Aston Martin has finally revealed its much awaited Rapide luxury performance sedan at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is slated to go on sale next year | ||||
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Aston Martin Rapide officially launched at Frankfurt Motor Show
Small Range Rover confirmed for production
Designed and engineered at Land Rover's state of the art Gaydon facility, the new Range Rover will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced.
The new car will be built at the multi award-winning plant in Halewood, on Merseyside, subject to quality and productivity agreements and will be sold in over 100 countries around the world.
Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover said: "The production of a small Range Rover model is excellent news for our employees, dealers and customers. It is a demonstration of our commitment to investing for the future, to continue to deliver relevant vehicles for our customers, with the outstanding breadth of capability for which we are world-renowned."
"Feedback from our customer research also fully supports our belief that a production version of the LRX Concept would further raise the desirability of our brand and absolutely meet their expectations." Phil added.
Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said: "The new vehicle will be a natural extension to the Range Rover line-up, complementing the existing models and helping to define a new segment. It will be true to the concept and have many recognisable Range Rover design cues including the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid 'wheel-at-each-corner' stance."
Source: OneShift
Video: MINI Roadster Concept
We’ve talked about the MINI Coupe Concept and the MINI Roadster so much over the past couple of weeks; it feels like we know the cars inside-and-out by now. But no matter how many times we’ve said it – or shown you videos, teasers, spy shots, and commercials – we just can’t get enough of MINI’s two latest offerings.
Their successful unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show has even fuelled more interest in these two cars and we feel that it’s our responsibility to quench their thirsts, so to speak.
Besides, these two cars aren’t expected to be out on the market for the next couple of years so in the meantime, newly-released videos of these two cars will have to do for now. We have two videos for you all ‘MINI-iacs’, one of which is the video of the Coupe Concept and Roadster Concept unveiling at Frankfurt and the other a detailed look at the Roadster Concept.
Click after the jump for video from the Frankfurt ’birthday’ launch of the two MINIs. Enjoy!
Source: Topspeed
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Is this a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Superleggera?
Just when we thought the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Superleggera has been reduced to nothing more than a fantasy car, an actual, real-life Superleggera may have been found taking in a couple of laps at the Nurburgring by our friends over at Autogespot
Actually, we might need to rub our eyes repeatedly to know that this is indeed a Superleggera. In the event that this is indeed a Superleggera, seeing it raises a number of questions surrounding the status of this car. Where’s it been all this time? And what do expect from Lamborghini with this car down the road especially since they already decided to scrap it just a year ago?
In any case, those questions can be answered at another time. What’s important is the car looks to be back on track – in more ways than one.
If you recall, the Gallardo Superleggera was introduced just a year before the LP560-4 made the scene with the former created with a tad more horsepower than the traditional Gallardo’s but weighed considerably less, making it faster and more lightweight than any of the Gallardos roaming around the streets.
Source: Topspeed
UK: 370Z Roadster makes debut at Goodwood Revival
At last weekend's Goodwood Revival, the public got its first chance to get up close and personal with Nissan's latest high performance, model. While it doesn't go on sale in the UK until March next year, the tide of enthusiasm for the Roadster is growing as the 370Z coupe roars onto Britain's roads.
In keeping with the West Sussex event's historical theme, the 370Z Roadster will see the light of day in Britain for the first time alongside some of Nissan's most recognisable performance models of the past. In addition to the 21st century crowd pulling power of the latest GT-R supercar, the legendary 240Z will provide an insight into the Z-car bloodline while the original Skyline - the KPGC10 - will also be on display.
But there's more to this convertible than just brute force - Nissan's latest technology provides enhanced efficiency and drivability. Buyers will have a choice of two new transmissions - a close-ratio 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic.
Like the 370Z coupe, the manual Roadster will be available with SynchroRev Match, which automatically controls and adjusts engine speed when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear position - effectively blipping the throttle for the smoothed possible changes.
And unlike some convertible rivals, the 370Z Roadster maintains its sleek appearance with the roof up or down. The soft top not only provides a quick and easy one-motion closed-open movement, but it has also been designed to minimise wind noise when both up and down.
Paul Willcox, MD of Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd comments: "The famous Goodwood Revival gives us the perfect stage to show the 370Z Roadster off to the public for the first time. Nissan has a strong and lengthy performance car heritage which is what makes our sports models so special today. We can't wait to get the Roadster on sale in Britain and this gives potential buyers a sneak preview."
Source: One Shift
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Frankfurt show: Megane Renaultsport 250
The minute the new and finely styled Megane coupe appeared, TG's thoughts turned to Renaultsport. The hotted-up Clio 200 Cup made such a case for itself in this year's supercar shootout that a more grown-up and more powerful big brother was bound to get pulses a-racing.
The Megane Renaultsport 250 Cup produces, as the name suggests, 250bhp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre engine. This is backed up by 250lb ft of torque, 80 percent of which is available from as low down as 1,900rpm.
From launch the car will be offered with either the standard ‘Sport' or more track-focused ‘Cup' chassis with its uncompromising ride and limited slip diff.
Drivers will also now benefit from a ‘Renaultsport Monitor' on either model. This is essentially a simplified on-board telemetry device that keeps the driver updated on the engine's stresses, real-time performance and throttle input while reading acceleration times, lateral Gs and lap times. It will also give you a gear change warning, vital when there's so much else to gawp at.
Performance figures and pricing have yet to be confirmed, but with 20 more horsepower and pounds feet of torque than the previous generation R26.R, you can expect the 250 to be quick and to undercut the likes of the Focus RS and Golf GTI.
Frankfurt show: new Jaguar XJ
The new XJ is front and centre on Jaguar's Frankfurt stand, and it looks excellent. Any lingering doubts we had about the size of the XJ's arse have been dispelled by a good look at the car in the metal: it's a sharp, sleek thing that takes the XF's styling cues but moves them way upmarket.
Even better, we've had a ride in it. In the 503bhp supercharged V8, to be precise. We weren't permitted to drive the XJ, but from a brief stint in the back seat we can report that it skims delicately over bumps and feels improbably light-footed given its size.
Fast? On the couple of occasions we managed to convince our driver to put his foot down, very much so. And noisy too - not noise from the 5.0-litre V8 or the road, but from the new 1200-watt, 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo.
Yes, 1200 watts of massive surround sound. That is, in technical terms, a hell of a lot of sound; the sort of noise on tap that, with an accidental flick of the volume dial, could see your brain exiting your ears at terminal velocity.
Even ignoring the monster stereo - not an easy thing to do - the XJ's cabin is a lovely place to be, all burnished wood and thick leather and shiny dials. Flick the ‘sport button' and the dial display - a completely virtual unit - shimmers from blue to red, a neat touch that makes us very happy.
The clever dual-view satnav screen - as seen on the new Range Rover - is available as an option, too.
So, yeah, from our short spell in the XJ, it's fair to say we're impressed. We won't know for sure if it's as polished an all-round performer as first impressions suggest until we drive it early next year. We've got high expectations.
Source: Top Gear
BMW X1
BMW has officially launched its X1 at the Frankfurt motor show.
The BMW X1 is the car that will, in effect, replace the X3 at the base of BMW’s SUV range when the second generation of that model arrives next year.
See the full high-res BMW X1 image gallery here
Due on sale in the UK in October at a starting price of around £24,500, the X1 will offer buyers the choice between standard rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive — something that has prompted BMW officials to describe it as “more a crossover than an off-roader”.
See all the BMW X1 reviews and news
Read our BMW X1 prototype first drive
This is also backed up in the X1’s estate car-like styling. It eschews the upright, rugged look of traditional SUVs for a relatively low and rakish profile that carries elements of the German car maker’s latest design lineage. There’s a large kidney grille incorporated into an enormous front bumper and a deeply etched swage line drawn in the flanks.
The introduction of the X1 has been made possible in part by a decision to take the X3 further upmarket. As it stands, the two cars are remarkably similar in size; the X1 is just 116mm shorter, 57mm narrower and 130mm lower than the X3, at 4454mm long, 1798mm wide and 1545mm high.
The X1 will come with the choice of five different engines, although not all will be available from the outset of UK sales. On the petrol side are a 141bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit and a range-topping 258bhp 3.0-litre straight six. The six-cylinder engine delivers 0-62mph acceleration in 6.2sec and a top speed of 127mph.
On the diesel side of the range, there are three 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engines with 141bhp, 175bhp and, in twin-turbocharged guise, 201bhp. The most modest of those three powerplants is claimed to return combined-cycle fuel consumption of 54mpg and emit just 136g/km of CO2.
The base petrol and bottom two diesels come with the choice of either rear or four-wheel drive, while the remainder are four-wheel drive exclusively. Gearbox choices include a standard six-speed manual or, depending on the engine sitting up front, an optional six-speed automatic with shift paddles on the face of the steering wheel.
The X1 sits on modified underpinnings from the 3-series, with MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension, a 2760mm wheelbase and track widths of 1500mm up front and 1529mm at the rear.
Unlike the second-generation X3 and the existing X5 and X6 — all of which will be produced together in BMW’s Spartanburg factory in North America — the X1 will be assembled at BMW’s Leipzig factory in Germany, alongside the 1-series and 3-series.
No official sales targets have been revealed, although Autocar understands that the initial installed capacity is for up to 100,000 X1s per year.
Source: AutoCar
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Audi presents the R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro
Source: SGCarMart
Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
The Lamborghini Reventón is not destined to remain a one-off. Less than 20 Lamborghini friends and collectors will be able to own this extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable pleasure of driving it.
Each Reventón Roadster will be sold for 1.1 Million Euro (without taxes). Deliveries will begin October 2009.
"The Reventón is the most extreme car in the history of the brand," comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. "The new Roadster adds an extra emotional component to our combined technological expertise – it unites superior performance with the sensual fascination of open-top driving."
Open-top sports cars are a tradition at Lamborghini that stretches back over 40 years. In 1968, the company from Sant'Agata Bolognese built a Miura without a fixed roof as a one-off. The Diablo Roadster appeared in 1995 with its targa roof anchored to the engine cover.
Sculpture with extreme dynamics
Like the Coupé, the Reventón Roadster measures 4700 mm (185 in.) long. It has a wheelbase of 2665 mm (105 in.) and is 2058 mm (81 in.) wide and 1132 mm (45 in.) high. The driver and passenger seating positions are low and sporty, separated by a substantial central tunnel.
Behind the two seats are two hidden pop-up bars that deploy upwards in just a few hundredths of a second in the event of an imminent rollover. A fixed, horizontal wing-shaped member behind the seats bears the third brake light. The design of the Roadster's long back is also quite distinct from that of the Coupé.
The engine bonnet is virtually horizontal and a total of four windows made from glass provide a view of the mighty V12 in all its technical elegance.
Exclusive grey paintwork
A unique paint finish completes the razor sharp design language of the Lamborghini Reventón Roadster. For this exclusive special edition, designers have created a new shade of matt grey called Reventón Grey.
As for the Reventón Coupé, which is a slightly different shade of grey, this is a matt paint finish that, in the sunlight, displays an unexpected impression of depth thanks to its special metal particles.
An icon of engine design
The twelve-cylinder engine that powers the Reventón Roadster is a Lamborghini icon – and the technical feature that defines the character of the car. It is one of the world's most powerful naturally-aspirated engines. With a compression ratio of 11 : 1 and a displacement of 6496 cc, it generates 670 HP at 8,000 rpm. Its maximum torque of 660 Nm kicks in at 6,000 rpm.
The V12 catapults the Reventón Roadster from 0 to 100 Km/h in 3.4 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 330 Km/h.
Source: One Shift
The Audi e-tron
Four motors - two each at the front and rear axles - drive the wheels, making the concept car a true quattro.
Producing 313 hp and 4,500 Nm (yes, that's 4,500)of torque, the two-seater accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The lithium-ion battery provides a truly useable energy content of 42.4 kilowatt hours to enable a range of approximately 248 kilometers.
The performance figures are by no means the only evidence of the consistent and holistic strategy. The design makes it clear that the e-tron belongs in the major leagues of sports cars, and the package takes into account the specific realities of an electric vehicle. The battery is directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axle load distribution.
The e-tron is able to freely distribute the powerful torque of its four electric motors to the wheels as required. This so-called torque vectoring allows for dazzling dynamics and an undreamed-of level of agility and precision when cornering.
Audi e-tron - The Holistic Approach
The most important development related to batteries for electric drives are lithium-ion cells. Audi has also opted for this technology, both for use in a hybrid production vehicle, such as the upcoming Q5 hybrid, and in the e-tron test platform.
The requirement specification for the concept vehicle goes far beyond battery technology and the replacement of the combustion engine with an electric drive system, however.
The Audi development engineers decided back in the concept phase to design practically every component and technology based on the new requirements of electric mobility. The interaction of all elements has a decisive influence on the factors efficiency, range and practicality.
Design and Package
The Audi e-tron has a wide, powerful stance on the road. The car body seems almost monolithic; the closed rear end appears powerful and muscular. The trapeze of the single-frame grille dominates the front end and is flanked by two large air intakes.
The top of the grille merges into the flat strips of the adaptive matrix beam headlamp modules with their clear glass covers. High-efficiency LED technology is used for all lighting units - a matter of honor for Audi as the worldwide pioneer in this field.
The headlamps are the core of a fully automatic light assistance system that reacts flexibly to any situation. The new technology recognizes weather conditions and adapts the illumination to rain or fog. The technology at the heart of the light assistance system is a camera that works together with a fast computer to detect oncoming traffic, recognize lanes and measure visibilities, such as in the event of fog.
The body structure is based on Audi Space Frame (ASF) technology and was realized as a hybrid construction. All add-on parts - doors, covers, sidewalls and roof - are made of a fiber-reinforced plastic.
The combination of aluminum and carbon fiber-reinforced composite material guarantees supreme rigidity coupled with low weight. Audi will soon use this technology in a similar form for production vehicles. Despite the complex drive system layout with four electric motors and a high-capacity battery system, the total weight of the Audi e-tron is only around 1,600 kilograms
Energy Supply
The top speed is limited to 200 km/h, as the amount of energy required by the electric motors increases disproportionately to speed. The range in the NECD combined cycle is approximately 248 kilometers.
This good value is made possible by the integrated concept: technology specially configured for the electric drive system combined with state-of-the-art battery technology. The battery block has a total energy content of roughly 53 kilowatt hours, with the usable portion thereof restricted to 42.4 kWh in the interest of service life. Audi uses liquid cooling for the batteries.
The energy storage unit is charged with household current (230 volts, 16 amperes) via a cable and a plug. The socket is behind a cover at the back of the car. With the battery fully discharged, the charging time is between 6 and 8 hours.
A high voltage (400 volts, 63 amperes) reduces this to just around 2.5 hours. The Audi engineers are working on a wireless solution to make charging more convenient. The inductive charging station is already used today in a similar form to charge electric toothbrushes.
The battery is charged not only when the car is stationary, but also when it is in motion. During braking, the alternator converts the kinetic energy into electrical energy, which it then feeds into the onboard electrical system.
source: One Shift
Volkswagon R-Line
The German automotive conglomerate’s personalization line, Volkswagen Individual, has just revealed the new R-Line package for the new Golf, Scirocco and Passat CC at the Frankfurt Motor Show, all three of which will go on sale later on this Fall.
The sixth generation Golf is upgraded with a set of stylish 17 inch alloy wheels and a sport suspension to make it handle better as well as a set of body colored side skirts and a pair of aggressively redesigned set of bumpers inspired by the new Golf R. Down force is improved with a new rear diffuser integrated into the back bumper and a roof spoiler to finish off the top of the hatch while on the inside a pair of decorative door tread plates wears the R-Line logo. Volkswagen’s newest hot hatch, the Scirocco, benefits from both interior and exterior upgrades as well. The new Scirocco R-Line follows a similar diet as the Golf R-Line, except that the Scirocco’s modifications are based more on improving the vehicle’s appearance as opposed to swapping out the mechanicals underneath.
For the more luxurious end of the Volkswagen R-Line, the Passat CC gets a set of 18 inch wheels, a freshly redesigned front spoiler and lower hanging side skirts to complete the ground effects package, while the interior is upgraded with four special edition kick plates and a leather wrapped multifunction three spoke steering wheel finished off with the R-Line logo.
Volkswagen Individual has also repositioned its “Individual” product brand; in the future it will market products under the “Exclusive” label and bundle a range of especially high-end models and equipment features. A dual premiere: The first Exclusive model to be offered will be the brand new Golf Estate; it is crossing over from an all-purpose vehicle to a lifestyle estate car. Other models will follow in succession.
The new Golf R-Line
The R-Line version of the world’s bestseller was emphatically given a sporty flair. In configuring their new car, buyers can choose between an interior and an exterior package. The two R-Line packages may alsobe ordered together.
Exterior package: Its body appearance has been customised with 17-inch alloy wheels in a new design (“Mallory” type, 18-inch optional), sport chassis, body coloured side skirts and bumpers that have been modified compared to the normal Golf and Golf R. The exterior is completed by decorative door tread plates with R-Line logo, a roof edge spoiler (“GTI”), high-gloss black ventilation grille (radiator and lower air intake) as well as a diffuser also in glossy black. The lens covers of the taillights are also smoked. On its sides, the Golf is identified by R-Line logos (front fender at height of A-pillar).
The interior package of the R-Line program impresses with a leather multifunction steering wheel (three spokes, R-Line logo in lower spoke, multifunction keys in the two cross spokes), stainless steel pedal caps and foot support, R-Line door tread plates, sport seats (“R-Look” fabric design) with R-Line logo integrated in the head restraints and a R-Line specific interior decor. All seams are in “Art Grey”, a light tone of grey. A full leather interior (“Vienna”) will be available as an option.
The new Scirocco R-Line
The interior and exterior packages of the new Scirocco R-Line, also available together or separately, follow the configuration described for the Golf R-Line exactly. However, there are a number of differences: For example, the Scirocco is naturally driven with customised body components.
The new Passat CC R-Line
Customers ordering the Passat R-Line automatically get a specially modified exterior and interior. Outside, the R-Line’s 17-inch “Mallory” alloy wheels appear with 235/40 tyres (18-inch is optional), which cast the Passat CC in an even sportier light. Also newly designed are the front spoiler and side skirts; both are painted in body colour. Painted in glossy black, on the other hand, is the exterior radiator grille with its two chrome-plated louvres. The taillights are smoked.
In the Passat CC R-Line interior, standard features include details such as four special door tread plates (front plates have R-Line logo) and a leather three-spoke steering wheel with multifunction keys and R-Line logo. Considering that even the base version of the Passat CC already includes convenience features such as sport seats and a climate control system, the Passat R-Line is unlikely to leave any wishes unfulfilled.
Source: Top speed