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Automotive
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
Electric Car Grand Prix announced
By Mike Hanlon
05:56 June 8, 2009 PDT
TTXGP, the world’s first clean emission eGrandPrix has announced plans for a return to the Isle of Man in August 2010. In a development on the TTXGP 2009 event to be run later this week, plans for 2010 include an extended motorcycle race with two laps including pit-stops and hot-swappable batteries and plans to include a class for electric cars. It is an enormous irony that the first electric car race is looming at exactly the same time as the myopic Formula One circus hurtles towards self destruction with talk of strikes, alternative series and erratic governance. Read More
CarGo concept beats the hell out of traffic
By Paul Best
19:23 June 7, 2009 PDT
One of the corollaries of increased urban density is nerve-shredding traffic congestion and billowing pollution. So anything that addresses these problems receives our applause – like the compact, battery-powered CarGo goods van that is designed to negotiate the urban jungle, making frequent deliveries without fuss or fouling the air. Read More
The world’s most economical police pursuit car
By Mike Hanlon
07:06 June 6, 2009 PDT
We’ve seen a few exotic police cars in our time, but this is the first high performance diesel machine created for the constabulary and most likely the most luxurious, comfortable and economical into the bargain. Jaguar UK has launched a high performance Police pursuit vehicle based on its XF Diesel S model. Read More
Tesla delivers 500th Roadster EV
By David Greig
21:09 June 3, 2009 PDT
Tesla Motors has delivered its 500th Roadster to New Jersey Philanthropist Martin Tuchman. The fledgling electric car company - 10 percent of which was acquired by Daimler last month - also has 1000 reservations for its Model S electric sedan and plans to roll into Europe this year, opening showrooms in London, Monaco and Munich, as well as Seattle, Miami, Washington, Chicago and a second New York store in the Chelsea Art District. Read More
GM’s OnStar predicts injury severity using real-time crash data
By Alan Brandon
18:07 June 2, 2009 PDT
General Motors has announced a new capability for its OnStar service, which the car manufacturer hopes will reduce emergency response times and save lives. The new feature, called Injury Severity Prediction, analyzed real-time vehicle crash telemetry data to predict how severely the occupants may be injured. OnStar then alerts emergency services so that they can react more quickly and appropriately. Read More
Toyota F1 team puts hardware up for sale
By Mike Hanlon
18:32 May 28, 2009 PDT
Despite a propensity to eat its own, Formula One is still the globe’s most watched sporting series, and its merchandising machine is evident on the streets of every country in the world. The t-shirt, cap and key-ring knock-off makers will have a hard time replicating the latest offerings from the Toyota Panasonic F1 team though. The company has begun selling the used high-tech parts from its racing cars. A complete rear wing, engine cover and underbody section, virtually half a car, can be had for just UKP4,400 – we suspect some very realistic game console accessories will emanate soon due to this very clever move. “While stocks last” promises to be an apt sales pitch as F1 nutters rush to snap up the bargains. Read More
Tata unveils world standard truck range
By Mike Hanlon
14:45 May 28, 2009 PDT
India's Tata Motors is best known for its US$2500 Nano budget car. More recently, its purchase of the iconic British marques Jaguar and Range Rover, and successful relationships with Daewoo and Fiat underlined the tectonic shifts underway in the global transport industry. Further evidence of the growing Indian powerhouse was presented yesterday when Tata pulled the wraps off a range of trucks comprising multi-axle trucks, tractor-trailers, tippers, mixers, and special application vehicles from 10-to-75 tonne GCW, and 150-to-560 bhp. The power, carrying capacity and operating economy of the range will raise the global bar for performance at a lower life-cycle cost. Read More
Foam-bodied Spira set to make a soft impact on deadly Asian roads
By Loz Blain
22:07 May 27, 2009 PDT
A good product must be perfectly adapted to its market - and the Spira looks like an excellent fit for the chaotic conditions of South-East Asian roads. This odd little three-wheel two-seater weighs only 300-odd pounds (130kg) - that's because it uses a super-lightweight reinforced foam for 90 percent of the bodywork. It gets well over 100mpg from its 110cc engine, it's light enough to lift by hand, and the foam shell has huge safety benefits, both for the occupants and for the legions of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists that swarm the roads of Thailand. Oh, and it floats. Read More
Lancer Evolution FQ-400: 403bhp from just 2.0-liters
By David Greig
18:57 May 27, 2009 PDT
As the performance flagship of Mitsubishi’s rally inspired Lancer Evolution X series, the FQ-400 packs a serious punch. The lightweight aluminum 2.0-liter turbocharged MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) petrol engine delivers 403bhp at 6,500rpm with a peak torque of 525Nm at 3,500rpm and as the quickest road-going Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X to date, the FQ-400 is capable of reaching 62mph from standstill in an estimated 3.8 seconds before reaching an electronically limited 155mph. Read More
Electric concept vehicle in the clear
By Paul Best
19:41 May 26, 2009 PDT
Smaller car = less weight = less energy to get from A to B. It's a simple equation that's well understood by those looking to design the car of tomorrow. Among them is industrial designer Alan Kravchenko, who caught our eye with this clean-lined concept for a compact urban commuter dubbed the Peugeot Clear. Read More
Will the stars align for Scuderi's high-efficiency split-cycle engine?
By Loz Blain
01:00 May 25, 2009 PDT
For more than 100 years people have been trying to come up with an engine design to supercede Nicolaus Otto's four-stroke internal combustion motor. Scuderi is the latest to take a stab, recently unveiling a prototype of a split-cycle engine that relegates the "suck" and "squeeze" strokes to one cylinder, and the "bang" and "blow" strokes to another - for a claimed efficiency improvement of up to 50%, emission reductions of up to 80% and a power density improvement of up to 70%. Meanwhile, it's also able to store large amounts of compressed air, allowing it to run as an air/petrol hybrid when cruising. President Obama's new national efficiency standards represent an opportunity for groups like Scuderi to pitch clever clean engine technology to major manufacturers - but has the split cycle engine got what it takes? Read More
New BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
By Mike Hanlon
19:26 May 24, 2009 PDT
BMW has announced the 5 Series Gran Turismo, a car which combines a coupé-like silhouette with the luxurious interior of a BMW 7 Series, while at the same time giving the functionality of a BMW 5 Series Touring or X5. Available as either a four-seat Executive specification car or in a five-seat SE configuration, the Gran Turismo's truly innovative feature is a two-piece tailgate offering two ways of opening the rear of the vehicle depending on the objects needed to be stowed. Read More
Swiss Super Coupe – the 858 bhp Sportec SPR1 4WD Super Coupe
By Mike Hanlon
06:04 May 22, 2009 PDT
Start with a Porsche, throw away all the bits and reengineer or replace everything, then slot in an 858 bhp twin turbo engine – that's the Swiss-made Sportec SPR1. It's one of the few production cars in the world capable of more than 380 km/h. Using exotic materials of all kinds, weight has been pared down to just 1345 kg, enabling the beastie to hit 100kmh in three seconds and 200 kmh in 8.7 seconds. The electrically adjustable chassis adapts itself to any requirements at the push of a button and those massive, ultra-light forged rims enable gigantic brakes capable of stopping from 100 km/h in just 36 metres More than half of Sportec’s limited SPR1 production run has already been sold and the UKP600,000 car will be seen outside Switzerland for the first time at the hyper exclusive Salon Privé at London's Hurlingham Club in July so prospective British customers can appreciate it in the flesh. Read More
Daimler buys 10 percent stake in Tesla
02:19 May 22, 2009 PDT
Daimler AG has announced the acquisition of almost 10 percent of fledgling Californian EV producer Tesla. The deal, which should help Tesla meet its planned 2011 launch date for the Model S sedan, is the latest news in an ongoing relationship between Tesla and the German automotive giant which also includes a previously announced agreement to supply lithium-ion battery packs in the first 1,000 units of Daimler’s electric smart car. Read More
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa fetches world record $12.1 million at auction
20:54 May 17, 2009 PDT
The world record for a car sold at auction tumbled as predicted on the weekend when this 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa fetched 9,020,000 Euro (more than USD$12 million) at the “Ferrari Leggenda e Passione” in Maranello, Italy. Beautiful, rare (only 22 similar models were made) and with a rich and successful race history that began with a debut in the Buenos Aires 1000km in 1958, the 250 TR chassis no. 0714TR was snapped up by an anonymous phone bidder. Read More
The Mini turns 50
By Mike Hanlon
02:41 May 15, 2009 PDT
The Mini, perhaps the most iconic automobile in history, is about to turn 50 years of age. Runner-up in the Car of the Century competition, the Mini was catalysed by the fuel rationing resultant from the 1956 Suez Crisis. Its price and frugality at the pump made the BMC Mini a symbol of freedom for baby boomers and its status as an emblem of the swinging sixties was reinforced in 1966 when The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, gave each of the Fab Four a Mini Cooper S as a gift. George Harrison had his Mini painted with psychedelic images, yantras and Sanskrit mantras and it subsequently starred in The Beatles’ film Magical Mystery Tour. BMW, which now owns both Mini and Rolls Royce, has come up with a fresh interpretation of the extravagant original Mini to coincide with the brand’s 50th birthday. Read More
Nissan GT-R sets another Nurburgring Lap Record
By Mike Hanlon
13:45 May 14, 2009 PDT
Though being criticised by some senior motoring journalists as lacking "character", Nissan's GT-R continues to take all before it in the real world, and there is no greater testimony to this than yet another lap record at the infamous "Green Hell" - the renowned Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. We reported a few weeks back that the GT-R had created a new lap record of 7 minutes 27.56 seconds on April 15 and was continuing to attack the record. It seems Nissan is as adept at manipulating the media as it is at building cars because today it announced that it set a new record of 7 minutes 26.70 seconds - the record was set on April 23, a week after it broke the last one and a full three weeks ago! Read More
World’s first billing system for electric vehicle charging posts
By Mike Hanlon
02:58 May 14, 2009 PDT
A ground-breaking tool for monitoring and invoicing electricity drawn from vehicle charging stations was unveiled at the Norwegian zero-emissions exhibition, EVS 24, yesterday. The EBConnect from British company Elektromotive, will make it easy to identify energy consumption and bill customers accurately and will be installed in the 140+ Elektrobay charging stations across the UK. Read More
Efficient Load - Optimal road freight trip and load planning
By Mike Hanlon
16:19 May 13, 2009 PDT
How can companies maximize truck capacity utilization and at the same time plan trips so that the burden on the environment and transport costs are reduced? A new software system couples cargo space utilization and trip planning, to optimize transshipment, order combination, loading sequence and route planning. An up-and-running version which can be integrated into existing trip planning software is expected by the end of 2009. Read More
Next-generation variable ratio drive pulley Stop-Start system
By Mike Hanlon
19:25 May 12, 2009 PDT
A new generation of Belt-Integrated Starter Generator (B-ISG) has been developed by powertrain engineering consultancy Integral Powertrain. The stop-start system with new multi-mode, variable ratio drive pulley brings substantial improvements in cost, runs the airconditioning with the engine-off and delivers CO2 reduction significantly beyond today’s best stop-start technologies. Read More
Ferrari set to withdraw from Formula One
By Mike Hanlon
16:51 May 12, 2009 PDT
May 13, 2009 In an announcement that shocked the motor racing world yesterday, Ferrari has signalled its intentions to withdraw from Formula One next year. Ferrari’s Board of Directors announced a EUR 54 million Q1, 2009 trading profit, only slightly down compared to EUR 59 million last year. At the same time it criticised the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile for its decision to introduce “two different sets of regulations based on arbitrary technical rules and economic parameters.” The Board announced that unless the regulatory framework for Formula 1 is changed, then “the reasons underlying Ferrari’s uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years – the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 – would come to a close.” Read More
New multi-speed Electric Vehicle transmission improves EV performance and range
By Mike Hanlon
16:08 May 12, 2009 PDT
The Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS) opens in Norway today and will see the official unveiling of a novel multi-speed electric vehicle gearbox by transmission specialist Vocis. Simulations show that a two-speed configuration could reduce the battery energy consumed by 5-10 percent over the industry-standard New European Drive Cycle, without any significant increase in overall cost or packaging volume, as well as extending battery life and providing the potential to substantially downsize the powertrain and battery pack. Read More
Audi revs up and down with new stop-start technology
By Darren Quick
01:10 May 11, 2009 PDT
It may sound obvious, but the most effective way to cut a car's fuel consumption is to turn the car off. Of course that isn’t very useful if you're trying to get from A to B. But for many trips, particularly for city driving, a car can be idle for a significant amount of time. Such stop-start driving is far from being fuel-efficient, but Audi has turned that around with a new system that shuts down the engine when the car comes to a stop. The start-stop system joins a new on-board computer, as part of Audi’s modular efficiency platform, which is designed to reduce fuel consumption and cut carbon emissions. Read More
UK team Develops plug-in hybrid retrofit kit for ICE vehicle
By Paul Evans
20:39 May 7, 2009 PDT
Automotive engineering facilities in the UK have joined forces to design a system which allows conventional delivery vans to be cheaply converted to run in a zero-emissions, all-electric mode for urban use. The ADDZEV (affordable add-on zero emissions vehicle) system was developed using a standard Vauxhall Combo van, retaining the existing conventional front-wheel-drive (FWD) system and an adding an electric drive in parallel for the rear wheels. The vehicle can operate with just front wheel drive powered by the internal combustion engine or can turn off the petrol engine and run with rear wheel drive under electric power only. Read More
matthew.rings
- November 24, 2009 @ 06:31 UTC
