« February 20, 2005 - February 26, 2005 | Main | March 6, 2005 - March 12, 2005 »
March 2, 2005
Pininfarina’s Birdcage concept car
A very futuristic concept car designed by Pininfarina in collaboration with Maserati and Motorola was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. The car is to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Pininfarina. It is very high-tech and aerodynamic, having a very low and smooth fully transparent top. Not only do the passengers get very good visibilty, those on the outside will also get a good glimpse of the fancy internals.
The concept vehicle uses Maserati's 700 hp V12 engine. In addition, Motorola's involvement in the design of the Birdcage has been to produce "seamless mobility" where everyone is always connected (phone and internet) and able to communicate even when on the go.
For more details refer to gizmag's article.
Posted by Hubert at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Aston Martin recently unveiled the new V8 Vantage at the Geneva Motor Show. The V8 Vantage is the entry level car for Aston Martin, followed by their more expensive DB9 and Vanquish S.
The V8 Vantage is a 2 seater coupe with a hatchback, for practicality, unlike most other sports cars. But like other sports cars, it has a wide stance with smooth lines, making it look real smooth and sleek.
As one would guess from its name, the V8 Vantage is powered by a V8 with 4.3L displacement producing 380 bhp. This is a new aluminum alloy V8 which is more efficient and runs cleaner than previous Aston Martin V8s.
To provide excellent handling and balance the engine is placed in the front behind the front axle and the transmission is positioned in the rear, resulting in a weight distribution of 49:51 (front to rear weight ratio).
For more details check out the article on RSportsCars.
Posted by Hubert at 6:45 PM | Comments (0)
Brabus SLR McLaren
The top of the line Mercedes Benz is the SLR McLaren. It comes with an AMG supercharged 5.4L V8 producing 617 hp @ 6500 rpm and 575 lb-ft torque @ 3250 - 5000 rpm. It costs about $450,000.
Brabus has a modified version of the SLR McLaren that's even more exclusive. The Brabus SLR produces 660 bhp (651 hp) @ 6500 rpm using the same supercharged engine as the base SLR. The power increase comes from improved fuel cooling, custom camshafts and a racing exhaust (which isn't street legal).
The performance increase results in 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) times of 3.6 seconds versus the base SLR's 0-60 mph of 3.8 seconds (a bit longer than 3.8 seconds for 0-62 mph). Top speed increases from 207 mph to 210 mph.
Naturally, Brabus has incorporated lots of visual improvements to make the Brabus SLR stand out even more. The most obvious one is probably the 20 inch polished wheels. Some modifications also improve handling and aerodynamics.
The price of all this exclusivity is a whopping $750,000!!! That's an extra $300,000 over the base SLR. Hmmmm, I could get the Brabus SLR with the extra 34 hp or instead I could get the base SLR and a Lamborghini Murcielago and a Mercedes E500. Alternately I could get a couple of houses.
I don't know, I'm not too pleased with the SLR McLaren. It's an automatic to begin with, which is just wrong for a sports car, especially one of this calibur. Secondly, I thought it's supposed to be a successor to the infamous McLaren F1 car, which far exceeds the SLR McLaren in all aspects, particularly performance. Plus the McLaren F1 was a car from over a decade ago. And I just love the McLaren F1. Still, the SLR McLaren looks real slick, and the Brabus version does look even slicker.
Anyway, for more information regarding the Brabus SLR McLaren you can check out the article on RSportCars.
Posted by Hubert at 2:48 PM | Comments (0)
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
Mitsubishi has announced the next generation of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, the Evo IX. Compared to the current Evo VIII, the Evo IX gets minor improvements all around. The biggest change is the use of Mitsubishi's MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system) variable valve timing technology on the intake side. In addition, the turbocharger has been improved to produce more torque and be more responsive across the whole rpm range.
Lots of fancy gadgets are also incorporated in the Evo to make it handle better. Like the previous Evos, the new Evo comes with a 4WD system. The system is controlled by the ECU, which controls the ACD and the AYC and the ABS, not to mention the LSD and the EBD. Okay, too many acronyms.
The ACD is the Active Center Differential which controls the differential between free and locked states. The AYC is the Active Yaw Control which transfers torque to the rear wheels. The ABS is of course the anti-lock brake system, which prevents the brakes from locking under extreme or slipper conditions. The LSD is the limited-slip differential which improves traction by controlling wheel spin between the wheels. And finally, the EBD is the Electronic Brake Force Distribution which distributes brake force between front and rear tires, to minimize brake fade and improve overall braking.
Bottom line is, all these techno gadgets improve the Evo IX's performance, handling, braking and safety. That's all I needed to know, without having to worry about all the acronyms' details.
Mitsubishi has also made improvements to the aerodynamics and cooling of the vehicle. Openings in the underpinning of the car have been minimized to reduce lift. A rear diffuser has been added to the rear bumper to reduce drag. A rear spoiler also adds downforce to keep the car planted at high speeds. A larger mesh grill in the front lets more air flow into the engine, keeping it cooler and sending more air to burn.
Several other features have been carried over from the previous generation Evos. The engine remains the same 2.0L turbocharged and intercooled engine. I'm not sure what the power output of the Evo IX is, but the torque is 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) @ 3000 rpm for the GSR model and 407 Nm (300 lb-ft) @ 3000 for the RS and GT models.
For more details read the article on FastDrive.
Posted by Hubert at 1:58 PM | Comments (0)
Rinspeed Chopster - extreme SUV
Based on the Porsche Cayenne, the Rinspeed/EDAG Chopster goes all out making perhaps the wildest SUV out there. The most notable change is the chopped roof, which has been lowered by 70 mm (2.75 inches). Other visual modifications include humongous 23x11 wheels, housing low profile 315/25 tires. Several other exterior and interior changes have been made, including various body panel changes and the use of Recaro seats.
The power of the Porsche Cayenne turbo's engine has been bumped up from 450 hp to 600 hp, and torque has increased from 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) to 800 Nm (590 lb-ft)! The task was achieved by BSO by using a reworked turbocharger system, improved exhaust flow, reprogrammed ECU, and a more efficient water-cooled intercooler. The results are 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) times of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h (181 mph).
I'm not a big fan of SUVs, but this is one mean puppy. I can imagine feeling every little bump on the road in this massive SUV with its super low-profile (25) tires and fat 23 inch wheels.
For more information refer to Rinspeed's website.
Posted by Hubert at 1:19 AM | Comments (0)
March 1, 2005
new Morgan Aero 8 & Aeromax
The new Morgan Aero 8 and Morgan Aeromax were unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show today. The Morgan Aero 8 is a rare car, with just over 300 of them in customers' hands. The Morgan Aeromax is a new design shown to the public for the first time.
Both cars are extremely light, constructed of an aluminum body and chassis. The Aero 8 only weighs 1145 kg (2524 lbs). Both Morgans use the latest BMW 4.4L 32-valve V8 producing 333 bhp @ 6100 rpm and 331 lb-ft torque @ 3600 rpm. With so little weight and so much torque and power, the Morgan Aero 8 zips through 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in under 4.5 seconds! Top speed should be in excess of 260 km/h (160 mph).
I think of the Morgan Aero 8 as a fancy, luxurious and more refined version of the old school Shelby roadster. I'd love to drive one. The thought of so much torque and so little weight...imagine chirping the tires on demand...
For more information refer to gizmag's article on Morgan Aero 8 or Morgan Aeromax.
Posted by Hubert at 11:22 PM | Comments (0)
Subaru Impreza WRC2005 - the rally race car
The Subaru WRC race car will debut at the Mexico Rally on March 11. The new race car has been redesigned to be wider, lighter, have better cooling, and be more aerodynamic. The motor has a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder engine producing 300 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 60 kg-m (434 lb-ft) torque @ 4000 rpm.
For more information refer to gizmag's article.
Posted by Hubert at 10:57 PM | Comments (0)
2009 Porsche Panamera
Rumor has it that Porsche wants to get into the luxury 4-door super sedan market, to run with the big dogs like Mercedes and BMW. Porsche's sedan model will be called the Porsche Panamera. It'll have 2 engine choices, a 340 hp V8 and a 600 hp V10, the latter from the Porsche Carrera GT.
This image is a teaser Photoshop job, apparently made with help from Porsche to get the public's reaction. Personally I think it looks fantastic. I'd much rather see a Porsche sedan than a Porsche truck/SUV. Bring it on Porsche!!!
For more information read the Rennteam forum articles.
Posted by Hubert at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)
Toyota Supra MKV
Next Supra (MKV) will most likely come with 2 engine options. A 3.5L V6 producing 300 hp, and a 4.3L V8 producing 350 hp. The engines are based on the 2006 Lexus GS models.
As a big fan and owner of the MKIV Supra, I'm a bit disappointed. I was hoping for more power than 350 hp for the top of the line model, given that the MKIV made 320 hp. Plus the MKIV was turbocharged, so it could easily be upgraded to produce 400 hp, by simply raising the boost and decreasing the exhaust restrictions. I'm sure people will find ways of making a lot more power out of the MKV in due time...
For more information refer to Edmunds' article.
Posted by Hubert at 10:21 PM | Comments (0)