BMW 6-SERIES COUPE TO DEBUT IN SHANGHAI

http://www.bmw.co.uk/images/bmwuk/mid_images/1_2008_09_10_15_12_10_6_coupe_1.jpg

By Drew Johnson

Most automakers tend to unveil hardtop models before their convertible counterparts, but BMW is shaking things up a bit with its new 6-Series. The German automaker pulled the sheet on its 6-Series convertible at January’s Detroit Auto Show, but the car’s hard-top variant won’t make its public debut until April’s Shanghai Auto Show.

Although we have yet to see any official photos of the new 6-Series coupe, it seems safe to assume it will closely follow the design of the recently unveiled convertible. The 6-Series’ coupe variant was also previewed by the Concept 6-Series Coupe.

The 6-Series coupe will likely arrive in base form as the 640i. Like the 640i convertible, the 640i coupe will be powered by a 320 horsepower version of BMW’s turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder. BMW’s 407 horsepower 4.4L V8 will also be available in the 650i coupe.

The 6-Series coupe and convertible should be on dealer lots by spring. Pricing has yet to be announced, but expect a slight premium over the current car.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/report-bmw-6-series-coupe-to-debut-in-shanghai.html

The Honda Fit EV Concept

Fit EV Concept
http://automobiles.honda.com/images/future-cars/fit-ev/fitconcept_02.jpg

Honda is proud to announce the world debut of the Fit EV Concept. This advanced electric vehicle is designed to meet the daily driving needs of an average commuter, utilizing the same 5-passenger layout found in the popular Fit hatchback. The Fit EV Concept is propelled by a high-density motor derived from the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle and features a 3-mode drive system adapted from the CR-Z sport hybrid. A pocket-friendly interactive remote can link to the vehicle without the need for an Internet connection or mobile phone signal. Through this remote, drivers will be able to remotely view the vehicle's state of charge, initiate charging and activate the air conditioning, even while connected to the grid, reducing the drain on battery at start-up. An application for smartphones and a website for personal computers offer the ability to set charging notifications and alerts to optimize utility rates and provide 24-hour roadside assistance along with a public charging locator. Battery recharging can be accomplished in less than 12 hours when using a conventional 120-volt outlet and less than six hours when employing a 240-volt outlet. The Fit EV will achieve an estimated 100 miles driving range per charge using the US EPA LA4 City cycle (70 miles when applying EPA's adjustment factor), well more than the average number of miles driven daily by most commuters. The Fit EV is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in 2012. Be sure to sign up for e-mail updates to receive all the latest news regarding this exciting vehicle. 

Ref. http://automobiles.honda.com/fit-ev/

The Honda Civic Si Concept

Civic Si Concept coupe

(http://automobiles.honda.com/images/future-cars/2012-civic/civic_01.jpg)

The Honda Civic Si Concept coupe and the Civic Concept sedan made their world debuts at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The Concept vehicles offered an intriguing preview of the styling direction of the new, ninth-generation Civic. 

Civic Concept sedan
(http://automobiles.honda.com/images/future-cars/2012-civic/civic_07.jpg)

This spring, the all-new Civic model range will arrive with unprecedented diversity, including conventional sedan and coupe models, sporty "Si" performance versions, as well as hybrid and natural-gas variants. The new Civic hybrid will feature a lithium ion battery cell, the first ever for a Honda hybrid. In another first for Honda, the Eco-Assist™[1] system will be available in most upcoming Civic models. Additionally, Honda is expanding retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic GX model. 

Altogether, the new Civic promises to continue its tradition of user-friendliness, sporty performance and excellent fuel economy, offering an unprecedented level of variety with the widest array of powertrain choices in its class. 

[1] Eco Assist is a trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and may not be used or reproduced without prior written approval. 

Ref. http://automobiles.honda.com/2012-civic/

The First Generation to Present Mustang

• The first generation Mustang was introduced to the public in 1964 at the New York World Fair. The Mustang when introduced in 1964 shared a number of its characteristics with the Ford Falcon. The Mustang was launched as a coupe or as a convertible. It was 181.6 inches long. The Mustang derived its power from a wide choice of engines. The engines were a 2.8-liter OHV; a 3.3-liter OHV; a 4.3-liter OHV V8; a 4.7-liter V8; a four-barrel 289 engine and at the last a four-barrel 289. In 1999 the Eighth generation Mustang made its debut. Changes were made to the Mustangs 3.8-liter V6 engine and its 4.6-liter V8 engine.

Mercedes students create B55 using big V8 and little B-Class

• After the nuclear apocalypse wipes out all of civilization, there will still be cockroaches wedging huge engines into tiny cars. You just can't kill the oldest recipe in hot rodding history, and for good reason. As a handful of trainees at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Rastatt just found out, the big engine, small car combo is the easiest way to mint cheap speed. Plant manager Peter Wesp got the idea to squeeze a 5.5-liter 385 horsepower V8 from the likes of the big E550 into the Silver Arrow's trim B-Class.
• After finding a B200 CDI that had been sacrificed to training, Wesp and his team set about the mechanical contortions necessary to pull off the swap. Surprisingly enough, the workers were able to use the original engine mounts, and with a little parts-bin raiding, everything was sitting pretty under the hood. The team snugged in a rear axle from a W 2010 E-Class, front brakes lifted from a C32 AMG and bolted on snazzy 18-inch wheels from AMG as well. How's that for perfection? Hit the jump for the full press blast.
• More...http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/21/mercedes-b55-big-v8-b-class/

Lotus Esprit Concept @2010 Paris Auto Show

Lotus Esprit Concept



• Lotus is ready to make a big impact at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. It brought five concept vehicles to the show (more on the other four in short order), and one in particular has us salivating. Lotus plans to revive the much-loved Esprit for the 2013 model year. Before we see a production version of that car, the automaker is showcasing its Lotus Esprit Concept.
• Taking cues from the old Esprit, the Esprit Concept plunks its engine amidship, though instead of honoring the turbocharged four-cylinders that powered the originals, the concept makes do with a meaty supercharged 5.0-liter V8. That V8 will look familiar to fans of the Lexus IS-F. The two-seater will produce 620 horsepower, accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and then blast onward to a 205-mile-per-hour top speed. The plan is to bring the production version to market in the spring of 2013 with a price tag around $175,000.
• In addition to the massive, and massively exciting ,V8 power, the Lotus Esprit will also be offered with KERS as an option. KERS, or Kinetic Energy Recovery System, is a system used by Formula 1 cars to recover heat energy generated during braking. The energy is stored until the driver wants a powerful boost and with a push of a button propels the car with more force than two bottles of NOS... the big ones.
• Stay tuned as we'll update this post with more official images as well as live shots from the show floor soon.
• More...http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/30/paris-2010-lotus-esprit-concept-previews-upcoming-revival-of-a/

Google's new robot car: Crazy good or crazy crazy?

Google's new robot car: Crazy good or crazy crazy?

There is something charming about engineers who decide they will alter the world. Just because they can.

So Google's announcement that it has already been testing cars that drive themselves should be met by warm feelings in many of one's more imaginative nerve-endings.

As I grasp this vastly ambitious project, Google is intending that these cars, manned as they are by vast arrays of excellent soft- and hardware, will avoid crashes and allow for fuel savings and more cars on the road (as, deductive reasoning goes, there will be no crashes). They will also allow drivers to get drunk to skunk levels, given that no self-respecting Google car would actually let the drivers take the wheel, even when they're sober.

While several parts of me want to emit songs from the works of the finest gospel authors, there are other parts that yield a B-flat of discomfort.

Read more


http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20019139-71.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody;1n#ixzz12jdi2HQM

Honda shows new minivan concept in Chicago

The Odyssey concept presages the 2011 production version coming out in the fall. (Credit: Honda)

Not prone to building outlandish or highly speculative concepts, Honda showed off a very mundane concept version of its upcoming new Odyssey minivan at the Chicago Auto Show. The real thing is coming out this fall, so the concept is fairly close to production trim.

Honda notes that the new Odyssey will be lower and wider than the current version, improving aerodynamics and fuel economy. Some versions of the car will get 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, according to Honda. But it sounds like the powerplant options will remain unchanged, as Honda says the current i-VTEC V-6, with cylinder deactivation technology, will still be available.

more.. 

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10450909-48.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

Maybach Exelero

We believed only P.Diddy could offered the 2005 Maybach Exelero Concept, but evidently some franchise in Austria had one built on order but ne'er sold it. Well now they're trying to distribute the car and are inviting 5,000,000 Euros ($7,848,492). V12 bi-turbo from Maybach 57 S 690-hp with a peak torque of 737 ft-lb. 0-62mph in 4.4 secs with a top speed of 218mph.

Download : Maybach Exelero

Dacia Duster Concept

Renault's low-priced Romanian brand, Dacia, will be bringing out its very first concept at the Geneva Motor Show this calendar week. Called the Duster, the concept boasts a crossover-style consistence with some very concerning titling components like headlamps that trail off crossed the front buffers and rear tail-lights that adulterate advancing across a arc-boutant of sheetmetal above the rear bicycles. Kudos to Renault architects in Romania and France for authorship such an concerning shape. Arrested within is an evenly useful interior with a neat modular trick: The front passenger seat chutes underneath the driver's seat on fulminates, making adequate room to carry a all-terrain bike inside the car instead of on top of it.

 

Download : Dacia Duster Concept

The First Generation to Present Mustang

Review: 2008 BMW 128i Convertible

Credit: CNET Networks)

Except for its price, the 2008 BMW 128i Convertible may be the least BMW-like car from the automaker. Oh, it does have all the cutting-edge tech found in BMW's other models, including a pop-up LCD that is surprisingly immune to glare. But where its turbo-charged brother, the 135i, feels glued to the road, the 128i Convertible's wheels seem to stretch away from the car in the corners. And where the 135i leaps forward with smooth and hard acceleration, the 128i Convertible's power delivery feels uneven.

Read the review.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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Honda to revive the Insight as a Prius-fighter

The Insight Concept represent's Honda's next attempt to dethrone the Toyota Prius.
(Credit: Honda)

• Honda introduced the first gas-electric hybrid for purchase with the Insight in 1999, then came Toyota's Prius and everyone forgot about Honda's little hybrid that could. We all knew that Honda was working on a larger Prius-fighting, dedicated hybrid vehicle, but Honda has denied that they'd be reviving the Insight moniker for this new vehicle. On Thursday, Honda released the first official information and images of their Prius-killer concept and it's called, you guessed it, the Insight.
• The Insight Concept carries over the styling cues of Honda's fuel cell vehicle, the FCX Clarity. It looks to us that Honda has been taking lessons from the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" school of thought, as the five-door, five-passenger hatchback configuration of the Insight is the same as that of the Prius. Squint your eyes and you'll see that the proportions from the a-pillar back are decidedly Prius-like. It's almost as though someone slapped the nose of the FCX Clarity onto Toyota's hybrid and called it a day.
• Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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Mazda developing Volt competitor

(Credit: Mazda USA)

• Chevrolet's Volt hasn't even been released yet and other automakers are already hard at work developing their Volt killers. Sources at Autocar say that Mazda engineers have developed a working Mazda5-based electric vehicle prototype. The prototype is said to use a rotary engine to charge a battery pack that powers an electric motor driving the wheels.
• Essentially, the only thing that's keeping Mazda from putting the system into production is the high cost of batteries. Meanwhile, Mazda is said to be concentrating on more conventional green tech, such as engine start-stop technology
• Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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Titan Exhaust Air Jack lifts car by inflating

(Credit: Crave Asia)

Where was this when my tire blew out on me (which fortunately happened in a quiet neighborhood)? Unfortunately, being a quiet neighborhood, help wasn't too forthcoming. So while twiddling my thumbs for more than an hour waiting for the mechanic to arrive, I had plenty of time to contemplate the folly of the mini-jack, which looks more like a weapon of mass destruction to the less mechanically inclined and isn't at all kind to manicured nails.

So bless Chandler Products for the Titan Exhaust Air Jack, which is dead-simple to use. You just need to connect the hose to your car's exhaust pipe, and this will inflate quickly to lift your vehicle up to 30 inches above ground.

It's available in three sizes, will stay safely inflated for a maximum of 45 minutes, and will deflate in less than 5 seconds. Too bad the sticker price is just as inflated, and starts pumping from $120.

(Via Crave Asia)

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Vote, and maybe win an Xbox

Seems like everyone is into the spirit of democracy these days.

Peugeot is soliciting your vote for its 2008 Design Contest. This year's challenge is for a vehicle that complements environmental and population concerns in the megalopolis of tomorrow.

Thierry Dumaine of France entered the Facile, a concept car with two removable mono-wheel mopeds.

(Credit: Peugeot/Thierry Dumaine)

The French-based car company released a list of 29 finalists, which can be voted on through September 15. You can vote anonymously, or vote giving your personal info for a chance to win an Xbox 360. Keep in mind that only those who vote for the winning concept car will be eligible to win one of 20 Xbox 360 consoles Peugeot plans to give away.

The designer of the winning concept car gets a cash prize, VIP passage to some of this season's auto shows, an Xbox 360, and a small scale model of their car.

We put together some highlights from this year's finalists, who come from all over the world, including Iran. Check out our gallery of the car designs modern and chic enough for Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Read more...

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Ford offers glass roof Mustangs

Posted by Candace Lombardi

Here's some bright news to go with your daily dose of bad these days.

It may sound like sacrilege, but owners of new Ford Mustangs may actually have a chance to look cooler than Steve McQueen while driving.

The $1,995 factory-installed panoramic glass-roof option that Ford announced last December is now available on its 2009 V-6 and GT models, the company announced Wednesday.

From the photos, this really looks like more than just your typical moonroof.
Not only will the glass roof look cool, it might also help you stay cool. Ford claims that the specially tinted glass actually "reduces energy used by the vehicle's air conditioning system by 20 percent."

Originally posted at Planetary Gear

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Review: 2009 Jaguar XF

Posted by Wayne Cunningham

On first getting into the 2009 Jaguar XF, the car seems like the ultimate in automotive tech. A red backlight on the engine start button pulses with a heartbeat cadence. Push it, and panels over the air vents open up while the shift dial rises from the console. That's right, a shift dial. Recognizing that most automatic transmissions are electronically controlled, the XF does away with a big legacy shifter, opting for a big dial that you turn to the different drive modes. The touch-screen interface uses a nicely designed set of menus, reminiscent of the LCARS computer interface from Star Trek.

But there are a few signs that Jaguar isn't quite ready for this tech future. The touch-screen interface is slow, taking a few moments between the time you touch a button and the resultant action. The information architecture is also poor, with too many actions required to access the iPod integration screen, for example. It's too bad Jaguar isn't still a Ford property, as the XF could really benefit from Ford Sync. Driving tech is better, though, as the XF can be had with a blind spot warning system and adaptive cruise control, not to mention the excellent audio produced by the Bowers and Wilkins stereo system.

Read the review.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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Nissan announces G37 convertible, sedan

Posted by Antuan Goodwin

Infiniti announced some new additions to its G lineup this Wednesday. The 2009 G37 Convertible will be based on the current G37 Coupe and will feature a three-piece automatic retracting hardtop. Infiniti also states that it will be upgrading the audio and HVAC systems to compensate for this new exposure to the elements, but did not supply details as to how.

Infiniti's 330 horsepower, 3.7 liter V6 would be also be transforming the G35 sedan into a meaner G37 sport sedan. Joining the G37 coupe and convertible, all models will receive as options Infiniti's new 7-speed automatic transmission, offering downshift rev-matching. The ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system will also be an option in G37x sedan and coupe trim.

Regardless of configuration all new Gs will get Infiniti's self healing paint as a standard feature. The Infiniti G37 convertible will debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, while the sedan will be introduced mid-2009.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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2009 VW Golf details, new tech revealed

2009 VW Golf details, new tech revealed
Posted by Antuan Goodwin

After having images of the 2009 Golf Mk VI leak to the Net ahead of the official Wednesday reveal, Volkswagen has gone ahead and released the details surrounding the new Golf, which will launch in Europe in October.

Among the details outlined in the press release are side mirrors that are aerodynamically designed to get less dirty and reduce wind noise; but we're not interested in side mirrors. We want the tech!

Firstly, VW has replaced its conventional automatic option with its dual-clutched DSG transmission in all but the most basic trim levels. The DSG will be either a 6- or 7-speed unit, depending on the engine with which it's paired. Altogether removing the conventional automatic from the better equipped Golf models is a bold move by VW, but I think it's a good one.

As expected, VW has lowered fuel consumption (by up to 28 percent) using a lineup of new turbocharged and/or supercharged diesel (DSI) and gasoline (TSI) engines. According to VW, in its thriftiest DSI/DSG trim, the new Golf will get up to 52 mpg. That puts the 2009 Golf into hybrid territory, but isn't surprising based on what we've seen in the Jetta TDI.

Volkswagen also announced new tech for the 2009 Golf in the form of safety features. Automatic distance control, adaptive chassis control, and park steering assist sound like options for a much higher-end vehicle than the entry-level Golf. In fact, they are features that trickled down to the Golf from the up-market Passat CC. Rounding out the safety tech features are a new stability control system, seven airbags (including a knee airbag) and special head restraint that snaps forward during an accident to prevent whiplash.

Originally posted at The Car Tech blog

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