Tsvetan Varbanov – Page 32 – Automobiles Review

Vogtland Suspension for BMW 3 Series

It’s hard to imagine that the BMW 3 Series, the current one, needs a suspension revision. In fact it doesn’t. Even Vogtland themselves admit so. However they have provided one nevertheless. It’s for the hardcore fans of sideways lunacy and track day goers.

I say suspension but the whole thing is just a set of springs which lower the car by 30 mm. Supposedly, one would benefit from the lower center of gravity and the better sway control. Nobody can’t be quite sure if all works out, but at the very least, the F30 gets a cooler and more desirable stance. A stance that costs $304. For that you get also a TÜV certificate and a two year guarantee.

And the springs themselves are not what you’d call outdated – manufactured from high strength “chromium-silicon alloy”. Haven’t got the slightest ideal what that means but it just sounds cool.

Source: Vogtland

March 30, 2012

Final Nissan Altima Teaser [VIDEO]

Five teasers for the five timer. Here’s the final pre-New York video of the Nissan Altima and the first impression is: “Oh dear, it’s more than 8 seconds long!!” A lot longer in fact… 20 seconds. This time we get to see a full view of the Altima and the gauges and everything. We even have some genuine information about it.

The Advanced Drive-AssistTM Display (that thing between the dials) is there to help you stay focused on the road. Not sure how it does that exactly but presumably staring at the dashboard is better than shuffling trough all the knobs and buttons on the center console. You get your sat nav streamed on it, it’s a phone display as well and a trip computer and who knows what more.

Something more useful might be the sole camera mounted somewhere at the back. It will monitor the road for lane changes, objects at the back and objects within the blind spots.

It’s been a long journey…of short videos and, although you might not want to, you can retrace it with this, this and this and why not this.

The reveal is coming next week as we dive into another motoring event – the New York International Auto Show. Coming soon.

httpv://youtu.be/CxFvh7DjHKE

Source: Nissan

March 30, 2012

Lexus ES Teaser – Debut at NYIAS

So, this year’s New York International Auto Show will become the venue of the descending sedans…from Japan. First there’s the Nissan Altima with its dreary ad/teaser campaign. Then yesterday, Toyota announced their plans to reveal a “stunning” sedan. And now… Toyota tease another Sedan. Well, I’m saying Toyota, but I actually mean Lexus – It’s the new, sixth generation of the ES.

There’s not much to be said really. We are looking at a typical spindle grilled, LED laden thing. Lexus say that the new ES is bound to deliver a “new dynamic driving experience“ yet, if they stick to the old 3.5 V6 Toyota engine used in the previous generation, that would be questionable. It’s not a bad engine by any means but the aspect of “new” is what bothers us here. Luckily, rumor has it that now the sixth gen range may get a hybrid drivetrain. While, that makes us hardly excited, it is a glimmer of diversity.

The Lexus press conference will take place on Wednesday, April 4th at 11:20 a.m. EDT at the New York International Auto Show. Then, the Lexus ES will be all ours to look at. Until then we can carry on with our lives.

Source: Lexus

March 29, 2012

Toyota FT-Bh Explained [VIDEO]

The Toyota FT-Bh concept already did it’s premiere at the 82^nd Geneva Motor Show but the talk is still on. Here’s a clip of Alain Uyttenhoven, Product Management Vice President of Toyota Europe, explaining the ideas behind this B segment thing of the future.

Apparantly, the FT-Bh started in life as a set of goals – make it compact…er, retain the Yaris-ness nevertheless, keep the CO2 emissions bellow 50g/km but somehow provide an entertaining ride and an agile performance. We’ll have to wait and see about that last bit. Oh, yes. There’s a hint that the FT-Bh is production ready.

What we find particularly interesting is that Mr. Uyttenhoven talks about five key concepts behind the FT-Bh. “Pillars” he calls them. Coincidentally (or is it?), the FT-Bh seems to have five structural Pillars that support the roof. He does get to explain only three of them – lightness (Standing at 785 kg, the concept weighs 25% less than the ongoing Yaris hybrid), slipperiness and smartness of the drivetrain works. Power will come from a 1.0-liter, 2-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine and a pack of Li-ion batteries that will charge an electric motor.

Any ideas about the two other pillars?

httpv://youtu.be/G4mD7v7Alos

Source: Toyota

Video Source: ToyotaEurope via YouTube

March 29, 2012

2013 Ford Exploer Sport

Ford are contemplating a hardcore Explorer for the 2013 range – the Sport. Never before have the likes of an Explorer had a performance model but that’s about to change. Supposedly, Ford are planning to dominate the “gasoline-engine-powered, high performance SUV” category by focusing on fuel economy – 16 mpg in an urban environment and 22 mpg on the highway.

Mind you, those figures come from a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost® V6 engine that sends “at least” 350 bhp trough a paddle-shifting six-speed SelectShift Automatic box and an all-wheel-drive system. Recognizing it as a “Sport” version can also be done by looking at the exterior or the interior. And you have a fragile spine, you’ll notice that the suspension has been firmed up as well. Also, the brakes are bigger.

Roof rails painted in black, black head- and taillight motives, black wing mirror caps and 20-inch wheels all give away the SUV as a Sport member. The front lower fascia provides an additional opening for the engine to breathe. Various “EcoBoost” and “Sport” badges also suggest that this is not your run of the mill Explorer.

The inside offers some black leather that may or may not be paired with contrasting Sienna inserts. An exclusive design for the instruments, Sport-logo floor mats and illuminated scuff plates complete the overall Sport character.

As for equipment, the standard stuff is as follows:

4WD with Terrain Management System
Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control
10-way power driver’s seat with power recline and lumbar
Six-way power passenger seat with recline and lumbar
First-row heated seats
First-row heated seats
Compass and exterior temperature display
Rear view camera
SYNC® with MyFord Touch® driver connect technology
Sony® Premium Audio System with HD Radio™ and 12 speakers

Whereas, as options these are listed:

Active park assist
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert
Inflatable rear seat belts
110-volt outlet
PowerFold mirrors
Intelligent access with Push-Button Start
Remote Start
Adjustable pedals with memory
Dual-panel moonroof
Power liftgate
Class III trailer-towing package

Source: Ford

March 29, 2012

PUR Wheels on Nissan GT-R

Nissan GT-Rs have always been a favorite for ambitious tuners. What we see here can only support that theory. It’s a collaboration project between two companies – The American based PUR Wheels company and the Indonesian Premier Autowerkz… apparently. The whole project is rather obscure and not much information is available.

On what we can focus however, are those 3 piece “4OUR Depth“ PUR wheels they have fitted. Beautifully made 5 double spokes (that’s one way of putting it). It’s as if fragile twigs support the weight of the whole Nissan. The wheel arches are nicely filled in and the gold calipers certainly make a statement – “I like it a bit flashy”. Indeed, if I were to drive around in a car that has such a conspicuous racing strip across the hood, roof and trunk, one must assume that that I like flashy things, no doubt.

Other than that we can see some fascia work being done at the front and back. Also these exhaust tips do not look very stock. We’ll be on the lookout for more information about this. Otherwise we can play the guessing game all day long.

Source: SR Auto

March 29, 2012

Hennessey Ford GT Sets Texas Mile Speed Record – 257.7 mph [VIDEO]

Here’s a video of a Ford GT setting up a record on the Texas Mile Event at Chase Field Industrial Complex in south Texas: 257.7 mph – full 4.6 mph faster than the previous champion.

As you might have guessed, this is no ordinary Ford GT. It’s a Hennessey job this. Owned by Mark Heidaker, driven by Sean Kennedy this overhauled beast wrote some history. But before that, some professional help was needed. That’s when Hennessey Performance glued 34 psi Precision Turbochargers to the 5.4 liter Ford engine. The engine and power management as well as the data acquisition system were all installed and tuned by MoTeC people. Add some high-octane racing gasoline and you’ve got yourself a record breaking formula.

“I think I can do better in the lower gears next time and we can run an even better speed.” said Kennedy – ambitious. So, next stop: the Texas Mile Event on October the 26th 2012. Goal: 260 mph.

httpv://youtu.be/7tZPj7Ebh0o

Source: Hennessey via YouTube

March 28, 2012

2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE

Various Camaros have gone under the 1LE label since 1988. It’s an upgrade package inspired by the car’s involvement in Pro-Am road racing. Now it is on the horizon again for the 2013 SS coupe versions – the 1SS and 2SS that carry a V8 under their bonnets and a manual transmission as standard. Actually, the whole makeover is intentionally reminiscent of the ZL1 spec.

“The Camaro 1LE combines the best elements of the SS and ZL1 to take road-racing performance to a whole new level,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer.

Power levels will be pretty much the same as the ones in the SS – 426 horsepower (318 kW) and 420 lb-ft of torque (569 Nm). The transmission is an exclusive one however – Tremec TR6060-MM6: a close ratio setup tuned for road-racing performance.

The suspension gets new monotube rear dampers as opposed to the twin-tube ones previously used. That way, drivers have more flexibility in terms of adjusting the road behavior while preserving respectable comfort.

Other goodies for track days include the:

Larger, 27-mm solid front stabilizer bar, and 28-mm solid rear stabilizer bar for improved body control
Higher-capacity rear-axle half shafts to cope with increased levels of traction
Strut tower brace for improved steering feel and response
ZL1-based 20 x 10-inch front and 20 x 11-inch aluminum wheels
285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires front and rear (identical to the front tires for ZL1)
ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links and rear shock mounts for improved on-track performance
ZL1 high-capacity fuel pump and additional fuel pickups for improved fuel delivery during high-cornering

At first glance, it would be hard for you to notice all of that but worry not. The 1LE gets some distinctive exterior features as well – a matte-black hood, a front splitter and a rear spoiler. The aforementioned wheels also come in black and have 10-spokes. Can’t miss that.

Inside, suede microfiber material covers the flat-bottomed steering wheel and the stubby shifter stick. Most importantly, Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment is available on all 2013 Camaro LT, SS and ZL1 models – a complex interactive system that has Bluetooth, SmartRadio, Pandora and the lot.

A smart electric power steering can sense whether we are at cruising speed or trying to park and adjust the firmness appropriately. Also new for 2013 is an available dual-mode exhaust system, available on Camaro SS models. Again all ZL1 derivatives.

Prices for the 1LE model will start at under $40 000

Source: Chevrolet

March 28, 2012

2012 Ford Mustang Shelby 1000

The New York International Auto Show will be the venue where Shelby American Inc. will debut their most powerful project yet – the GT Ford Shelby 1000 which started life as a more “standard” 2012 GT 500. And no, the 1000 does not consist of two GT 500s. It’s only one of them, with handling, power and breaking performance all beefed up.

Although it’s called the Shelby 1000, both of the versions in which it will be offered do not develop 1000 bhp. A street legal one has the “mere” 950 ponies while a track spec. called the Shelby 1000 S/C delivers 1100 bhp. In a strange world we live in.

For that kind of power one would expect a nuclear bomb under the hood. Well, it’s actually an overhauled Ford 5.4-liter V8 unit that has new rods, crank and pistons. Also, the heads have been flown, the cooling and exhaust upgraded and the supercharger replaced.

The stopping power on the other hand, is provided by four massive disc brakes – six-piston callipers at the front and four-piston ones at the back. The suspension includes new struts, sway bars and bushings. There are some aerodynamic tweaks as well for the sake of downforce.

A limited production of Shelby 1000s will be built, each numbered and documented. The upgrade packages alone are expected to cost up to $154,995. That’s almost as expensive as three “normal” GT 500s.

More updates will be coming soon.

Source: Shelby

March 28, 2012

New Toyota Sedan Teased

Nissan won’t be the only company that shows back ends as teasers for the New York International Auto Show. Here’s something from Toyota as well. Supposedly it will be a “stunning” sedan that has been U.S.-designed. The global premiere will take place in the Galleria room within the Jacob Javits Center at 10:30 a.m. EDT on April 5, 2012.

Toyota are being quite quiet about it so we’ll just have to guess. “Elegant yet athletic” they say. Well, this sketch here does suggest the latter. Obviously, those wheel arches won’t be that full in real life, or will they? Whichever the case, the teaser does seem to work. We are deeply interested now of what this might be. That further works for the argument that one doesn’t need silly 8-second videos that show passing florescent lights over something, in order to inspire curiosity.

On the day of the reveal a live-streaming video chat with the designers is being scheduled. The public and the media can forward direct inquiries about this sedan via Facebook or Twitter.

Source: Toyota

March 28, 2012

Volvo C30 Electric Warm and Fuzzy

I have a beef with today’s hybrids and electric vehicles. Its their batteries that get me. One does not even have to own a hybrid. Instead, simply observe how your cell phone acts throughout the years – the charge capacity is getting lower and lower, cold weather doesn’t help at all and neither do the summer days. Now, imagine that in a car – driving along with 2 or more “bars” on the dials, no worry in the world, and then it all suddenly goes bust. Nerve wrecking.

Happily however, Volvo are aware of the situation, aware of my frustration obviously. That’s why with the C30 Electric, the company is working towards providing relief to the dying batteries around the world. Essentially they are aiming at a vehicle that is available and drivable at all conditions – scorching hot, arctic cold or lukewarm if you will.

For the former two conditions, one needs a cabin that comes with climate-control. It would be plainly silly to use the precious battery charge on heating or cooling the insides of the car. That’s why the C30 Electric is is equipped with a sophisticated climate system that can be activated both during charging and driving. It works for the passengers, it works for the drivetrain and most importantly, it works for the battery pack.

Whilst charging a C30 Electric (people tend to do it at home with a standard power socket), you can precondition it. Let’s say that the outside temperature is -19 degrees Celsius: no worries. Even if not plugged in, the car’s automatic battery heating will kick in to prevent the charge from going bust. Otherwise, if plugged in, an immersion heater (6 kW) uses power from the wall socket for warming up the coolant in the climate system.

So, should you ever decide on buying an electric car and the seasons are a bit extreme at your place, why not get a Volvo C30? It’s like literally having someone to warm up the bed for you.

Source: Volvo

March 28, 2012

2012 Toyota Prius in Australia

In a bid to attract even more buyers, Toyota have turned up, in Australia, with a bag of updates for the 2012 Prius. It now has a new face, some extra equipment, its suspension has been tweaked and is cheaper than ever.

Visually, the front lower end sees a new bumper and a larger, trapezoidal lower grille. LED daytime running lights find their place right beneath the indicators within the bumper while the fog lights have moved on the sides of the lower grille. Elsewhere, one would find that the taillight cluster has been changed, the mirrors are now heated and power-folding. The wheels remain 15 inches (17 for the i-Tech trim) but the design is new. Overall the 2012 Prius is 20 mm longer than the previous ones but that length seems to have gone to the overhangs as the wheelbase stays the same.

Inside we get new seats and more quality upholstery, the multi-information display is now more vivid than ever and even the entry level gets a rear view camera. There are some less useful features as well – an “ECO calculator” that apparently allows you to do math and estimate how much money you are dreadfully spending on fuel. Wasn’t it the whole purpose of buying a Prius to set yourself free from consumption worries? Why would I want to preoccupy my mind with that? Anyway, Toyota have also added a HUD readout on the screen and a touch pad sort of thing on the steering wheel so that you, or anyone else who might be driving, can remain focused on the road. In case you get lost however you can always refer to the HDD navigation system (i-Tech again). Other standard safety features include seven airbags, stability and traction control, active front head restraints and anti-skid brakes.

Sounds unimaginable when talking about a Prius, but, assuming you won’t be always driving around in ECO mode, performance and comfort may actually benefit from a now stiffer, better welded together body. The improve rigidity allows the installment of a softer and kinder suspension.

Underneath it all hides a hybrid system as usual – 100 kW of combined power coming from an 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle petrol unit and a 650-volt electric motor/generator powered by a 201.6-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack. In return you get 89 g/km of CO2 emissions and 3.9 liters per 100 km of fuel economy. In EV mode, the Prius is capable of covering road stretches of 1-2 km solely on a battery charge.

For the whole package, you have to pay $33,990 – almost $6000 less than the price of the first ever Prius. The i-Teck on the other hand, sticks to its price tag – $45,990. What do you think? A good buy? 17,000 in Australia alone seem to approve.

Source: Toyota

March 28, 2012

Author: Tsvetan Varbanov