UberRides

« January 2005 | Main | March 2005 »

February 26, 2005

Porsche estate car?

Concept car designer Protoscar, the same company that designed the Rinspeed concept cars, like this year's Rinspeed Senso, has designed a Porsche 911 based estate car called a Shooting Brake.



A Shooting Brake is a 2-door coupe with an added rear wagon. I had never heard of a Shooting Brake before. Several different such vehicles have been made by Protoscar and other companies. Check out some interesting Shooting Brakes here.

For more information regarding the Porsche 911 Shooting Brake refer to gizmag's article.

Posted by Hubert at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

February 25, 2005

Lotus Sport Exige 240R - Limited Edition

As if the Lotus Elise wasn't cool enough, there's the Lotus Exige with a solid roof, which handles even better than the Elise. Now there's an even better one being produced in extremely limited quantities (50 to be exact) called the Lotus Sport Exige 240R.



The 240R is a modified Exige with a supercharged 4-cylinder engine producing 243 hp and over 170 lb-ft of torque. The 240R will run 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds and 0-100 mph in under 10 seconds. Top speed is at 155mph, at which point the car generates 113 kg (249 lbs) of downforce to keep the car under control.

In addition to the supercharged engine, Lotus has also upgraded the brakes and included even better suspension parts, including height and stiffness adjustable pieces.

As expected, the Lotus Sport Exige 240R is extremely light, weighing only 930 kg (2050 lbs). That's a lot of power for so little weight. This must be the most tossable street car around. The only paint jobs available are yellow and black.

This would have to be one of my all-time favorite cars ever, right there after the McLaren F1. Dreaming again...

Check out Lotus' news release for more information. FastDrive also has lots of great info.

Posted by Hubert at 12:47 PM | Comments (0)

Alfa Romeo 159

The Alfa Romeo 159, successor to the 156, is designed by Giugiaro. It'll have a slightly larger body than the 156, lengthened by 23 cm (9 in), making it more roomy inside. The 159 uses a new platform developed with Saab, will an all-independent suspension.



There are lots of engine choices ranging from 1.9L 4-cylinder producing 120 bhp to 3.2L 6-cylinder producing 260 bhp. There are even rumors of a twin-turbocharged V6 that may produce 400 bhp.

Check out the article on AutoCar for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)

BMW Alpina B5 & B7 - BMWs with more torque

To give the BMWs more power and torque Alpina modifies the 4.4L V8 engine from a 545i or 745i by adding a supercharger. The result is 500 hp, in par with the M5, and 516 lb-ft of torque, far exceeding the M5 with its measly 384 lb-ft of torque. That's more in line with the AMG tuned torque monster Mercedes Benz cars.

It would be interesting to add the same supercharger to a M5. Wow, would that produce 600 hp?

For more information refer to Automobile.

Posted by Hubert at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

February 24, 2005

RUF RT12

The latest creation from RUF, the famous Porsche tuner, is the RUF RT12. It comes in 3 variations with different power outputs - 530 hp with 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) torque, 560 hp with 790 Nm (583 lb-ft) torque, and 650 hp with 870 Nm (642 lb-ft) torque. The 650 hp version uses a newly constructed 3.8L engine, while the others use a 3.6L engine. All versions use upgraded twin turbos.



In addition to an immense increase in power output, RUF has also made extensive modifications to the body of the car. It's more aerodynamic to reach higher speeds, and wider to fit wider tires and have better grip.

Modifications don't stop there. RUF also has custom suspension changes to improve handling. It even has an optional height adjustable suspension that will raise the car by 50 mm to get around low places more easily.

The RUF RT12 is fitted with 19 inch wheels up front and 20 inch wheels in the rear. Huge tires cover the wheels, 255 mm width up front and 345 mm width in the rear. Rear-wheel-drive is standard, but all-wheel-drive is also an option.

Now for the fun stuff...performance. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) goes by in a flash, in just 3.7 seconds, and top speed is 219 mph (depending on engine and gearing).

For more information refer to RUF's website.

Posted by Hubert at 9:05 PM | Comments (0)

2006 Porsche 911 Turbo

The new Porsche 911 Turbo, due out in about a year, will probably come with a slightly higher displaced engine (3.8L versus 3.6L) and is estimated to produce 480 hp. Well, some people estimate 450 hp, but Automobile estimates 480, which I like much better than 450. Maybe that'll be the difference between the Turbo and Turbo S. The current 911 Turbo makes 415 hp and the 911 Turbo S makes 444 hp. So 480 hp isn't too far off. I'll believe the 480 hp estimate.



Regardless, it'll be a very fast car, with 0-60 mph in well under 4 seconds (rumored to be 3.7 seconds according to Discount Part Center). Most notable visual changes are the wider rear fenders, which will house even wider tires than before. In the fenders will also be large air intakes. And of course, the round front headlights will be prevalent, like the rest of the new 911 line-up. I can't wait...

Posted by Hubert at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)

new AC Schnitzer products

Famous BMW tuner, AC Schnitzer, is coming out with upgrades for the new BMW models. They offer performance and handling upgrades, like exhausts and engine modifications, as well as visual upgrades, like wheels and body panels. Their newest products for the new E90 3-series will be shown at a later date after the 3-series debut at the Geneva Motor Show this March.



For the specifics, check out AC Schnitzer's own site. Some useful info can also be found on GermanCarFans.

Posted by Hubert at 1:57 PM | Comments (0)

Audi Q7 shown in action

Audi shows off its upcoming SUV looking serious and rough on the dirt road, where no Audi SUV will ever go. I love all the flying dirt though, I wish I was driving that car there.

The Audi Q7 structure will be based on the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Power will come from Audi's own 3.2L V6 and 4.2L V8 engines, currently producing 240 hp and 330 hp, respectively.

For more information refer to AutoWeek.

Posted by Hubert at 1:34 PM | Comments (0)

Nissan's future technology

Nissan is developing a couple of interesting technologies to make driving easier and safer. One technology tries to prevent unwanted drifting from a lane. It does so by using a camera and controlling of the front and rear brakes. I don't know exactly how it works, but it sounds like it might get annoying if it interferes when you don't want it to. It's disabled when the turn signals are on, which is a good thing. It might force people to signal more.



The other more interesting technology is one where using several cameras around the car, you get a top-down view of the car for when you're parking. So you can easily fit the car in tight spots without banging against other cars and the sidewalk. Now that's pretty cool and useful.

For more information check out Newsday's article.

Posted by Hubert at 1:22 PM | Comments (0)

Extreme Hybrid

AFS Trinity Power Corporation has unveiled a new hybrid technology that will result in extremely low fuel consumption. They claim a saloon could get up to 250 mpg and a SUV could get 200 mpg.



The main differences between the Extreme Hybrid and a regular hybrid vehicle is that in the Extreme Hybrid most of the power is generated from the electric motor. The idea is that the electric motor lasts 40 to 50 miles, which is the most a typical American commutes in one go. After each run, like an electric car, it recharges its batteries.

The other differences is that the recharging while braking in the Extreme Hybrid is much more efficient. It's capable of regenerating 80% of its energy very quickly just from braking.

It sounds promising. We should see some Extreme Hybrids in action in a year or two. More more information refer to the article on Auto Industry.

Posted by Hubert at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)

February 23, 2005

next Jaguar XK8

Jaguar's Advanced Lightweight Coupe concept car is a good indication of the direction the next Jaguar XK8 will be taking. In particular, the extensive use of aluminum in place of steel will make the next XK8 a much lighter and more nimble sports car. Unfortunately, it'll also make it less affordable since aluminum is more costly than steel.



No engine information has been released. But Jaguar speculates that the Jaguar Advanced Lightweight Coupe should run 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds and be capable of 180 mph speeds. That's very believeable, as the current XKR runs 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

The current Jaguar XK has 2 engine options. A naturally aspirated 4.2L V8 (XK8) and a supercharged 4.2L V8 (XKR), producing 300 bhp and 400 bhp, respectively. So we hope that the next Jaguar XK8 (or XKR) will produce in excess of 400 bhp. With its lighter structure, it should be a much quicker and better handling car than the current model.

See the following references for more information:
Jaguar's website
NY Times article
Serious Wheels' article

Posted by Hubert at 10:44 PM | Comments (0)

2006 Lexus GS

Lexus' new GS 300 and GS 430 will be released in the US in March 2005. The GS 300 will come with a 245 hp 3.0L V6 engine, while the GS 430 will come with a 300 hp 4.3L V8 engine. Both models will come with a 6-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission.



The GS 300 has both a rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive option. The GS 430 only has the rear-wheel-drive option. It almost seems backwards, since the GS 430 is the high-end model with the more power, which would really need the AWD. Maybe in the future...

GS 300 specs:

engine: 3.0L V6 24-valves with VVT-i on intake and exhaust valves
transmission: 6-speed sequential-shift automatic
power: 245 hp @ 6,200 rpm
torque: 230 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm

GS 430 specs:

engine: 4.3L V8 32-valves with VVT-i on intake valves
transmission: 6-speed sequential-shift automatic
power: 300 hp @ 5,600 rpm
torque: 325 lb-ft @ 3,400 rpm



For more information refer to Lexus' website.

Posted by Hubert at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

Audi TT Quattro Sport

Audi will release a more sporty and hardcore version of the Audi TT called the Audi TT Quattro Sport. As its name implies, it'll come with the permanent all-wheel drive Quattro system. In addition, the engine has been modified to squeeze more power out of it. And most importantly, the TT Sport only weighs 3064 lbs, which is 166 lbs less than the standard TT.



The Audi TT Quattro Sport uses the turbocharged 1.8L 4-cylinder engine with power output increased from 225 hp to 240 hp @ 5700 rpm and torque increased from 207 lb-ft to 236 lb-ft @ 2300 - 5000 rpm.

The acceleration time for 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) is 5.9 seconds for the TT Sport. The US spec TT 1.8L turbo runs 0-60 mph in 6.0 seconds, so a bit longer for 0-62 mph. However, in the US we also get the 3.2L V6 engine option, which produces 250 hp and runs 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds. But none of these variations is as light as the Audi TT Quattro Sport, meaning the TT Sport will no doubt handle and brake better than the other TT models. It'll be a more tossable car, and it'll definately lap the other TTs on a track.

Refer to RSportCars for more information on the Audi TT Quattro Sport. Refer to Audi USA's website for the US TT line-up specs.

Posted by Hubert at 3:55 PM | Comments (0)

Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati will be using its parent company's V12 engine from the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti for its upcoming Quattroporte luxury cruiser. In the Ferrari, the 5.7L engine produces 540 bhp @ 7200 rpm and 434 lb-ft of torque @ 5250 rpm. Maserati will tweak the engine slightly to increase low-end torque.

Refer to AutoCar's article for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 3:34 PM | Comments (0)

Brabus Maybach

Wow, I just love horsepower wars. Brabus also has a tuned Maybach that will be on display at the Geneva Motor Show this March. This is even more powerful than the AMG tuned Maybach 57S. There are apparently 2 Brabus Maybach tuned engines, the first one with 620 bhp and a later one with 640 bhp. The AMG tuned 57S makes 612 hp.


The Brabus Maybach uses a slightly higher displacement engine which displaces 6.3L as compared to the 6.0L one in the Maybach 57S. Torque figures also increase to 757 lb-ft from as low as 1750 rpm. That's 19 lb-ft more torque than the 57S has, and it comes 250 rpm sooner.

The Brabus Maybach has been tested to run 195 mph already! That's 25 mph faster than the 57S. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) should be under the 57S time of 5 seconds.

For more information refer to AutoCar's article.

Posted by Hubert at 2:56 PM | Comments (0)

Maybach 57S

What happens when AMG gets their hands on the Maybach? Power goes up, obviously! The Maybach 57S has an AMG tuned twin-turbocharged 6.0L V12 producing 450 kW (612 hp) and 1000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque. What's amazing is that the torque is electronically limited to that level. That's unheard of. Does this imply that there really is such a thing as too much torque? I would've never thought.


The Maybach 57S will weigh in at a monstrous 5852 lbs! That's almost the weight of 2 standard Honda sedans, or another way to look at it, is weight just under the humongous GMC Yukon XL 2500 SUV. It can accelerate all that mass from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 5 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds quicker than the standard Mayback 57. Also, unlike the Maybach 57 which has its speed limited at 155 mph, the Maybach 57S has a top speed of 170 mph.

The Maybach 57S will have some aesthetic improvements to distinguish it from the standard Maybach 57. After all, the S in 57S stands for special. It will roll on 20 inch wheels, and its muffler will have sleeker integrated pipes. In addition, it'll come with a unique monochrome paint job.

For more information refer to gizmag or AutoWeek.

Posted by Hubert at 2:12 PM | Comments (0)

VW Golf TDi

VW is making a performance diesel car...wait a minute...performance and diesel are practically antonyms. Anyway, VW is making a performance version of the diesel Golf, the Golf TDi. It'll use a 2.0L 4 cylinder that runs special injectors that mix air and fuel more efficiently.

stats:

power: 168 bhp
torque: 258 lb-ft
0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds
top speed: 143 mph

For more information refer to AutoCar's article.

Posted by Hubert at 1:12 AM | Comments (0)

Porsche Cayman S - new Porsche model

Porsche will release a new model called the Porsche Cayman S to fill the segment between the Boxster S and the 911 Carrera. It'll fill that segment in both performance and price. The Cayman S will be based on the Boxster platform. It'll use a 3.4L 6 cylinder boxer engine which produces 295 bhp. Like the Boxster S, the Cayman S will have a mid-engine layout, with the engine just fore of the rear axles.


In terms of looks, it'll be essentially a coupe version of the Boxster S. This means it'll be even more rigid than the Boxster, thanks to a solid roof. It could even weigh less than the Boxster, since it won't need the extra support to compensate for the lack of a roof.

This should be a very fun and practical car for those who can afford it. Given the price of the Boxster S at $53,200 and the base 911 Carrera at $69,300, I'd guess the Cayman S will be in the lower $60,000s.

The articles on gizmag and AutoWereld had interesting information.

Porsche also has a site dedicated to the Cayman S, but it doesn't have much useful information yet.

Posted by Hubert at 12:39 AM | Comments (0)

February 22, 2005

Mercedes Benz S65 AMG == Monster

The current S class' AMG version is the Mercedes Benz S55 AMG which uses a supercharged 5.5L V8 engine and only makes 493 hp @ 6100 rpm and 516 lb-ft torque @ 2750 - 4000 rpm.

For the upcoming S class AMG, the Mercedes Benz S65 AMG, AMG will use the same engine used in the current CL65 and SL65. That's a twin-turbocharged 6.0L V12 engine which will makes 604 hp @ 5500 rpm and 738 lb-ft torque @ 2000 - 4000 rpm. That's enough power and torque to launch the massive sedan from 0-60 mph in a mere 4.2 seconds.

Can you imagine having 738 lb-ft of torque at only 2000 rpm?!!! That's more torque than a Viper. In fact, that's nearly twice the torque of the upcoming BMW M5 (383 lb-ft). Unbelieveable! The S65 must have axles made from materials made out of this world. I'd love to get a chance just to tap the throttle in a S65 just a couple of times. I don't even want to take it to high speeds. I just want to feel that much torque under my control. Someone's bound to sue for whiplash from just driving that car. Then again, the ride is probably so comfortable no one would even feel the speed and acceleration.

Refer to the article on Forbes for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 11:58 PM | Comments (0)

Audi RS 4 Quattro

Audi will unveil the new Audi RS 4 Quattro at the Geneva Motor Show this March. The Audi RS 4 is the fastest of the Audi A4 variants. It comes with a 4.2L V8, as in the Audi S4, the other fast version of the A4. But the RS 4 produces 309kW (414 hp) as compared to the S4 which makes 253kW (340 hp).

The RS 4 uses the same advanced fuel injection technology used in their successful LeMans winner the Audi R8 race car. This is a first for an Audi road going V8. Like a race car, this engine revs freely to its high redline of 8250 rpm. The efficient engine produces 90% of its peak torque from 2250 rpm - 7600 rpm. As if that much low-end torque isn't responsive enough, there's also a button on the steering wheel that can make throttle response even more rapid by adjusting the throttle control maps.

The RS 4 inherits Audi's latest Quattro all-wheel-drive system from the RS 6. Furthermore, an emphasis has been put in keeping the car as light as possible. Where ever possible, aluminum has been used in the place of heavier metals. Super light weight bucket seats have been used instead of massive ultra luxury seats.

The result of all this power, light weight, and advanced technology is evident in the performance stats. The RS 4 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.8 seconds. Compare that to the already fast Audi S4 which runs 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

stats:

power: 309 kW (414 hp) @ 5500 rpm
torque: 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) @ 5500 rpm
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 4.8 seconds
0-200 km/h (0-124 mph): 16.6 seconds
top speed (limited): 250 km/h (155 mph)

The only sad news is we may never see the lights of this fine automobile in the US. I sure hope Audi brings it overseas...

For more information refer to UK Audi's press release.

Posted by Hubert at 10:46 PM | Comments (0)

Gran Turismo 4 is out!!!!

The ultimate driving simulator, Gran Turismo 4, is out today! I just picked up my copy at the local Electronic Boutique. This is perhaps the most realistic car simulator. The car models are visually extremely close to the real vehicles, more so than any other car game I've played. In addition, the physics simulation is outstanding, giving you a true feel for each car. No where else can you test drive so many cars with so many different characteristics than in Gran Turismo. Unless you're Jay Leno and you can afford to buy all these cars and drive them in real life.

Posted by Hubert at 7:51 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2005

new Mazda Miata

We got pictures of the new Mazda Miata! It's like a mix of the current Mazda Miata MX-5, the Mazda RX-8 and the Mazda Ibuki concept (right) that Mazda showed at the 2003 Tokyo Autoshow.



The new Miata will have a 2.0L 4-cylinder DOHC 16 valve engine. It'll produce 118 kW (158 hp) @ 6700 rpm and 188 Nm (139 lb-ft) @ 5000 rpm. A 6-speed transmission will transmit the power to the 17 inch wheels.

I can't wait for a turbocharged MazdaSpeed version...if they ever make one. Recall that the current MazdaSpeed Miata makes 178 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque with the 1.8L turbocharged engine. The standard Miata currently makes 142 hp (16 hp less than the next Miata) with a 1.8L naturally aspirated engine.

Source information from AutoBild via AutoBlog.

Posted by Hubert at 8:39 PM | Comments (0)

Rinspeed Senso

Rinspeed has developed a car that senses the driver's mental state and tries to sooth and relax him/her. There are several sensors in the car that observe the behavior of the driver, like how close to cars he/she gets, how often he/she changes lanes, etc. Based on several such sensors, it determines the state of the driver's mind.

Accordingly, it soothes the driver's senses by using 3 of the human senses - vision, hearing and smell. It emits various colored lights, sounds and odors to keep the driver relaxed. The idea being that a relaxed driver is a better and safer driver.







The Rinspeed will be powered by a Porsche Boxter S engine. The engine is modified to run on natural gas, so it's more environmentally friendly.

The Rinspeed Senso will be unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow this March. For more information refer to Rinspeed's article on the Senso.

Posted by Hubert at 8:10 PM | Comments (0)

Ford GT recall already?

Ford GT has a recall on its control arms. The control arms could get brittle and break. With a car as capable as the Ford GT, which can reach speeds of 200 mph, a faulty control arm can be fatal.

The Ford GT control arms were developed using a new method of casting called semisolid casting. This is an alternative to forging or other types of casting. Forging is generally the preferred method for performance parts, as it produces stronger materials, but it costs more than casting.

Fortunately for Ford, the Ford GT is a limited production vehicle. There are currently only 111 owners out there that need to get their vehicles repaired.

Semisolid casting seems to be a controversial technology. Some think it's a good method and some don't. In the end, Ford wanted to be the first to try something new, and it backfired on them. Probably more bad luck than anything else.

Refer to AutoWeek's article for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 7:47 PM | Comments (0)

vehicle altitude record set by VW Touareg

An expedition was set to drive a VW Touareg to the top of the world's highest active volcano, Ojos del Salado in Chile. The summit of Ojos del Salado is at 6,887 m (22,560 ft) above sea level. The expedition team took the Touareg to 6,080 m (19,950 ft) above sea level, which Volkswagen says is the highest altitude a vehicle can reach and return from.





At such altitudes, there's very little oxygen for the team to breath. They needed additional oxygen supplies. The Touareg would also be hurting for oxygen to burn with fuel.

The record was set in the Guinness Book of Records on February 16, 2005 by this expedition in the VW Touareg.

For more information refer to gizmag's article.

Posted by Hubert at 7:21 PM | Comments (0)

Ford Focus ST

The Focus ST will outdo its predecessor (Focus RS) by 5 hp, uping power to 217 hp. It'll use a Volvo 2.5L 5 cylinder turbocharged engine. The only transmission will be a 6-speed manual. There won't be a limited slip differential, to cut cost. That's a shame.

The Ford Focus ST will debut at the Geneva Motorshow this March. It'll be wrapped in 18" wheels, fancier more exaggerated and aerodynamic body panels, orange Recaro seats, an assortment of gauges (boost, oil pressure, oil temperature), and various other mods to make it look sleek and sporty, to attract the intended crowd.

For more information refer to AutoCar's article.

Posted by Hubert at 7:00 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2005

Bentley Continental Flying Spur

The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is the sedan version of the Bentley Continental GT sports coupe. It has the same sporty design and engine as the coupe, with the 2 extra doors and more room.

Surprisingly, it can still go over 190 mph (coupe's top speed was 198 mph), and it goes 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in about 5 seconds (coupe ran 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds). As in the Continental GT, the engine is a W12 6.0L twin-turbocharged engine. The engine produces 552 bhp. The Flying Spur also uses a 6-speed transmission and all-wheel drive to put the power to the ground.

For more information refer to Bentley's website.

Posted by Hubert at 10:34 PM | Comments (0)

Sportscar with a bed?!!!

EDAG designs a concept sportscar with a bed on the roof - the GenX concept. Now that's really weird. Apparently the car is intended for the future when people will be working mobile, and these people be mixing work with pleasure. In addition to a bed, there are 2 detachable suitcases on the car.



If I was getting this car, I'd get it without the bed and suitcase options. The bed looks like a coffin. I can imagine someone sleeping in this car, parked on the road or in a parking lot. Everyone would be staring. You couldn't get any privacey trying to sleep in it. Maybe I don't have a good vision for the future.

For more information refer to gizmag's article.

Posted by Hubert at 8:50 PM | Comments (0)

Pagani Zonda F

Pagani will develop a special version of their Zonda car in honor of the late Manuel Fangio. The F in Pagani Zonda F is for Fangio. The standard Pagani Zonda S 7.3 is already one of the fastest cars in the world, producing 555 hp @ 5900 rpm and 553 ft-lb @ 4050 rpm. The Zonda F will be even faster. It'll still use the same 7.3L V12 Mercedes Benz AMG engine, but it'll produce a whopping 602 hp @ 6150 rpm and 561 ft-lb @ 4000 rpm. The Zonda F only weighs 1230 kg (2706 lbs). 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) will go by in only 3.6 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds faster than the standard Zonda S 7.3.



There will also be a Clubsport version with 650 hp @ 6200 rpm and 575 ft-lb @ 4000 rpm, in case 602 hp isn't enough. If money is not an issue, there's never enough horsepower. I'll take more power any time.







The Pagani Zonda F will debut at the Geneva Motorshow in March 2005. For more information refer to Pagani's website.

Posted by Hubert at 6:44 PM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2005

2006 BMW 130i

I wasn't too excited about the BMW 1 series until I heard about the 130i model. This is the top of the line BMW 1 series which comes with a 3.0L, 258 hp, 221 lb-ft engine and a 6-speed manual transmission. 0-60 mph should go by in about 6.0 seconds.

I don't get it. I would've expected it to be a bit quicker, since it must weigh less than the 330i with the same engine. Oh well, still this is much more exciting than a 4 banger BMW 1 series that I was expecting.

Refer to AutoWeek's article for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)

February 18, 2005

Mitsubishi Nessie concept SUV

Is there such a thing as a pretty SUV? Not even if Italdesign Giugiaro designs it. Well, it does look better than most of today's boxes on wheels, but still, it can't compare to a low and wide sportscar, no matter how hard they try.

The engine used in the concept vehicle is a V8 fueled with hydrogen. That's high-tech. The base platform is that of a Mitsubishi Pajero. That's low-tech. Of course, it'll come with an all-wheel-drive system, like most other SUVs and trucks.

Are those BBS RC wheels on the Nessie? Ooh I love those wheels! They're so light. And they're BBS.

The concept will be unveiled at the Geneva autoshow in March. For more information, refer to AutoWeek's article.

Posted by Hubert at 11:50 PM | Comments (0)

Lamborghini Concept S

Lamborghini has a very interesting concept model of a roadster version of the Gallardo, to compete with the upcoming Ferrari F430 Spider. It currently goes by the name Concept S.

One of the interesting features of this car is that the traditional windshield is split into 2 separate windshields, one for the driver and one for the passenger. In between the windshields is an open area that feeds air from the front all the way through to the rear to the engine, for extra air and cooling.

The passengers are essentially in 2 different cockpits in the same car. It's light a jetfighter or a spaceship. It's very neat and futuristic.

It's likely that the final version of the Concept S will be quite toned down. But clearly Lamborghini wants to differentiate the roadster from the regular Gallardo model. Both look great to me.


For more info refer to FastDrive's article.

Posted by Hubert at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)

Peugeot Design Competition

The top 3 winners of the Peugeot Design Competition came up with some interesting and very different vehicles. I wouldn't mind rolling in any of them, especially if they're fast.


The winner was the Peugeot Moovie concept. With its 2 large independent rear wheels, run by an electric motor, the Moovie can rotate in place.
Which way is forward?


2nd place winner
The 607 Arabesque is like the Sheik of the harem.


3rd place winner
Hmmm, looks like a futuristic pick-up truck to me.

For more information refer to Peugeot Design Competition's website, or refer to gizmag's article.

Posted by Hubert at 2:55 AM | Comments (0)

2006 BMW 3 series

BMW has finally done it, they've screwed up their last good looking design - the 3 series. It's a shame. In 2006, the 3 series will join the rest of BMW's ugly designs that all started with the Z4, and spread through the 7 and 5 series. Well, to give them some credit, it's not as bad looking as the other recent changes. But still, the current 3 series looks much nicer than what the future holds. Hopefully the next M3 will look okay...


On the bright side, the interior is still magnificent. Plus, the performance goes up across the board. The 325i will make 215 bhp and 185 lb-ft of torque (up by 31 bhp and 10 lb-ft). The 330i will make 255 bhp and 220 lb-ft of torque (up by 30 bhp and 6 lb-ft). Also, the iDrive will be optional, so we won't be forced to like it.

Refer to Road and Track's article for more information.

Posted by Hubert at 2:40 AM | Comments (0)

Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

2 versions of the 911 Carrera Cabriolet will be available when Porsche releases this open top wonder. The regular 911 Carrera Cabriolet with 330 bhp, which is actually 5 more horsepower than the coupe due to an improved air intake (0-60 mph in 5.0 seconds). And the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, which like the couple S, will make 355 bhp (0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds).

Additionally, the top can be lowered even while moving at up to 31 mph.



For more information, refer to Road and Track's article.

Posted by Hubert at 2:23 AM | Comments (0)

Atom2

Atom2 is practically like an F1 car for the road, without the cost of millions of dollars. Atom2 is perhaps the most hardcore car I've ever heard of, including the Caterham 7, Lotus Elise, McLaren F1, and such cars.

The Atom2 is build by the UK company Ariel. They have developed this car using the bare minimal requirements. Only what's needed to get the car rolling and rolling fast. They don't even have doors or a screen, and certainly no roof.

With such pure performance orientation, the atom weights only 456 kgs (1005 lbs). That's about half that of a US spec Lotus Elise! The engine is that of a Civic Type-R. It's a Honda i-VTEC (2.0L 4 cylinder DOHC 16 valves) that produces 220 bhp @ 8200 rpm. This engine is easily tunable to 240 bhp or higher without needing to strengthen the engine.

For more information refer to Ariel's website.

Posted by Hubert at 1:51 AM | Comments (0)

more Noble cars

As if the Noble M12 GTO-3R wasn't fast enough, there's also the Noble M400. It's much like the M12, but it uses larger turbochargers and higher lift camshafts, along with a new fuel management computer. The results are 425 bhp @ 6500 rpm and 390 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm.

There's also a roaster version of the Noble M12 GTO-3R called the Noble M12 GTC. It'll have a removable composite roof. The roof can be stowed behind the seats. The rear section can also be removed or left in place, like a targa top. Unfortunately, the M12 GTC will only have a single turbo, reducing power to a mere 290 bhp @ 6000 rpm. That's a shame to be missing over 60 hp for the open top.

The next Noble, the Noble M14, shares the same mechanicals as the M12 GTO-3R, but has been tweaked a bit to produce 400 bhp @ 6100 rpm. The overall structure has been smoothened up further making it look even sleeker than the M12. The M14 is also 7 inches longer and 2 inches wider, giving a wider and fatter stance, which should hopefully further improve handling. Apparently the reason for the size increase wasn't handling, but rather to make it more comfortable and roomy for passengers and luggage. As if anyone driving such a fast car would care about such things. Well, maybe those who don't take their Noble to speeds beyond 65 mph do. But such a car belongs on the track. And such a car need not worry about luggage space, when any luggage would be getting tossed left and right as the driver busts hard turns around street corners...oh I mean around the track.

Refer to Fast-Autos.com for more info.

Posted by Hubert at 1:05 AM | Comments (0)

February 17, 2005

Noble M12 GTO-3R

The Noble M12 is a rare car, built in South Africa, designed in England, and imported to the US as a kit car. It is an extremely fast car, with supercar speed and handling. Yet it is a very simple car, with only a stereo and air conditioner for amenities.

The kit car can be ordered from 1g Racing for $76,400. The kit comes in 2 parts, the car itself and the powertrain. The powertrain comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 with a Getrag 6-speed transmission. The engine is from a Ford Taurus and is mid-mounted. The transmission is from a European Ford Mondeo. Pretty simple, cheap, and effective. Plus parts should be fairly cheap and easy to find.

Recently Car and Driver had a test drive in the Noble M12. They were expecting it to be an unrefined car, but to their surprise it was quite a fine car. It was even easy to get into, and to some extent comfortable. The clutch and brakes were light.

The performance is the key feature. With so little weight to toss around (2457 lbs) the car accelerates, stops and grips like mad! 0-60 mph goes by in only 3.3 seconds. On the skidpad it pulls 1.0g.

performance:
power: 360 hp @ 6200 rpm
torque: 358 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
curb weight: 2457 lbs
0-60 mph: 3.3 seconds
quarter mile: 11.8 seconds @ 118 mph

For more information refer to 1g Racing, the US importer of Noble cars, or refer to Car and Driver's test drive of the M12.

Posted by Hubert at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2005

Civic Si concept

The next US release of the Civic Si will be a 2-door coupe, since hatchbacks aren't as popular here as they are in Europe. These pictures are concept design which is 90% close to what the next Civic Si will look like and how it'll perform.

The concept vehicle has a 200 hp, 4 cyclinder, 16-valve engine, with a 6-speed manual transmission and 18" wheels.

For more info refer to Automotive News.

Posted by Hubert at 8:21 PM | Comments (0)

Audi Le Mans Quattro

After dominating the Le Mans for 3 consecutive years (2000 - 2002) with their R8 race car, Audi has developed a concept car for the masses. The Audi Le Mans Quattro has supercar characteristics, with a twin turbocharged 5.0L V10 engine that outputs 610 bhp. The maximum torque of 553 lb-ft is available between 1750 to 5800 rpm!!! That's about 1000 rpm beyond the idle rpm level, meaning from a stand still, a slight tap on the throttle will turn the wheels with more torque than most cars have at any rpm.



Fortunately, to keep the car with so much low-end torque under control, the Le Mans Quattro comes with a special version of Audi's Quattro 4-wheel drive system. The transmission uses a 6-speed sequential box. And the brake system uses large ceramic disks to maximize stopping power.

The dash has a display that can show 3 different sets of data. It can show the tachometer and speedometer, it can show a track map or other GPS info, or it can show various engine data, like oil pressure and water temperature. Now that's pretty neat and hardcore. I imagine it must be like playing a ralley video game when using the track map GPS mode. Except the costs of a crash are much much higher.

The only downside to this car is that the maximum speed is limited to 155 mph. That's very un-supercar like in my opinion. I sure hope Audi does make this concept car a reality, and I hope they eliminate the speed limiter.

performance:
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 3.7 seconds
0-200 km/h (0-124 mph): 10.8 seconds
top speed (theoretical): 345 km/h (214 mph)
top speed (limited): 250 km/h (155 mph)

For more information refer to Audi's website.

Posted by Hubert at 6:48 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2005

Bugatti Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron has over 1000 horsepower, 16 cylinders (W-16 engine), 8.0L of displacement, 4 turbo chargers, and can go over 250 mph. That's even faster than a McLaren F1!!! It'll cost about as much as a McLaren F1 too - $1,000,000.

Will this monster ever get released? After having production halted for a couple of years, it's finally coming back to auto shows around Europe, starting with the Frankfurt auto show in September 2005.

Refer to Bugatti's website for lots of great pictures and information about the car.

Posted by Hubert at 12:32 AM | Comments (0)

February 12, 2005

Mazda RX-8 supercharged?!!

A special RX-8 was spotted by Road & Track's Sam Mitani. He saw this hopped up RX-8 on the road and heard a special whine coming from the engine bay. Hmmmm, what could be whining...could it be a supercharger?



Sure enough, it turned out to be a project car made by some Mazda engineers. It has very cleanly modified body panels that make the car look a lot meaner and faster. Yet it's so clean that it doesn't look like an aftermarket job. There's a functional hood scoop that feeds air into the intercooler that feeds the supercharger.

In addition to body parts and the supercharger, there are also suspension improvements. The project car was rolling on 19" wheels, with 245/35ZR-19 tires in the front and wide 275/30ZR-19 tires in the rear.

The lack of torque has obviously been addressed by the supercharger. This has got to be a fun car to drive, on the road and on track. It should be particularly nicer to drive around town with the added midrange torque and power, thanks to the supercharger. Let's just hope Mazda ends up making this baby...

estimated specs:
power: 250 bhp @ 8500 rpm
torque: 165 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm
redline: 9000 rpm
0-60 mph: 5.5 seconds
1/4 mile: 14.0 seconds @ 100.0 mph

For more information refer to the article at Road & Track.

Posted by Hubert at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)

February 11, 2005

new Ferrari F430 Spider pics

Ferrari released official photos of this beauty. It'll be unveiled for the first time at the Geneva Auto Show in March 2005.



specs:
curb weight: 1520 kg (3351 lbs)
displacement: 4308cc (263 cu in)
power: 490 hp @ 8500 rpm
torque: 343 lb-ft @ 5250 rpm
top speed: over 310 km/h (over 193 mph)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 4.1 seconds

Imagine cruising at 190 mph with the top off and the Ferrari engine roaring behind you. Wow, what a dream!

more photos...







Check out the press release for more detailed information.

Posted by Hubert at 10:59 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2005

BMW M3 Competition

It sounds like BMW's M3 CSL model for the US. The CSL model was never released in the US, but the competition model uses several parts from it. Basically the CSL is a lighter more racey version of the already sporty M3. The M3 Competition will have the CSL's lightweight 19 inch wheels, bigger brake rotors, and tighter steering.

I don't know if the extra $4,000 justifies the changes. For that price, I could buy a much nicer set of custom wheels that probably weigh less than the ones on the M3 Competition. Still, if price wasn't an issue, and I was buying a M3, I'd definately go for the Competition model.

For more info refer to Automobile Magazie.

Posted by Hubert at 12:25 AM | Comments (0)

Bose suspension technology

The main goal of a suspension is to provide both comfort and control. Generally, comfort requires soft and tall suspension settings, while control and handling require stiff and low suspension settings.

That's why most luxury cars are so smooth and soft. You hardly feel any bumps in a luxury car. Sports cars, on the other hand, ride very stiff. You feel most of the bumps. But the stiffness keeps the tires more planted, hence giving more tire contact patch, which results in better grip and handling.


Several suspensions try to get the best of both worlds by having adjustable suspension, whether automatically set or manually set. But none of them have really achieved something that's truly comfortable and handles at its best. There's always a sacrifice one way or the other.

Until recently, Dr. Bose, the same Bose we all know and love for their audio equipment, has done extensive research on a new suspension technology that uses electromagnetics. Apparently this next generation technology achieves both extreme comfort and handling.

The following image compares a Bose suspension equiped Lexus LS400 (bottom) and a regular Lexus LS400. Clearly the Bose equiped one rides much smoother. And a Lexus is a very comfortable car to begin with.



For more information refer to Automobile Magazine.

Posted by Hubert at 12:06 AM | Comments (0)

February 9, 2005

2006 BMW M6

This bad boy comes with a 7-speed manual transmission. That's right, 7 forward gears!!! And it needs it, with all the power and torque that's available.

The M6 will have the same motor as the M5 but it'll weigh less. So it'll be even quicker and handle better. The engine is a 5.0L V10 producing 500 hp. 0-62 mph should be 4.6 seconds.

For more info refer to Car and Driver.

Posted by Hubert at 12:31 AM | Comments (0)

Saleen S7 twin turbo

As if the S7 didn't have enough power and motor, they're adding 2 turbos to it too.

With its 7.0L V8 and the added twin turbos, the power is now up to 750 hp @ 6300 rpm and 700 lb-ft torque @ 4800 rpm. That's compared to the naturally aspirated version which produced 575 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 570 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm.

Remember that the car is extremely light, weighing at 2750 lbs (1250 kg) in the naturally aspirated form. I can't imagine having 700 lb-ft torque with so little weight. I'll bet you'd smoke the tires if you accidentally sneeze while driving.

For the current S7 specs go to Saleen.

For more info on the upcoming twin-turbo version refer to Automobile Magazine.

Posted by Hubert at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)

February 8, 2005

Mercedes CLS55 AMG

AMG tuned 4-door beast comes with a 5.4L supercharged V8 producing 469 hp and a whopping 516 lb-ft of torque!

0-62 mph goes by in 4.7 seconds. Too bad top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Unfortunately the CLS55 comes with an automatic transmission, like most other Mercedes. At least it's like a fake manual, with the paddle-shifters. This ought to be a real fun cruiser. It makes more torque than a Viper!

For more info see Automobile Magazine.

Posted by Hubert at 11:42 PM | Comments (0)

Ferrari F430 Spider

The F430 drops its top. This is a rendering by Hans G. Lehmann based on some spy photos:

The engine is the same as the regular F430. It will have a 4.3L V8 engine making 483 hp.

Who needs a radio in this car with the engine behind and the open air the only thing between the driver and the car. This has got to be the most fun you can have on the road while being topless.

For more info refer to AutoWeek.

Posted by Hubert at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)

February 7, 2005

2006 BMW 7 series

BMW finally changes the looks of the 7 series. It's still not a beauty, but perhaps on the right track. There are engine and chassis improvements as well.

The V8 engine increases displacement from 4.4L to 4.8L, with power increasing from 325 hp to 360 hp and torque increasing from 330 lb-ft to 360 lb-ft.

Chassis upgrades also improve handling.


Personally, if I had the money I'd be rolling in a Mercedes S55 AMG, or at least the S500. I think those cars look much better. The Beamer probably handles better than the Benz though.



More info at AutoWeek.

Posted by Hubert at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)