Lidia Todorova – Page 80 – Automobiles Review

This Peugeot 108 Roland Garros SE is all about Love of Tennis

Peugeot has partnered with Roland Garros for a 108 Special Edition vehicle. The partnership is more than 30 years old and therefore you have probably heard that many special vehicles have been manufactured. In 1989 the French company has introduced its first two Roland Garros 205 and the 405 estate cars. Over the next years, thanks to this partnership were developed a lot of special editions with unique body styles that most closely match the image of tennis.

This time, Peugeot has delivered the 108 car for modification. The vehicle will be available with a roof on the top, but also as a TOP! cabrio version.

Engine

The car is based on the 108 Allure model, which is powered by the 1.2-litre PureTech engine. The unit produces 82hp (60 kW) and has emissions as little as 99g/km of CO2.

Exterior

The special edition car will be offered in two paint finishes from which the customers can chose: solid Diamond White and Raven Black metallic. But what differentiates this 108 from the others? It is the distinctive Roland Garros branding and orange coloured door mirrors.

In addition, there are also other specification features like the automatic air conditioning and the pretentious 15” Thorren alloys with orange centre caps. Not to mention Peugeot’s Open & Go system.

Interior

Inside, the car has been wrapped with Grey Rayura cloth with orange trim. It is accentuated by the Porcelain ambience that adds a little bit of fancy feeling, while the Roland Garros branded floor mats round-out the overall interior modifications.

2015 Peugeot 108 Roland Garros Special Edition will be available after the start of the French Open Tennis Championships this month.

Source: Peugeot

May 7, 2015

PIECHA with Evolutionary Design for the Jaguar F-Type

This week’s project by PIECHA Design involves the mighty Jaguar F-Type. This time under the spot isn’t the roadster but the coupe. The unique interpretation of the famous car is called “Evolution” because it brings the iconic British car to the next level. Although there isn’t any change to the 3.0-liter V6 engine, the car looks sportier than ever and creates the feeling of more athleticism.

There are several reasons for this. First of all, the motorsport expression of the Jaguar is strengthened by new aero front spoiler and side sills. In addition to this, PIECHA designed a larger rear diffuser, which was then framed by a color-coded undertray.

It featured an extended frame to improve the stability of the car and to further reduce drag. What is more, the big exhaust outlets are accompanied by stainless steel grille inserts.

At the back, we see a three-piece integrated rear spoiler lip, which is positioned on the end of the rear hatch lid. It additionally minimizes the drag and lift over the rear axle. As an option, the tuner is also offering GT rear wing, which not only improve car’s visual stance, but also creates more downforce.

This project is all about aerodynamic enhancements. This means that it can’t go without any lowering. A set of springs drops the ride height by 30mm. This is then combined with a choice of 20 or 21-inch diameter alloys that add a wider stance to the car. At last, a more spontaneous throttle response is ensured via in-house made power converter module.

The PIECHA Design Jaguar F-Type 3.0 V6 Coupe EVOLUTION takes the owning and driving experience of this outstanding sports car to the next level. Similar upgrades for the V8 Coupe and convertible models are also available.

Source: PIECHA Design

May 7, 2015

Why Shelby GT350 Mustang Has the Best Handling Ever?

Did you know that Ford Shelby GT350 has been built on Carroll Shelby’s original idea of changing the Mustang from an everyday to a road racer? Then it is no surprise that the new 2015 Mustang now receives a GT performance pack, which comes to offer the best in terms of technologies and components. The goal is to create the most athletic pony car ever!

Suspension

The first thing to mention about this beautiful car is that its suspension has been tuned for maximum performance on road and track. It has been thoroughly revised in order to improve the cornering performance of the car. Precisely, the new Shelby Mustang is fitted with stiffer and lighter aluminum front knuckle, hub and bearing assemblies.

The rigid bushings help in the steering feedback because they control the arms and subframes. In addition, the heavy-duty bearings are added for increased lateral stiffness. The diameter of the front and rear antiroll bars has been increased so that there is better body control. The side of the rear suspension has new rear spring and rear control arm.

MagneRide Suspension

This is the name has been applied for the first time in a Ford vehicle. The continuously variable MagneRide dampers are actually filled with a hydraulic fluid that features iron particles. This allows near-instantaneous adjustment of the suspension. In fact, changes can be made to each corner every 7 milliseconds.

Brakes

This Shelby Mustang features the most powerful brakes ever fitted to a production Mustang. The brake system comprises of two-piece cross-drilled iron rotors with aluminum hats. They measure 394-millimeter at the front and 380-millimeter at the rear, and are a floating-type and reduce heat transfer to the bearings.

The rotors are also accompanied by Brembo calipers. At the front they are with integrated caliper bridges, while at the rear they are with four-piston units. Additional ducting helps in cooling the brakes for optimum performance.

Wheels & Tires

The new Shelby GT350 rides on 19.0-inch alloys that are 10.5 inches wide in front an 11.0 inches in the rear. They are fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. What is the difference with the GT350R version? The latter rides on hand-laid wheels, which are 19.0 inches in diameter, 11.0 inches wide at the front and 11.5 inches at the rear. Each wheel is fitted with custom formulated Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. This combination shed 50 pounds of unsprung weight compared to the previous mentioned.

Chassis

The last change is in the chassis. It has been made stiffer, being the strongest platform in the history of the Mustang. In addition, the GT350 adds bracing to improve the overall stiffness. There is also a new lightweight aluminum tower brace, which links the shock towers and firewall, thus making better the front end stiffness.

The hood is lower for aerodynamic performance; the grille openings have been also reengineered and reinforced with carbon, thus making the overall weight of the chassis 24% lighter than the pervious generation one.

Source: Ford

May 7, 2015

Peugeot Mysterious Concept is a Vision Gran Turismo [VIDEO]

Peugeot Vision GT Front View At last! Peugeot has finally unveiled its mysterious car and as we guessed it is a Gran Turismo concept. But if you are following us at Twitter, then you will already know what I am talking about. Yesterday, we have published the first three official photos of the vehicle. Now it is time for the rest of them and for a trailer video of the car.

When I saw the car for the first time, I was speechless and stood in awe. If this car goes into production it will be definitely rivaling the Lambo or the Ferrari. Of course, the Vision Gran Turismo is specifically created for the GT6™ video game, which can be played only by PlayStation3 owners.

At first, the French manufacturer introduced the mysterious concept with a video, in which it suggested that the vehicle will blend the codes of the GT supercar and the prototype sports car. The video clearly showed that it promotes a future model in the Gran Turismo 6 video game.

The next teasers released were the sketches and three images, which gave us even more the impression of a virtual-only project. The sketches revealed that the vehicle will have a very low ride, concept-like exterior, wide and muscular stance and will definitely offer supreme performance.

In addition, the teaser images showed us select parts of the car like the front fascia and wheels. This is where we got the impression of the dark silver exterior paint scheme, accentuated by red highlights.

What’s new? Well, Peugeot said that the car has a design with a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, meaning weight of 875kg and 875bhp. Of course, this raises a lot of questions but the first thing that one thinks is about acceleration time. This car is capable of covering the 0 to 62mph acceleration sprint in mere 1.73 seconds.

Lucky PS3 users, they’ll have unforgettable and unique driving experience in the GT6!

To go into details, for this project Peugeot designers have teamed up with the sport engineers to create the perfect supercar. The vehicle had to feature the performance of an endurance racer. The Vision Gran Turismo concept has this monolithic silhouette, which has sculpted sides to sweep aside air resistance.

In addition to this, it is very low in height: it is only 104cm, but does not feature any aero-components. Its body design serves as an effective way to stick the car to the road.

Where does this power come from? It comes from the central V6 turbo 3.2-litre engine, positioned behind the driver, which is connected to a six-speed manual transmission driving all four wheels. The alloys actually measure 22-inch at the front and 23-inch counterparts.

The lightweight design and the responsive steering all add to the benefits that will take one to the top position at the Gran Turismo challenge. What is more, the deceleration of the car is as impressive as the acceleration. It is achieved via four ventilated Brembo carbon discs that are 380mm at the front and 337mm at the rear.

Peugeot Vision Gran Turismo will be soon available in the game in six color variants. It will be released as a free update for the Gran Turismo 6 game. Before you can enjoy it, check out the latest video trailer of the concept car, which teases nothing else but exceptional experience.

Source: Peugeot

May 7, 2015

Vorsteiner with Minor Updates for the BMW 4-Series

This beautiful Estoril Blue BMW 4-Series has received a minor update. Despite the fact there aren’t many changes, the car looks so beautiful that we couldn’t just skip it and not show it to you. The tuner behind this project is the California-based company Vorsteiner. These guys are very clever for choosing a German name and working mainly with European cars, aren’t they?

So, the first thing to mention about this BMW is its exterior color. Although, the Estoril Blue paint scheme comes as a standard from the factory, this does not makes it less attractive. In fact, I have always thought that the color is more typical for the M-series, but one could always learn, right?

If you do expect that the American tuner has changed the engine, well I will disappoint you. What is promising however are the numbers produced as a standard by this BMW’s powerplant. It generates 300 untamed horses (223 kW) and a maximum torque of 406 Nm (300 lb-ft).

But if you ask about the changes featured here, well it’s not much, but it is still very inspiring, because of the new and more powerful stance it gives the car. All right then. It’s only the wheels.

They have been made with the help of a special flow forged technology and come in this exquisite Carbon Graphite color. The design scheme features double five spokes, and the dimensions are different at the front and at the back.

Up front, the wheels come in the size of 20×8.5 inches and are fitted with Pirelli P Zero tires in the size of 245/30/20. While at the rear, Vorsteiner has chosen 20×10 inches for the wheels and 275/30/20 for the Pirelli tires. Nice car to drive to the sunset with, isn’t’ it?

Source: Vorsteiner

May 5, 2015

Hyundai ix35 is the First Mass Produced Fuel Cell EV

Hyundai ix35 Zero-emissions mean more eco-friendliness and happier earth. It might seem strange to you but the emission-less cars become more and more important in out society, hence for the automotive industry, too. And as the time goes by, these vehicles become stronger, faster, lighter and more beautiful.

Take for instance, Hyundai’s ix35 Fuel Cell. This is one of most advanced alternative fuel vehicles currently available on the market. It is powered by hydrogen and this is actually the first mass produced fuel cell electric vehicle in the world.

This crossover is on sale all over the globe since 2013, and some of you might have seen it already on the road. To go into details, the ix35 Fuel Cell uses the power from a 100kW (136 PS) electric motor, which is enough to make it reach a Vmax of 100mph (160km/h).

The vehicle also has two hydrogen storage tanks that weigh a total of 5.64kg. They allow the SUV to drive up to 369 miles (594km) on a single fill. Another benefit that these tanks deliver is that they enable the vehicle to start in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius.

In addition, the energy is stored in a 24kWh lithium-ion polymer battery, which Hyundai has jointly developed with LG Chemical. Of course, the result did not happen over night. The impressive figures and data that the car shows is an effect of years of development.

This year’s ix35 Fuel Cell is actually the fourth-generation fuel cell-powered EV. It not only shows significant improvements over its predecessor, but also allows for an enhanced driving range with 50%. At the same time, it still delivers zero tailpipe emissions, while the fuel efficiency shows gains of more than 15%.

Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell is currently available for order. Stay eco-minded!

Source: Hyundai

May 5, 2015

2016 Mazda MX-5 Cup is Under Development

Mazda is currently testing the new MX-5 Cup racer at Mazda Raceway. This is part of the development process of the 2016 model, which will actually include series of tests. They will happen also in public in all remaining race weekends during the 2015 MX-5 Cup season.

The prototype racer Tom Long, who has already won three times with a MX-5 Miata, will lead the development of the car. His assistants this week will be racers Kenton Koch and Andrew Carbonell.

Of course, there is nothing but high expectations about the next gen series. Since this is a complex challenge, Mazda can’t help but consider every step in the development of the car.

There are exactly seven tire manufacturers, eight brake suppliers, and seven suspension kit partners for 392 base combinations under estimation. With the help of advanced analytics and simulations, Mazda Motorsports and its engineering partner Long Road Racing will make the needed tests on a computer to validate everything.

Mazda has as a goal to include in the new MX-5 racer lightweight chassis design, increased power-to-weight ratio, which will balance even more the new platform. The key elements of the original chassis will be kept but in a reborn look.

At last, what’s left unsaid is that Mazda Motorsports is going to announce the price of the MX-5 Cup later this summer.

Source: Mazda

May 5, 2015

Integrated Booster Cushion celebrates 25 Years since Introduction

Back in 1990 Volvo has introduced the first ever booster cushion for children. Since then it has become something we are used to seeing in cars that parents drive. If you do the math, this means that the first child who used the famous cushion is now 25 years old and probably their children use one of their own.

The integrated booster cushion took child safety to another level and we must admit that this changed things in the automotive industry very much. There is a story behind every discovery and this cushion has one too.

The first one was actually a redesigned centre armrest. It was developed to elevate the seating position of the child. The sole purpose was to make perfect use of the 3-point safety belt. This in turn removed the child restraints for older children, thus making their comfort experience better.

Although, the cushion is very user-friendly and usable, it is still rarely for carmakers to offer it. Another important advantage of the booster cushions is that it was developed as a part of the seat and this allows the safety belt to have more direct contact with child’s body. In addition, it also removes the possibility of ‘slack’ in the belt.

In 2007 Volvo continued with the improvements of child’s safety features and introduced the integrated two-stage booster cushion in 2007. This one allowed for adjustment in the seating position. It also improved the safety further as well as the child’s comfort. The cushion featured two seating positions so it was suitable for larger children.

What is next for Volvo? The goal is no one to be seriously injured or killed while driving a new Volvo car and the end date for this to be achieved is 2020. The longer term aim is to actually build vehicles that will not crash.

#SaveKidsLives

Source: Volvo

May 5, 2015

Lorinser’s Makeover for this Mercedes C400 is Good but not Enough?

Lorinser is a tuning company famous for its Mercedes-Benz makeovers and this is the reason we are currently making this review. The car under the sport is the C400 4Matic, which has received a numbers of tweaks that increase its visual characteristics and performance capabilities. It is a well known fact that the latest C-Class inherits brand’s iconic power as well as athleticism.

Exterior Tuning

The first thing that one sees in this car is the changed emblem, which now features tuner’s name. It is also obvious that the vehicle has been given black front grille as well as new front and rear bumpers. Five spoke alloys are a necessity, too.

At the back of the car, under the new bumper, the tuners have added a new exhaust system. It features four-tailpipes and in contrast to the overall black-out theme, it is in bright silver finish. Basically, these features round-out the exterior treatment for this Mercedes and let us proceed to the changes under the hood.

Engine

The 3.0-liter V6 powerplant has be modified via a software and now produces 389 PS (286 kW) and 580 Nm (428 lb-ft) of torque. This is an increase of 56 PS and 100 Nm in comparison to the original engine, which without any treatment delivers 333 PS and 480 Nm. When it comes to acceleration we are sure of one thing: the car can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h that hasn’t been changed.

All in all, Lorinser has created a really nice project, but I am missing some interior changes, as well as more fresh and shiny details to the exterior. What is your opinion?

Source: Lorinser

May 5, 2015

Chevy Volt Costs Less but has More Technology to Offer

The great news from Chevrolet continues. This time it does not involve the Camaro but the more mainstream Volt model, which is currently going on sale. With the production of the second generation model Chevy is aiming at new customers of the ever-expanding electric plug-in family. The good news here is that the price of the car is lower than that of the pervious generation with more than thousand dollars.

But this does not compromise on the values and technology added in the car. As a matter of fact, the vehicle is equipped with more features than ever, and this makes it even more attractive. In addition to this, the next-generation Volt will also deliver the ability for a longer drive between gas fill-ups.

To go further into details, Chevrolet announced that it has estimated that drivers who charge regularly can expect to cover more than thousand miles between fill-ups. This basically means that the 2016 Volt will also offer great fuel economy. It has been rated at 102 MPGe on electric and 41 combined mpg on gasoline power.

Another interesting fact is that the Volt can cover up to 50 miles solely on electricity within a single charge. This is actually 31-percent improvement over the first-generation model.

Speaking of pricing, this of the new generation Volt begins at $33,995 USD. As mentioned, this is almost $1,200 USD less than the first-gen variant. This will definitely urge many of us to go more “eco”, wouldn’t it?

Source: Chevrolet

May 4, 2015

Chevrolet Announces More Details about Gen 6 Camaro

By the end of next week we will have the impression of the sixth generation Camaro. I don’t know about you, but I am really impatient to see it. Chevrolet is obviously sensing the strong anticipation among fans and has released two more pictures (teasers only) of the future model.

They show that the 2015 Camaro will sport a sculpted exterior that will reflect athletic stance and typical muscle car presence. However, let’s take a look back before we discuss the new details.

The first thing that the American company released was that the vehicle will shed more than 200 pounds of its weight. The car will be actually built over a new architecture that is mass-efficient and contributes for the weight savings.

SEE ALSO: Gen 6 Camaro to Shed 200 Pounds

Small changes like the aluminum beam supporting the instrument panel or the aluminum front and rear suspension contribute for that. Chevrolet also said that the dimensions of the exterior and interior are new to the Camaro Gen 6 as well as some of the components in the Small Block 6.2L LT1 V-8 unit.

After these initial announcements Chevy teased the Camaro again, releasing two new images depicting the engine and the exhaust. The company also disclosed that the car will be equipped with new Drive Mode Selector, which will make most of its performance and will feature multiple drive settings.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Camaro Teased Again

Precisely, there will be exactly eight selectable modes, each of which will feature calibrations that will ensure that a specific throttle progression, steering and stability control is delivered. Magnetic Ride Control will be also included for the first time, but only in the SS.

In addition, it was also unveiled that the new Camaro’s sports exhaust system will have electronically controlled valves. Their purpose is to deliver better performance and greater sound levels.

Now, the company is announcing that the Chevy Camaro features leaner and more athletic design that complements the new driving experience. This news is accompanied by two teaser images which are the last two in the gallery below.

The design team at Chevrolet also said that the iconic muscle car will have more expressive design. The exterior of the model will be defined by complex shapes that will follow the functional elements. This means that they will be fitted around the mechanical components.

Take for instance the aluminum hood which includes powerful, but at the same time smoothly curved sculpted forms that were also highlighted by sharp creases. The end effect is that the hood looks like it has been shrink-wrapped around the engine.

In addition, the rear fenders feature an updated design which now includes more detailing, like the subtle crease that is parallel to the fender edge. As a result the new Camaro appears to have lower and wider stance.

Well, that is all for now, but stay tuned because Chevy is surely announcing more details and releasing additional pictures of the 2016 Camaro before its official debut on 16^th of May at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park.

Source: Chevrolet

May 4, 2015

Honda Cars will be aided by Aero Kit at Indy 500

So, this is Honda’s Super Speedway aero kit, which will be used at this year’s Indianapolis 500. The event happens in its 99^th running and has just had its first public competition this Sunday. Company’s aero kit features aerodynamic upgrades and components which were added to the chassis of Honda-powered Dallara Indy car.

They will endow the vehicle with superpowers, thus giving it the capability to maximize performance at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The cars will compete in the Verizon IndyCar Series, powered by the Honda Indy V6 engines.

The aero kit was created with the help of the latest Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology. Then it was proven via Driver-In-Loop (DIL) Simulators. These technologies have helped Honda to minimize the waste at the prototype stage, thus showing the development of the aero components.

In the testing a full-scale wind tunnel was included, through which the actual aerodynamic performance was confirmed. At last, the final tests were conducted on the track before the start of the production of the car in the beginning of the year.

Honda said that the Super Speedway aero kit is now entirely ready to give the drivers the needed configurations that will ensure first places at the Indianapolis. In fact, Honda’s Indy car aero kits made their public on-track premieres during an Open Tests at Indy yesterday.

The official practice for the Indianapolis 500 will start next Monday, while the 99th running of the Indy500 begins on 24^th of May.