the accuracy of that claim, the Volvo Extreme Gravity Racer is far removed from those original vehicles. Comprised of water-jet-cut high-strength aluminum, carbon fiber composite and fiberglass, the machine is a feast for the eyes of anyone who has ever built such a gravity machine. (read more...)
Honda Develops Intelligent Night Vision for automobiles
Honda has announced an Intelligent Night Vision System for automobiles, which uses "far infrared" cameras to detect pedestrians in or approaching the vehicle's path. The system provides the driver with visual and audio cautions to help prevent accidents involving pedestrians. The new system will be available on the Honda Legend in Japan later this year. (read more...)
Honda announces fuel cell, hybrid and electric scooters
Honda Motor Company has announced its intentions to hotly contest the sustainable future of two wheel transport by showing several new prototype model developments surrounding fuel cell, electric and hybrid (petrol/electric) scooters. Building on its success with fuel cell automobile technology, the most significant announcement was a scooter powered by its light, compact fuel cell system, the Honda FC Stack. (read more...)
Ferrari F430 features a number of significant innovations
With Ferrari technology dominating Formula One, the world's most watched sporting spectacle, the unveiling of the F430 Ferrari is doubly significant in that it also signals the arrival of a new generation of Ferrari 8-cylinder models. This new car takes Ferrari's extraordinary achievements with aluminium technology, begun with the 360 Modena, to a whole new level, and offers a series of extremely significant innovations directly derived from the Ferrari Formula 1 single-seaters. Two of these innovations are world firsts for production cars: the electronic differential (E-Diff) and the steering wheel-mounted switch (better known to the Formula 1 Scuderia's drivers as "manettino"), which manages the integrated systems governing vehicle dynamics. (read more...)
New automotive accessory adds significant horepower and torque
Now here's a story we couldn't resist. Owners of Ford F250 and F350 vehicles with the 7.3L Powerstroke diesel now have a safe, easy way to improve acceleration, towing power and even fuel economy. Diesel performance technology company Edge Products now offers a system it calls "Juice With Attitude" consistently produces up to 75 more HP and at least 190 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. The kit installs in about five minutes using factory-style connectors. By plugging into PCM connections, the Juice enhances signals for fueling, turbo boost and ignition timing. (read more...)
Audi DSG manual gearbox arrives
Audi has a long tradition in the development of innovative transmission technologies and their use in production vehicles and the company's latest variation on the theme is the Direct Shift Gearbox or DSG. The DSG is a six-speed manual transmission that can offer both manual and automatic transmission. It uses all the same ingredients as a manual transmission but with an extra clutch. (read more...)
Stretched MINI - with on-board spa
MINI brought a smile and a couple of world records to the Olympics in Athens when it unveiled a new six-metre long MINI XXL. The oversized compact will service visiting celebrities in Athens and is sure to make an impression thanks to its fully-functioning on board spa. The XXL has a detachable hardtop roof section which pulls away to reveal the spa. And it's the first MINI ever to have room for an awesome foursome in the back, thanks to two rows of paired seats. (read more...)
'World's Fastest Wheel' Offered Unreserved
One of the massive 1.32 metre-tall steel wheels which carried Donald Campbell to his World Land Speed record of 645km/h at Lake Eyre 40 years ago is for sale. Complete with specially constructed Dunlop tyre, the wheel was one of 12 used on the 9.1 metre long, 4354kg 4,500 horsepower Bluebird during Campbell's rain-delayed record attempt during 1963 and 1964, which culminated in the record on July 17, 1964. The son a legend, Campbell's died less than three years later when his Bluebird hydroplane crashed at high speed attempting to break his own water speed record. His body was only recovered and buried three years ago in 2001. (read more...)
Blade Runner Dual-mode vehicle
UK-based Silvertip Design has an exciting new project that it hopes will revolutionise freight and passenger travel. After years of research and development Mechanical Engineer and head of Silvertip Design Carl Henderson has produced the "Blade Runner", a dual-mode vehicle that could transport passengers or freight over long distances on rail or road. Similar in concept to the JR Hokkaido vehicle train/bus concept, recently featured in Gizmo, the potential benefits of an affordable dual-mode vehicle are immense, especially in areas of government economic and civil planning, as well as the commercial sector. (read more...)
A new breed of high performance electric car
The Tango is an electric car no wider than a motorcycle, with a passenger or luggage space located tandem-style behind the driver. It is so narrow that four Tangos can fit in a normal-sized parking space. Despite its precarious looks, it has a very low centre of gravity and will stop , accelerate and corner faster than almost anything else on the road. It may look vulnerable but it has a carbon fibre body shell and a race-approved roll cage structure which make it a very safe, capable and environmentally responsible vehicle. (read more...)
Bike-o-Meter accessory for the Siemens M65 Mobile Phone
Siemens Germany has released an optional IBS-600 Bike-o-Meter which transforms the new M65 mobile phone into an innovative bike computer, and simultaneously serves as a holder for the phone. The Bike-o-Meter's feature set includes all the functionality of a bike computer (speedometer, time, maximum and average speed and other related calculations), and it can also display predefined route information. Users can use the M65 to retrieve training routes entered previously, or to save new tours with waypoints. (read more...)
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