Articles tagged with "Automotive"
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Dodge Demon Roadster Concept
February 14, 2007 To be shown for the first time at the 77th International Motor Show in Geneva next month, the Dodge Demon concept is a compact, nimble “roadster with an attitude,” a balance of classic sports car proportion and simplicity blended with modern design and performance. Pitched as an attainable dream car, the Dodge Demon is powered by a 2.4 litre 172 bhp engine driving through a six-speed manual transmission. (read more...)
Can-Am Spyder roadster: three wheeled motorcycle
UPDATED IMAGE LIBRARY February 20, 2007 BRP has unveiled its first "on-road" vehicle, the 2008 Can-Am Spyder roadster. This three-wheel vehicle, with two wheels in the front and one in the rear, offers a completely new and stunning look. Powered by a proven 990cc V Twin engine designed and manufactured by BRP-Rotax, Spyder roadster, with its unique Y-architecture, can be described as part motorcycle and part convertible sports car. Later this year twelve selected American states and four Canadian provinces will offer Can-Am Spyder roadsters through BRP's existing dealer network, followed by France and Spain in early 2008. BRP will then expand its Can-Am Spyder offer to more North American states, Canadian provinces, Europe and other countries, and expects to be present worldwide within three to four years. (read more...)
The most expensive new car ever sold in the USA
February 9, 2007 The first Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe destined for the USA has been bought at a charity auction for US$2 million, making it the most expensive new car ever sold in the USA. Rolls-Royce launched the new Phantom Drophead Coupé at the Detroit Motor Show last month. The hand made two-door, four-seat convertible combines the latest in lightweight aluminium technology and is one of the fastest open top four seaters in the world. All of the US$407,000 Drophead Coupés to be built in 2007 have already been sold. (read more...)
Mazda Hakaze Concept Car: 4-seat coupe-style compact crossover SUV
February 8, 2007 Mazda will showcase its new Hakaze design concept at the 77th annual Geneva International Motor Show (Salon International de l’Auto de Geneve) next month, continuing its ‘Nagare’ design language lineage onwards from the Mazda Nagare and Mazda Ryuga which were revealed earlier this motor show season. Even when standing still, Hakaze seems to be effortlessly cutting through the air. The Hakaze is a four-seat coupe-style compact crossover SUV designed at Mazda’s European Design Centre and aimed at people in their thirties and forties who lead active, adventurous lifestyles. (read more...)
The mine-resistant, ambush-protected 6x6 SUV
February 8, 2007 For when the alternatives to not getting there just don’t bear thinking about, (or if your neighbour has a Hummer), perhaps give some thought to BAE Systems’ new 6x6 RG33. It’s designed with all the latest next-generation technology to help keep soldiers safe from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), small arms, heavy machine gun fire and mines. The highly survivable RG33 incorporates a monocoque V-shaped hull design leveraging knowledge gained in recent and ongoing conflicts, and offers significant interior volume for crew and mission equipment. The base model exceeds the survivability of all currently-fielded mine protected vehicles and the optional extras include tailorable armor packages, blast-resistant seating, transparent armor and unique reconfigurable interior stations. The power train platforms is designed to handle upgrades and enhancements. (read more...)
The Delica D:5 fuses minivan with SUV strength and 4WD
February 8, 2007 Mitsubishi has launched a fully redesigned Delica D:5 on the Japanese market - a minivan that delivers monobox roominess and utility together with high levels of performance and stability in on- and off-road driving. The 2.4-liter 4WD Delica D:5 went on sale at affiliated dealerships throughout Japan last week carrying a tax inclusive price tag ranging from 2,614,500 yen to 3,412,500 yen. Although classified as a monobox minivan, the Delica D:5 sports electronically-controlled 4WD and Active Stability Control (ASC) together with ample obstacle clearance angles and ride height to give it improved running performance and stability both on- and off-road. Other features that will instill a greater sense of safety and reassurance in its users include a new hoop-design "rib bone frame" body structure, a driver SRS knee airbag standard on all models, and plastic resin fender panels that are pliant and have superior shape recovery properties. (read more...)
The ZAP-X Electric Crossover - 155mph, 644 bhp, AWD, 10 minute recharge, 350 Mile Range
February 2, 2007 In a marriage seemingly well matched, electric automobile pioneer ZAP has chosen Lotus Engineering’s platform and body structure design as the basis for the development of the high performance electric ZAP-X. The car is based on the advanced APX (Aluminium Performance Crossover ) concept car and will be shown for the first time at the North American Dealers Association (NADA) exhibition which opens tomorrow (February 3). A combination of the lightweight aluminium vehicle architecture, a new efficient drive and advanced battery management systems is intended to enable a range of up to 350 miles between charges, with a rapid 10-minute recharging time. An auxiliary power unit is planned to support longer distance journeys. The good news for sports enthusiasts is the performance courtesy of a killer power-to- weight ratio. - four in-hub electric motors, deliver 161 bhp apiece, which add together for 644 horsepower in all wheel drive mode, and capable of powering the ZAP-X to a top speed of 155mph. (read more...)
The world’s most practical sports car
January 30, 2007 BMW doesn’t like the term station wagon, which originated in the age of train travel when all-purpose vehicles with specialised bodies worked around train stations to carry people and luggage to local destinations. The term “hack” was also used to describe these utilitarian vehicles, so we kinda understand why BMW doesn’t want anyone calling its M5 Touring, the world’s fastest station wagon or something equally gauche, as its sporting and technological credentials set it far apart from the ordinary. It’s 5.0-litre V-10 engine has won back-to-back International Engine of the Year awards, and runs through a seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox to offer 507 bhp and 520 Nm of torque. The main difference between this vehicle and the legendary M5 is the 1,650 liters of boot space. This is a vehicle for owners needing to move sizable loads … very quickly. Without the 155mph electronic limiter the new M5 Touring would be capable of achieving 200mph while still transporting the largest of loads. All other facets of the vehicle put it in the luxury class, so perhaps a better term for the M5 Touring might be a “shooting break.” With the previous M5 Touring (E34) only available in left-hand drive, the arrival of the new M5 Touring marks the first time the high-performance estate has been offered to right-hand-drive customers. (read more...)
The EDAG Luxury Utility Vehicle (LUV) concept car for Geneva Motor Show
January 25, 2007 The latest concept car from EDAG Engineering + Design AG, has a distinct nautical flair, with oiled teak used on the bonnet, inside as the floor covering , and again on the elegant loading platform behind the five seat cabin which gives it the air of a quarterdeck. Conceived as a niche vehicle, the Luxury Utility Vehicle (LUV) presents a maritime appearance from its bows to its stern, and is targeted at customers who are not looking for just an ordinary car, and who appreciate something more distinctive. The dimensions of the vehcile are also imposing - an impressive overall length of 5.7 metres, over 2 metres wide and 1.8 metres high, the EDAG LUV is a real eye-catcher which will be seen for the first time in public at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7, 2007. (read more...)
The Rapom V8 1000 bhp motorcycle
January 25, 2007 Squeeze a massive 8.2 litre supercharged V8 monster truck engine with as much power as a Bugatti Veyron into a motorcycle and you have the Rapom V8, the product of the vivid imagination of 44-year old British engineer Nick Argyle. Unlike many who design such wilderbeasts , Argyle has manifested a fully functional and road registered version of what is world’s most powerful roadgoing motorcycle. Running on alcohol, the 1000 bhp returns just four miles per gallon, and it’s transportation brief usually only covers the 10 mile journey to a local drag racing strip. With that sort of power available at a twist of the wrist, the monster bike requires a super long chassis end every bit of its kerb weight of 1000lb in order to stop the bike flipping under hard acceleration. (read more...)
Suzuki’s Flix Concept - Movie-theater-style concept vehicle
January 19, 2007 One of the concept vehicles at NAIAS which somehow seemed to slip below the radar was the silver-screen-inspired XL7 Flix concept. The Flix concept offers film enthusiasts the ultimate mobile movie experience, being outfitted with an in-vehicle movie system. After parking at the optimal film-viewing destination, Flix’s clamshell roof can be opened, revealing a maximum-size moonroof that serves as a 40-inch movie screen. Additionally, the XL7 concept’s front roof panel vents, giving way to a high-density digital projection system to display a family’s movie of choice. For those who prefer the traditional drive-in movie experience, Flix’s projection system can be positioned to display movies nearly anywhere – the side of a building, a billboard or almost any wall. (read more...)
Montezemolo proclaims "all-new Ferrari F1 Team"
January 16, 2007 It should seem strange that the unveiling of the fifty third Formula 1 single-seater built by Ferrari was also the proclamation of a new Ferrari but with the retirement of Michael Schumacher and the loss of Ross Brawn, Ferrari supremo Montezemolo underlined just that. "This is a complete new Ferrari, and I don't speak just about the car but about the whole Scuderia. There is a new driver, who is succeeding a driver that has been with us since 1996. It is a very important substitution; not only because Michael has won more races than anyone else in our history, but also because he created a personal relationship with the company and the men. It is true that Massa is here for his second year and so we can say that he is still young. But he already has some experience and he grew a lot over the last year. There are two young managers - Stefano Domenicali, Sporting Director, and Mario Almondo, Technical Director - who come from the school of Ferrari. Over all those years we put all our resources in internal growth, which is a very important fact." (read more...)
BMW focusses supercomputer on F1 aerodynamics
January 16, 2007 The seemingly endless amount of money available in Formula One is directly related to its audience size and the influence it has. Success in Formula One, the world’s most watched sporting series, is the world’s most visible gauge of automotive technological prowess, and it is so sought after because it adds value to the company brand name. With BMW entering the fray under its own name last year, it isn’t about to settle for anything less than the top step of the podium and has embarked on its quest with the aid of one of the world’s most powerful computers. The BMW Sauber F1 Team new super brain, Albert2 is Europe's fastest computer currently used in industry. It’s roughly three times faster than its predecessor and is employed solely in the study of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Rather than going with the current trend where many teams are building a second wind tunnel, BMW invested its racing budget in Albert2, which is quite a specimen. It’s main memory is 2,048 Gb – it 256 nodes with two Intel Xeon 5160 processors each, and each of these has two cores. This results in a total of 1024 cores and a maximum computing power is 12,288 GFlops. This means that Albert2 is capable of performing 12,288,000,000,000 floating-point arithmetic operations per second. (read more...)
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 Launch
January 16, 2007 The launch of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team was predictably huge – with Vodafone is joining as Title Sponsor and Official Mobile Partner, the event took on gargantuan proportions on a bespoke circuit around the Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias in Spain, coincidentally the homeland of their stellar signing, newly crowned world champ Fernando Alonso. Alonso and new teammate Lewis Hamilton form one of the youngest driver line-ups in the history of the sport and Hamilton in particular must have wondered just how big F1 would be when the pair unveiled the new livery in two MP4-21 race cars in front of a crowd of more than 150,000. This was followed by the unveiling of the 2007 car, the MP4-22. Tomorrow, the 2007 challengers will conduct a shakedown test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. Vodaphone released three commemorative edition phones for the affair. (read more...)
More venom for the Viper: 600 bhp 2008 Viper SRT10
January 15, 2007 One of the most brutal cars on the road will become even moreso next year when the Dodge Viper SRT10 will be packing 90 extra horsepower from its new 8.4-liter Viper V-10 engine, delivering an astounding 600 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque. The new 2008 Viper SRT10 will run from 0-60 mph in under four seconds, and deliver 0-100-0 mph performance in just over 12 seconds, braking in under 100 feet. (read more...)
New Swiss Supercar – the Beck LM 800
January 12, 2007 A new SuperCar joined the ranks of the world’s elite automobiles this week when the Beck LM 800 was shown to the world’s public for the first time at the luxury motor show in Vienna. Built by Beck Engineering & Composits GmbH from Muri near Berne in Switzerland , the most striking feature of the car is its weight - 900 kg with a full tank of gas and an 80 kg driver – achieved with liberal lashings of aluminium, magnesium, titanium, and the latest plastic and composite materials such as Kevlar. The chassis is an active, electronically controlled unit based on current F1 design, and lots of windtunnel development gives the car a very refined aerodynamic profile. Not surprisingly, every car is a one-off and you can order the specification of your choice, from the US$600,000 base model with a 650 bhp turbocharged 4.2 litre V8, all the way to1000 bhp. We're still trying to wrap our brain cells around the concept of 1000 bhp pushing 900 kg around. (read more...)
Kia Kue crossover concept vehicle
January 10, 2007 Kia showed a new concept, the Kue crossover concept vehicle, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit yesterday. The all-wheel drive Kue is designed to deliver an exhilarating drive, both on- and off-road and is powered by a 400 hp 4.6-litre, supercharged V8 petrol engine producing 400 lbft (542 Nm) of torque. A technology-driven interface designed to adjust to driver and passenger preference is the focus of the interior functions. Touch pad and motion-sensing controls are used to adjust systems such as audio and climate control. The entire touch-pad set up is programmable so that one surface may activate the stereo for one driver and temperature for another. Rear passengers have their own, separate interface. (read more...)
Jeep Trailhawk open-air concept
January 9, 2007 The Jeep Trailhawk concept, unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show overnight, merges the spectrum of the Jeep brand by combining the core off-road features of the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the refined sophistication of an all-new on-road open-air concept vehicle, providing a unique and fresh expression for Jeep. Built off the new Wrangler platform, the Jeep Trailhawk is a more refined highway cruiser without sacrificing any of Jeep’s legendary off-road capabilities. (read more...)
Mazda Ryuga Concept captures the spirit of motion
January 9, 2007 As we’ve previously mentioned, Mazda does great show cars, and the promise of the Nagare concept was more than fulfilled when the metallic manifestation of those sketches we previewed became a reality. The word Nagare is one of a hundred or more Japanese words that describe the embodiment of motion – such as how wind shapes desert sand, the way currents stir the ocean’s floor or the way waves lap at the shores of a lake. van den Acker explains, “Nagare is purposely emotional and expressive. Anyone who sees it is drawn for a closer look; they’re moved to caress surfaces inspired by nature, to understand how they could work on an automobile. (read more...)
Acura “Advanced Sports Car Concept” - Next Generation Exotic
January 7, 2007 Honda’s next generation exotic sports car was previewed for the first time last night, when the Japanese giant showed the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. The concept provides a preview of the design direction for the successor to the Acura NSX and some quite granular detail, with a front-mounted V-10 engine and a new high-performance, rear-wheel-drive based version of Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). (read more...)
Ford Airstream Concept – the Crossover model of the future
January 7, 2007 The crossover vehicle is growing rapidly in popularity in most world markets, particularly in the United States where the market segment is projected to top three million units annually by the end of the decade. Accordingly, Ford staked a claim for market leadership in the green end of the segment today at NAIAS when it showed its plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell Airstream Concept. The drivetrain – called HySeries Drive – operates under electric power at all times. This advanced fuel cell system is half the weight and cost of today’s fuel cells and can even operate when the mercury dips below freezing. (read more...)
Chevrolet Volt Concept Electric Vehicle
January 7, 2007 The Chevrolet Volt concept sedan, powered by the E-flex System – GM’s next-generation electric propulsion system – could nearly eliminate trips to the gas station. The Chevrolet Volt is a battery-powered, four-passenger electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. The Volt draws from GM’s previous experience in the form of the EV1 in 1996. The Volt can be fully charged by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet for approximately six hours a day. When the lithium-ion battery is fully charged, the Volt can deliver 40 city miles of pure electric vehicle range. When the battery is depleted, a 1.0 litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine spins at constant rpm to create electricity and replenish the battery. (read more...)
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible concept
January 6, 2007 The Chevrolet Camaro concept was one of the stars of the 2006 auto show season, so it’s not such a stretch to understand where the Camaro convertible concept came from. The original Camaro was introduced to the Baby Boomer generation in 1966, offering this large individualistic group access to an affordable sports cars for the first time. As Boomers transitioned into larger vehicles to accommodate growing families, younger drivers embraced used Camaros as their first cars, and third- and fourth-generations of the Camaro continued to deliver affordable fun and performance to a new generation of enthusiasts. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of owners of all walks of life have found driving fun in a Camaro during the past 40 years. The new concept will be shown for the first time at the NAIAS Show which starts Monday. (read more...)
Corsa VXR Supermini - 140 mph and 44 mpg
January 5, 2006 The new Vauxhall Corsa has already caused quite a sensation with its bold styling and impressive road manners, but now the wraps have come off the long awaited performance flagship VXR version – the lightweight turbo 1.6-litre engine of the VXR produces 192PS (189.3 bhp) and more than 260Nm to give it a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) and acceleration of 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. Despite its wild performance, the Corsa VXR promises to be an affordable car to run, with surprising fuel economy on extra-urban routes of 44.1mpg (5.3 liters/100 km) according to official figures and the combined fuel economy figure is 35.8mpg (6.57 liters/100 km). (read more...)
Subaru selling made-to-order, race-ready rally cars
January 5, 2007 There was once a time, and it wasn’t very long ago, that going rallying meant having a detailed knowledge of every aspect of construction and repair. As major manufacturers become more adept at catering to an array of marketplaces, those manufacturers with a proud sporting heritage are beginning to make complete race cars available, and Subaru Australia is now offering a complete service to race drivers, producing a range of custom motorsport vehicle packages based on the popular Impreza WRX STI spec.C – the Group N FIA homologated car developed by Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan. Customers can order the car to any desired specification, from the base Impreza WRX STI at AUD$69,990 (US$55,000) to the full Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) version at AUD$195,000 (US$153,000). So now all you need an ingenious support crew and someone crazy enough to sit beside you and read you instructions while you point the 230 kW projectile at the horizon. Finally, just to be clear, the WRC cars of Solberg and Atkinson are a slightly higher spec again – if they were available, they’d cost US$1.5 million apiece. (read more...)
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