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Automotive
Camless combustion engine may improve ICE efficiency
By Paul Evans
19:44 July 12, 2009 PDT
A petrol powered Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) is approx 25-30% energy efficient at the flywheel and around 15% energy efficient at the wheels. There are many losses within the engine itself including friction and waste heat from the combustion process, but Sweden's Cargine Engineering thinks that eliminating the parasitic losses of the camshaft by building a camless engine may help improve energy efficiency. Using pneumatically driven actuators to shoot the valve open the camless engine concept can provide fully variable valve lift and fully variable lift duration without a camshaft in sight. Read More
Jaguar's all-new XJ luxury four-door flagship
By Gizmag Team
01:34 July 10, 2009 PDT
Jaguar has unveiled the company’s new four-door flagship model XJ in London and on first appearances it looks to be a winner, building on the design and technological platforms of the recent XK and XF models to deliver a beautiful and functional range of luxury family cars. The extensive range includes an economical diesel powerplant through to the 470 bhp Supersport supercharged V8 rangetopper, with several levels of cabin luxury and short and long wheelbase models. While the panoramic glass roof is the most obviously visible innovation, the car is a technological tour-de-force and cannot be left off the list for any potential purchaser in the category. Read More
What’s red on the outside and green on the inside? London’s new hybrid buses
17:47 July 9, 2009 PDT
There’s no better way to test the realities of hybrid technology than with public transport, where significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions are not just desirable, but a commercial necessity. London got a little greener this week with the delivery of six new Volvo B5L hybrid double-decker buses to Arriva London. The new buses are powered by Volvo’s parallel hybrid I-SAM technology which, used on bus routes in Gothenburg, Sweden, has delivered fuel savings of 30%. Read More
Goodwood Festival of Speed: faster, greener and partly pedestrian
21:33 July 8, 2009 PDT
Once a year, car connoisseurs and speed freaks gather together at Goodwood House, Essex, to witness the fast, the furious and the utterly fantastic. This year’s 17th Festival of Speed held last weekend was no exception. A crowd of over 150,000 saw the fastest man on earth drive Jaguar’s fastest, Renault’s zero emission concept, Ferrari climb the hill in under a minute, Audi celebrate 100 years, Maserati’s newest, and Porsche set a new world record…on foot. Read More
Calling all cars – futuristic cop cruiser takes to LA streets
By Darren Quick
21:41 July 7, 2009 PDT
A new vehicle billed as the most technologically advanced police car in the world is due to begin testing in the US. Based on the Australian-built Holden Commodore, which were rebadged as Pontiac G8s in the US, the car aims to turn a standard vehicle into a ‘virtual office’ for emergency services personnel. It replaces the cluttered, cockpit-style gadgets that abound in current police cars with a large single touchscreen display embedded in the passenger dash and throws in some Bond style crime fighting gear like an air gun that fires a laser guided GPS tracking device onto fleeing vehicles. Read More
BMW X1 to hit market in October
20:09 July 5, 2009 PDT
There’s no doubt that when BMW promises, it delivers. Last year we reported from the Paris Motor Show on the unveiling of the Concept X1, which BMW promised to have to market in 12 months. And, sure enough, one year later here it is: BMW’s first compact SUV (essentially it’s an X5 shrunk to a more city-friendly size) with a choice of two- or four-wheel drive and the first in the X series to have Auto Start-Stop. Read More
Cobra SL3 GPS finds traffic cameras, is blind to radar
By Alan Brandon
18:24 July 5, 2009 PDT
At first glance the Cobra SL3 looks like a normal radar detector, but it’s really a GPS-enabled speed camera locator. The SL3 features a built-in, updateable database of speed camera and red-light camera locations. Its LED indicators and alert tones warn you when you approach a camera location so you have time to slow down. Read More
The out of this world Extra Terrestrial Vehicle
By Darren Quick
00:15 July 2, 2009 PDT
We're not sure ET would have settled for cruising in a basket attached to a bicycle if he'd seen the Extra-Terrestrial Vehicle (ETV). Contrary to its name, the ETV was actually built by Earthling Mike Vetter at his Florida-based car customization company, The Car Factory. Made by stripping the body of a Chevy Aveo and replacing it with a futuristic shell, complete with gull-wing doors, the aerodynamic ETV will get at least 40 mpg and turn more than a few heads while doing it. Read More
Noise-free rubber promises a quieter ride
By Jeff Salton
16:20 July 1, 2009 PDT
A quieter, more enoyable ride could be just around the corner with the development of a self-lubricated, low-friction rubber formulation that helps overcome noise caused by certain automotive components like suspension bushings and engine mounts. Read More
Mazda3 iStop puts engine in pause mode
By Jeff Salton
23:24 June 30, 2009 PDT
One of the bug bears of driving in city traffic – apart from the time delays – is the often deplorable fuel consumption of stop-start driving. To help overcome this, the new Mazda3 2.0 Sport comes with iStop technology which pauses the engine (rather than stopping it), which the company says delivers increased fuel economy while reducing CO2 emissions. Read More
Car share program launched with new Maya 300 electric vehicle
20:15 June 30, 2009 PDT
Baltimore has taken the environmental benefits of car-sharing programs a step further by launching one that features the all-electric, zero local emissions Maya 300. Powered by a lithium-ion battery, the Maya 300 seats five, can travel up to 120 miles on a single charge, has a top speed of 35mph and can be charged via a standard 110V household electrical outlet. Read More
‘Go anywhere’ amphibious vehicle might go under
By Jeff Salton
00:38 June 30, 2009 PDT
Fed up with your Ferrari? Lamborghini a bit lame? Rarely get a reason to take your dinghy out of the shed? Haven’t scared the neighbors for a while? If you've answered yes to at least three of these questions, then the Scamander RRV could be just what you’re looking for. Before his death in June this year, former-TVR owner Peter Wheeler built the Scamander RRV (rapid response vehicle), a car that could drive on track, off-road or even on the water, all while carrying four people. Read More
Electric vehicle trials gain traction in UK
By Jeff Salton
04:09 June 26, 2009 PDT
A raft of electric vehicle related news from the UK this week with Mitsubishi, Ford, Toyota and BMW (through its Mini brand) all getting a piece of the action. A total of approximately 340 all-electric and hybrid vehicles will begin trials on UK roads within the next 6-18 months. Read More
BMW’s new voice control is a much better listener
20:50 June 24, 2009 PDT
BMW has taught its built-in voice control system to better understand spoken commands. Available with all models from September 2009, the new BMW Voice Control will allow a driver to tell the navigation system a destination with a single voice command. Similarly, the entertainment system can be told to find and play a selection by the name of the artist, album or even a specific song title. Read More
Road-legal Vmoto SCARTT bridges the gap between quad bike and SUV
By Loz Blain
19:07 June 23, 2009 PDT
Quad bikes offer big off-road thrills and go-anywhere versatility for cheap dollars, but they're not the safest things in the world to ride on the road. SUVs are popular for their comfort and safety on the highway, but most are pretty limited in their off-road abilities, and they're so expensive you're unlikely to feel too carefree about throwing them down a ravine trail. The Vmoto SCARTT sits somewhere in between; a little larger and wider than a quad bike, but with two seats, seatbelts, a roll cage and genuine roadgoing ability to match its featherlight, fishtailing offroad giggle factor. The manufacturer's hoping to sell these 500cc practical fun machines for around the quarter of the price of a typical SUV. Oh, and wait til you see the super-sexy hybrid-electric sportster version. Read More
Electric smart ready for small series production
By Mike Hanlon
15:43 June 22, 2009 PDT
Following a four-year U.K. trial of 100 electric smart fortwo electric drive cars which began late 2007, Daimler has decided to produce a limited run of the fully electric eco vehicle which will become available in 2010. The 30kW smart ed (electric drive) uses lithium-ion battery technology to power itself to an electronically limited top speed of 60 mph and is as simple to drive as a dodgem car. With no gear changes required, the diminutive smart can reach 30 mph in a respectable 6.5 seconds, making it ideal as a city car with short stints on the freeway. Read More
Death on wheels - the brain-slapping Calavera Ferrari
By Mike Hanlon
03:04 June 22, 2009 PDT
The Calavera Ferrari is a signature car from Bavaria's Unique Sportcars, which offers hyper exclusive automotive services for customers wanting something more than common garden variety exoticars – it offers personalised design and full implementation with craftsmanship to fine art levels. The Calavera (Spanish for skull) cuts through the brain's clutter in a similar way that brands such as A-Style, FCUK, Porn Star et al achieve nuclear levels of brand recognition. Take a close look at the modified 700 bhp Ferrari F430 and you'll see a not-so-subtle skull with a dagger through it emblazoned on every panel. The Calavera initially transfixes you, wondering what the hell it is. The weekend wheels of a Bulgarian mafia don? The company car of one of Batman's adversaries? It is unquestionably an exquisitely produced piece of machinery yet it has some seriously sinister overtones. The skull has signified death since cavemen times but add a dagger and it signifies a violent and premature death. Needless to say, the Calavera polarised opinion in our offices. Some of our crew liked its in-yer-face-ness, claiming the extreme reactions it catalyses are good art doing its job, challenging perception. Others used words like desecration and neo-vandalism. The end result is a car that demands the spotlight like nothing else. Read More
Mercedes CLS gets sporty upgade with release of Grand Edition
03:14 June 19, 2009 PDT
Merecedes-Benz is introducing a new variant in its CLS-Class four-door Coupé which features a slightly tweaked diesel engine and a host of cosmetic changes, including 18” AMG alloys and more stylish front grille louvres and headlamp housings. The CLS Grand Edition will be available in the UK from July, with a limited release of only 560 cars. Read More
Riversimple hydrogen-powered urban car provides fuel for thought
00:16 June 19, 2009 PDT
The Riversimple Urban Car, a hydrogen-powered two-seater capable of speeds up to 50mph and of traveling more than 200 miles without refueling, was unveiled in London this week. While the prototype car is itself a welcome development in sustainable travel, the aim of the company behind it is even more ambitious: to completely eliminate the environmental impact of personal transport. Read More
Toyota Corolla Verso first Euro vehicle with Gentex rearview camera mirror
03:56 June 18, 2009 PDT
Toyota is claiming a European first by including a Gentex Rear Camera Display (RDC) mirror in its new Toyota Corolla Verso multi-purpose vehicle. The mirror has a built-in LCD screen that automatically displays a rear-camera view when the vehicle is shifted into reverse and then disappears when any other gear is selected. Read More
Mercedes-Benz's ESF2009 Experimental Safety Vehicle showcases safety systems of the future
By Loz Blain
00:26 June 18, 2009 PDT
When Mercedes-Benz produced its last safety demonstrator car back in 1974, it showcased exotic new technology like airbags, head restraints and seatbelt tensioners - things which have become almost ubiquitous on new cars 30 years down the track. So it's worth taking a good look at some of the wild and crazy innovations on Benz's ESF2009 Experimental Safety Vehicle if you want to see where Mercedes thinks road safety is going in the next few decades. How about high-beam multi-zone headlights that intelligently dip only the LEDs shining directly at oncoming cars? Or inflatable metal structures that pop up for extra strength in a crash? What about a huge inflatable braking airbag that pops out under the car to provide a massive high-traction contact patch and doubles your braking power in an imminent crash? Amazing stuff, and there's more. Read More
Mazda now painting cars greener
17:57 June 17, 2009 PDT
The Mazda Motor Corporation continues to find ways to be a better global citizen with a car painting system that it says has the lowest environmental impact in the world. The new “Aqua-Tech Paint System” reduces the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 57% and, happily, improves the paint job. Read More
GTbyCitroen to star at Goodwood Festival of Speed
04:48 June 17, 2009 PDT
This year’s Festival of Speed is almost upon us and as usual, a stellar array of go-fast-gear will assemble to take on the famous 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill. Among the highlights will be the GTbyCitroën, an outlandish concept car designed for the virtual world of Gran Turismo 5 that first appeared in its real world guise at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Read More
Moby concept car puts the squeeze on city traffic
By Paul Best
18:47 June 16, 2009 PDT
Moby – so named after the big white whale of American literary fame – is an incredibly slim, three-wheeled electric concept vehicle designed to sail through, one assumes, the narrow openings in choked city traffic, like a motorbike. Or a latter-day Captain Ahab. Read More
Hankook's enfren low rolling-resistance tires deliver 5 percent fuel saving
By Karen Sprey
01:52 June 9, 2009 PDT
Hankook says its new range of low rolling-resistance tires could delivering significant fuel savings and environmental benefits without consumers having to upgrade their car. The silica compound enfren tire achieved a 5.1% saving over conventional steel belt radials in a recent Fuel Economy Challenge using two identical Hyundai i30 SLX CRDi hatches. Read More
leojman
- November 23, 2009 @ 07:42 UTC
