Articles tagged with "Automotive"
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Renault’s Twingo communicating city car concept
October 2, 2006 After previewing its spectacular Nepta Concept with motor-driven gull wing doors in the weeks leading up to the Paris Show, we figured Renault had played all its cards, but we were very wrong. At the opening of the show, Renault trotted out the youth-culture-inspired Twingo Concept, the most wired and desirable city car we’ve yet seen. The centre console features a USB port as well as sockets for devices like an Apple iPod and the Nokia Smartphone. A mixing deck built into the dashboard is ideal for partying with friends. The tiny city car is no slouch – powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine delivering 73kW (100hp), the Twingo combines efficiency, response, power and environmental friendliness. (read more...)
Ford iosis X concept
Updated October 2, 2006 Ford of Europe's Design team has interpreted the Company's distinctive new 'kinetic design' form language in an exciting new crossover concept - the iosis X – which makes its debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. One of the specific purposes of iosis X is to prepare the public for the introduction of a future Ford of Europe niche model. Ford Europe’s CEO John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe. "The iosis X is intended to send a very strong message that we will be entering this market in around eighteen months from now, and that our new model will be both stylish and individual." (read more...)
New VW CrossGolf combines SUV and MPV
September 28, 2006 Volkswagen will be showing a new crossover version of the Golf at the Paris Motor Show which opens today. The CrossGolf merges the can-do qualities of a compact SUV with the versatility of a small MPV into a new model. SUV means “Sports Utility Vehicle”, denoting a significantly more “civilian” stage on the path to the “tough” off-road vehicle. Approximately 480,000 compact SUVs were sold in Europe in 2005. MPV means “Multi Purpose Vehicle”, referring to a van. With its versatile and spacious interior, the CrossGolf also bridges this segment which sold 1.4 million compact SUVs in Europe in 2005. As a combination SUV and MPV, the new CrossGolf is precisely positioned between these poles and has no direct competitor in this class due to its positioning and conception. (read more...)
Audi launches the R8 Mid-engined Supercar
Updated October 2, 2006 On the eve of the 2006 Paris Motor Show, Audi has unveiled its R8 supercar. Audi Chairman, Dr Martin Winterkorn told the assembled press how the R8 project had been a very personal one for him, having started the process when he returned to Audi as chairman in 2002, and having overseen the design and engineering teams for the past four years. “Everyone has been looking forward to this day, the world premiere of our first mid-engined sports car. It is a key moment in the history of Audi.” The mid-engined two-seater is powered by a five-litre V10 ‘biturbo’ engine with FSI direct fuel injection, developing 449 kW (610 bhp) at 6,800 rpm. Previous article and details here. (read more...)
EuroCombi – innovative commercial vehicle concepts unveiled at IAA
September 25, 2006. The International commercial vehicle industry has opened up a new chapter in truck history at the IAA, where it has presented the innovative commercial vehicle concept “EuroCombi” to the public for the first time. The modular and road-friendly combinations are designed to transport 50 percent more goods per vehicle while reducing the amount of traffic. As such, they represent one way of dealing with the expected 20 percent increase in freight transport by 2015. The EuroCombi consumes 15 percent less fuel for each ton of transported goods, and ideally could replace 23 percent of conventional truck trips and thereby reduce long-haul traffic in Germany alone by 2.2 billion vehicle-kilometers a year. In international transport, EuroCombi can generate economic savings of more than 10 percent, and cut operating costs by 16 percent per palette area. The EuroCombi consists of a truck (tractor) with a semitrailer attached to a dolly, or of a tractor truck with a semitrailer to which a trailer is connected. Two EuroCombi variants are being presented at the IAA: a volume-oriented concept with a length of 25.25 meters and 48 tons of GVW, and a weight-oriented variant of the same length and up to 60 tons of GVW. (read more...)
Kia pro_cee’d concept car previews all-new Kia cee’d hatch to launch in 2007
September 20, 2006 The custom of Asian manufacturers giving ridiculous names to their export offerings was taken to new levels today by Korean auto manufacturer Kia in naming its latest concept car the pro_cee’d, complete with an underscore and apostrophe. Set for a Paris Motor Show debut later this month, the strikingly styled, pro_cee’d showcar is based on the forthcoming three-door ‘sporty hatch’ version of the all-new Kia cee’d C-segment model. This five-door family hatchback has its world premiere (in production-ready form) at Paris and will be manufactured at Kia’s first European assembly plant in Slovakia from November 2006. (read more...)
The American-built Brammo Rogue GT – 850 bhp and 225mph
September 19, 2006 First details have emerged for the Brammo Rogue GT; the first V12 supercar designed and built in the USA. Brammo Motorsports has partnered with Ryan Falconer Industries to bring the famous Falconer V12 to the automotive marketplaceand the launch version of the car will use a naturally-aspirated 10 litre V12 engine tuned to deliver 850bhp and 1,000 Nm of torque. The Rogue GT will weigh in at 1315 kg and have a top speed in the 225-230 mph range, running through Xtrac’s new transverse transaxle six-speed transmission system which is designed to handle high levels of torque of up to 1,100Nm. But wait, there’s more - the Brammo/Falconer V12 engine can deliver a power output of up to 1,100 bhp in normally aspirated, and up to 1,600bhp (1,200kW) when turbocharged or supercharged, so it’s quite possible that the Bugatti Veyron’s days as the world’s fastest road car are numbered. (read more...)
Moonbeam the 100mpg DIY car costing US$2500 (and 1000 hours)
September 19, 2006 In a world where the price of oil is trending towards infinity, large companies are quickly seeking alternative energy sources for transportation. Jory Squibb decided he’d build an economical vehicle using conventional technology, and set about creating it from second-hand motorcycle parts. The resultant vehicle, christened MOONBEAM, gets 80-85 mpg around town and under economy run conditions (max 40 mph) delivers 105 mpg. Two scooters for the bits cost US$500, and the entire project took 1000 hours (a year of 20 hour weeks) to complete, with a total of US$2000 costs beyond the initial scooters. Moonbeam has a Variable speed transmission, so there’s no gear shifting (hand controls only). So if Jory can do this, from existing parts, in his garage, in his spare time, why is it that Honda, Toyota et al can't deliver us a 100mpg automobile? (read more...)
Hyundai C-Segment Arnejs concept
September 15, 2006 Hyundai has released the first pictures of its stunning Arnejs concept; the best clue yet as to what the company’s all new C-segment car will look like when it arrives next year. The Arnejs, pronounced Ar-nez, will be formally unveiled the Paris Motor Show, on 28 September 2006. Designed at Hyundai’s European Research and Design centre in Russelsheim, Germany, the Arnejs builds on design elements first seen in the Genus concept at Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. And it marks a further significant milestone in Hyundai’s development of a stronger brand identity. (read more...)
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI - the world’s most powerful diesel passenger car
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...)
BMW Hydrogen 7 - production-ready, hydrogen-gasoline V12 Saloon
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
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
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...)
Citroen's spectacular C-Metisse Concept
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
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...)
Audi first to win international motorsport championship with a diesel engined sportscar
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
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...)
BRP’s four-wheel EXIT Concept aimed at Gen Y
September 1, 2006 Gen Y consumers (14 to 23 year olds) are a complex lot, an intriguing market to attract. They are environmentally-conscious, thrill-seeking, competitive and they like to define their own counter culture. In seeking to address these fickle consumers, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) has developed an interesting new and innovative motorized recreational vehicle aiming to provide the highest fun factor with the lowest amount of horsepower. The BRP EXIT, is a 4-wheel crossover vehicle, positioned somewhere between a trial motorcycle and a BMX bicycle. Powered by a low horsepower Rotax 4-TEC engine, it is lightweight, small and simple with a high fun factor. To make it light and easier to handle, the frame of the EXIT is a minimalist steel centre beam known as a Surrounding Spar Technology (SST) frame, like the ones used on BRP's all-terrain vehicles, supporting an equally minimalist polyethylene body structure. (read more...)
GM builds the Sequel advanced hydrogen fuel-cell concept vehicle
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...)
Volkswagen Reveals Iroc Sports Car Concept
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...)
BMW incorporates thermal imaging into newly available Night Vision driver assistance system
August 23, 2006 Thermal Imaging has long been used by the military to see in the dark in mission-critical situations, so it’s not surprising that it is being used in BMW’s new Night Vision driver assistance system. In using thermal imaging as the basis for the system, BMW engineers have opted for an approach that places greater focus on detecting people and animals at danger. Objects which radiate heat are shown particularly bright and are therefore drawn to the attention of the driver. In urban areas, lighting is usually sufficient for drivers to recognise dangers with the naked eye, but BMW Night Vision is most effective on country roads where pedestrians, cyclists and animals can be detected earlier. The system also has advantages on unlit streets or dark courtyards and poorly lit car parks. Australian accident statistics show that 45 per cent of fatal road accidents occur at night, even though more than two thirds of all driving is done during the day, so the new system addresses a serious issue - driving at night represents a significant potential danger. The Night Vision system is now available as an option in the BMW 7 Series, 5 Series and 6 Series. The thermal imaging camera covers a range of up to 300 metres or almost 1,000 feet ahead of the car, almost twice as far as near infrared systems on the Mercedes S Class and the Lexus LX470. Great image gallery with video. (read more...)
EOS Highway 1 concept debuts at Pebble Beach
August 19, 2006 Volkswagen is debuting the Eos Highway 1 design study at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this weekend. It will be showcased on the Concept Lawn in front of the Lodge at Pebble Beach, an ideal setting to emphasize Eos Highway 1’s seductive blend of elegance and sporty dynamics. The production Eos 3.2 L, with standard DSG, goes on sale October 2, 2006 at US$36,850. (read more...)
The Gold-plated Porsche
August 16, 2006 The town of Pforzheim in south-west Germany is famous for its jewellery and watch-making industry and accordingly is known as “the City of Gold.” The city is also the home of the first Gold-plated Porsche. Visualis, which is situated in Pforzheim, commissioned an artist to gild a Porsche Boxster in 22 carat beaten gold last year and now comes the news that the Gold Boxter will be followed by a limited edition model and nine further Porsches will be plated. All the major components, from the control elements such as the steering wheel and door knobs to the car body and alloy rims, are all gold plated, making the two seater extraordinarily expensive, and a price that Visualis has not yet disclosed. Nine further Porsche Models will undergo the same, unique refinement process to continue the creative project. Visualis’ Petra Koehler reports that “curious people are already anxious to know who are going to be the owners of these magnificent automobiles.” If you fancy owning such an exquisite object, perhaps start by emailing Petra. (read more...)
All-New Chevrolet Camaro almost identical to NAIAS concept
August 11, 2006 GM CEO Rick Wagoner announced yesterday that GM will build an all-new version of the Chevrolet Camaro sport coupe based on the award-winning concept that stole the spotlight at the North American International Auto Show. The all-new Camaro will begin with early production versions at the end of 2008 and will go on sale in the first quarter of 2009. The new Camaro will be almost identical to the concept, a thoroughly modern interpretation of the 1969 model, considered by many to be the best design of the car’s first generation. The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sport coupe will feature an independent rear suspension, and will be offered in a variety of models with the choice of manual and automatic transmissions and V-6 and V-8 engines. Extensive image library. (read more...)
The all-new BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV)
August 9, 2006 The original BMW X5 has been an unqualified success since it hit the showroom floor seven years ago as the first SUV-type vehicle to offer a genuinely sporty car-like drive, and still holds its own in a very competitive category. Yesterday, BMW took the wraps partially off its successor, which comes with more power, lower emissions, better fuel consumption, an all-new six-speed automatic gearbox and a range of technologies which are new to the market segment such as a head-up display, run-flat tyres, and Adaptive Drive suspension management. It’s also BMW’s first ever car with a third-row of seating for added practicality. (read more...)
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