Tsvetan Varbanov – Page 41 – Automobiles Review

Prior Design Porsche Cayenne Widebody Kit

Prior Design have released a new gallery showcasing their latest body kit for the Porsche Cayenne (955) – PD Aerodynamic kit POCAWIDEBODY. It is flamboyant in every way, especially with those flaring wheel arches. The slashes along the kit give it that extra aggressiveness to further establish the customer’s road presence. The kit now comes in both black or white.

The kit consists of the following:

– PD front bumper

– PD side skirts

– PD rear bumper

– PD front widenings

– PD rear widenings

– Mounting material

– TÜV parts certificate included

Overall price is $5 164

But Prior are not all about Dura-Flex Fiber Reinforced Plastics. For the extra $1 587 one can opt for the additional Porsche Cayenne Sport Exhaust System – Duplex PD which looks, sounds and performs differently from the stock one.

Every part of the kit is user-friendly, easy to install and maintain and that is one of the reasons many go to Prior for a premium customization.

Prior Design Porsche Cayenne widebody kit (2012)

Source: Prior Design

February 13, 2012

Toyota lineup at Geneva – Hybrids and Fun

The 2012 Geneva Motor Show is as close as ever and to build up the hype, manufacturers are revealing and teasing what to expect during those few days of motoring nirvana (from 8 to 18 March). Toyota has offered a quick summary of what their booth will look like with some clever machines and European firsts – four concepts, a production hybrid and a grand tourer – the Toyota GT 86. It is an almost identical car to the Subaru BRZ which also will be making its own premiere in Europe. It would be interesting to see which one gets more favor. News news from one of the world’s largest vehicle conventions – the Geneva Motor Show which starts early in March and will last for more than 10 days.

To start off we have a nice little Yaris Hybrid which will be a completely new addition to the European public. Here we go:

Yaris Hybrid

Toyota Yaris Hybrid (2013)

The Yaris Hybrid will make an appearance as a production car ahead of its production schedule. Sales in Europe are expected to start in June and at that time the Yaris would be the first full hybrid supermini in Europe. That means that Toyota are aiming to create a whole new customer group that might be interested in absolute efficiency in small, practical and nimble packages.

Toyota GT 86

The critically acclaimed Toyota GT 86 sports coupe will be ready for sale this summer. With its RWD, flat-engined layout, this grand tourer is sure to induce much excitement, adrenaline and smiles upon its arrival. And it’s pretty cheap too.

Toyota FT-Bh

The FT-Bh will be a concept of an ultralight full hybrid city car designed to be efficient in every way. Toyota has gone for the inexpensive way of making it by using commonplace methods of production instead of some grand new materials that are costly to research and develop.

NS4 and FCV-R concepts

Those two concepts will be also shown for the first time in Europe. The NS4 is a value-perfect, plug-in hybrid focused on driving experience without compromises. The FCV-R concept will be the big one though. It will pave the way for Toyota towards mass production hydrogen cell powered vehicles. A saloon-type car might be on the way for 2015.

Toyota diji

The diji concept is a weird looking thing. Imagine those digital frames on which you can upload photos from your computer and then it does slide shows for you. That’s what the diji is – an inside and outside environment made up of a screen. It can change it’s color and can be virtually infinitely personalized with all kinds of interfaces and applications. An interactive future of motoring or a visionary and ambitious idea?

Source: Toyota

February 13, 2012

Bentley Continental GT V8 in Munich [VIDEO]

Many car debuts occur in closed-door halls with a curtain over the model in question and lots of smoke and techno music for setting up the mood. The whole reveling process has become a sort of a cliché and Bentley are well aware of that. That is why for the Continental GT V8 premiere in Munich, the company went the extra mile…upwards.

Here is a video of a Bentley Continental GT V8 soaring trough the skies over Munich, with its indicators on, hooked to a helicopter. That could mean only two things: Either Munich’s no parking zone is strictly regulated… by the air force or Klaus Becker, General Manager of Bentley Munich organised a dramatic turn up for the new V8 at a special venue on a glazed bridge between two skyscrapers and in front of 300 VIP guests.

Here’s how Klaus Becker defended the stunt: “A dramatic car got the debut we felt it deserved and we took a little bit of our inspiration from Bentley’s iconic ‘Winged B’ emblem. On a practical level the helicopter was the fastest way to get to the rooftop podium.”

Either way it all looks very exciting. The V8 deserves that grand and loud première for it just might be the best Bentley ever produced.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBeUFre22d4&feature=youtu.be

Source: Bentley Motors

February 13, 2012

Classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL – A Walkthrough

I want to talk about classics. These days we have so much technology at our front step that we have lost the ability to appreciate it. A thrust back in time might just be the thing that will kick-start the part of us which admires pure and brave automotive innovation. I am talking about the Mercedes-Benz 300SL – a car which, for a time, was the fastest one around, a car that was and still is in a class of its own.

In the 50’s, Germany was still experiencing the aftermath of war. The country was split and times of reform and renovation were still due to come. But not all was grime and despair – that same decade a car was about to change the automotive world. At that time Daimler-Benz AG were almost out of money but not out of ideas. In 1952, a strictly-for-race 300SL (W194) set out to win numerous races around the world, reaffirming the racing pedigree of the company. The thing is that the 300SL racing car wasn’t the most powerful car out there. In fact the W194 bore a really mildly impressive, production-based 3.0L. straight six engine equipped with an overhead camshaft and valves and three carburetors. The car’s innovative spirit however, manifested itself trough structure, aerodynamics and lightness (SL stands for “Super Light”). The body had a low drag coefficient and thanks to an image defining tubular frame, the W194 was rigid and lightweight.

Some of that racing formula transferred directly to the road going 300SL (W198) which rolled out of the factory two years later in 1954. Roughly 3,258 were built in both Coupe and Roadster versions. And even by today’s standards, it was a thing of beauty. The engine was the same 3.0L found in the racing car but instead of carburetors, it had a first-ever in a 4-stroke engine, fuel injection system by BOSCH. And that was the charm that radiated from the SL – it was a first in many, many things. Because of the fuel-injection system, power was almost double to the one found in the original carbureted version (215 PS). That made the SL, the fastest production car of its time capable of speeds up to 260 km/h (161 mph). The engine was awkwardly askew so that the hood would remain as low as possible and the fenders had horizontal “eyebrows” over the wheel openings to reduce drag. Because of the same tubular frame which resembled a plane fuselage, the 300SL engineers had to figure out a way to incorporate doors. Solution came with the, now emblematic, “gullwing” doors that gave the car a unique character.

Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W198 - the road version) — Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W198 – the road version)

As with every ambitious and innovative project, the 300SL came with its own issues – the fuel injectors had the tendency to flood the oil pan and cylinders which proved problematic (changing the oil every thousand miles was recommended). But the sheer size of the oil tank was big enough to send an oil company into bankruptcy – ten…10…X…liters! Because of that lubricant volume the engine would never reach optimal temperature thus worsening the general effects of wear and tear. All wheels used drum brakes and at high speeds the swing axle at the back tended to act up in a terrifying manner. Regardless of the presence of doors on the “Gullwing”, one still had to be a fairly agile person to get in or out because of the remarkably high sills. The steering wheel also had to be tilt-away before even thinking about sitting at the driver’s seat. The trunk space was non-existent and the amount of fuel in the tank, to a certain extent, determined the handling of the car. And for all of that, there was the price which exceeded that of a really luxurious household.

But did all of this really matter in a bigger context? Of course it did… everything added up to form the first-ever supercar – ludicrous, impractical, dangerous, unstable and very, very exciting.

Picture source: Mercedes-Benz

February 12, 2012

Tesla Model X reveal [VIDEO]

Here’s a longish video of Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk unveiling the Model X – an electric SUV with the practicality of a minivan and the efficiency of a … well… electric SUV.

It features a unique design that makes use of gullwing doors, although Tesla would prefer the term “Falcon Wing” but the principle remains the same. Third-row access is easy. Even with child seats installed, the second-row seats slide all the way forward. Open Falcon Wings will allow you to stand upright whether getting in or out. Kids will no longer leap and tumble over the second row, and adults will find the third-row seats as accessible as the passenger seat.

In terms of performance, as expected from an EV, torque is instantly available and the center of gravity is very low. Drivetrain composition comes in three different types – Model X with RWD, Model X with AWD (a second motor is added to the front axle). Last but certainly not least is the AWD setup with a performance package. With it the X is good for a time of under 5 seconds in the 0 to 60mph sprint. Strikingly fast. Presumably one would be able to do many sprints from 0 to 60 thanks to the voluminous battery pack which comes with capacity of either 60 kWh or 85 kWh.

Sales are expected to kick off in 2014, production 2013 while reservations are open now. Because the X is actually based on the S it will be around the same price as well.

httpv://vimeo.com/36534892

Source: Tesla Motors

February 12, 2012

Afzal Kahn Aston Martin Cygnet

The British designer, Afzal Kahn has undertaken an ambitious task – to overhaul the Aston Martin Cygnet by inspiring refinement, vigor and passion in it. The Aston Cygnet recieved mixed reactions among critics upon its arrival and today it is a ‘hate it or love it’ kind of thing. Afzal Kahn has decided not to leave the people an option and eliminate anything in the Cygnet that might be disliked.

To start off we have a nice finish of metallic imperial blue on the body, heat resistant blue on the brake calipers and blue patterns on the hood louvers. The Cygnet however, doesn’t feel blue at all thanks to the low suspension achieved trough an Afzal Kahn lowering module. Other than that, there is a Kahn stainless steel quad exhaust system complete with a cross hair feature for refinement. Brilliantly designed and manufactured, 17-inch and 18-inch RS wheels sit perfect on the car’s front and rear axle respectively. The color patterns on them is left to the customer to decide.

For the inside, Afzal Kahn offers the absolute freedom to chose what is what and which is which. The surrounding trimmings might very well be the color of your own jeans while the seats match your T-shirt.

As always, a Kahn designed vehicle is for people with passion for character, individualism and rebelion. The Cygnet package is not just a greasy piece of machinery. It’s art on wheels. Does it work for you?

Afzal Kahn Aston Cygnet — Kahn Design Aston Cygnet

Source: Kahn Design

February 12, 2012

Subaru BRZ, Impreza 5-door First Time in Europe

With the 82nd Geneva Motor Show approaching, more and more information is let loose to the world about premiers and lineups and surprises. Today, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (Subaru makers) confirmed that they will debut (for Europe) “Subaru BRZ” and the “Impreza 5-door”.

The fourth incarnation of the Impreza is designed to be a symbol of reliability, handling and safety. As always it comes with Subaru’s symmetrical AWD and a flat engine. In Europe that engine would be a very green 1.6 petrol that is said prsereve the sporty legacy of the brand. On a side note, the company’s own symmetrical AWD system, which first appeared on the “Subaru Leone Estate Van” in 1972, is turning 40 years this year. So at the Geneva Subaru booth, tech enthusiasts will have the opportunity to visit a gallery illustrating the history of Subaru’s AWD and tryout a 3D virtual thematic game.

The Subaru BRZ, which is almost identical to the Toyota GT 86 but is at the same time somehow better, will also make a European Premiere. This car will be the AWD exception as it is a front engined, RWD composition that throws us back in the days when tail-happy cars were appreciated. That said, it won’t be an uncontrollable lunatic car this, but rather a finely balanced GT car with a low center of gravity. That’s the beauty of a flat engine – it offers flexibility and compactness so the Subaru engineers have put it as low as possible and lo and behold, we have a performance fun house.

Press day for the Geneva Motor Show is set for the sixth and seventh of March and on the eight, the public can join in. The Subaru press conference is scheduled at 11:45am on March 6^th

Source: Subaru

February 10, 2012

Audi TT RS Plus

Just when you think an Audi TT RS can’t get any better, a ‘plus‘ edition turns up and bends your perception of what is good and what is really good. When we say really good, we mean blisteringly fast, outstandingly fun and unmatched in terms of performance. Whichever ‘plus‘ you might choose, the Coupe or the Roadster, you can’t go wrong.

The standard 2.5 TFSI 5-line engine found in the RS is already powerful enough but the ‘plus’ sees a further power boost from 340 hp to 360 hp. Now an even more colossal torque figure of 465 Nm (342.97 lb-ft) passes trough the gearbox which can be an seven-speed S tronic or a six-speed manual. The S tronic is naturally a dual-clutch transmission and has its own launch control for that lightning performance from the starting line. All models come with the flawless quattro system that sends power to all four wheels.

Performance figures are a little bit in favor of the S tronic transmission coupled with a Coupe: a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time for the Coupe S tronic is 4.1 seconds with 4.3 seconds for the manual. The Roadster performs a tenth of a second slower in both configurations (4.2 with S tronic and 4.4 with a manual). The speed limiter for both cars kicks in at 280 km/h (173.98 mph). All of that stacks up pretty well against the economy figures which allow the RS to be driven on an everyday basis – 8.5 liters of fuel per 100 km (27.67 mpg) if you go with the S tronic.

That fuel frugality, as well as the agile acceleration, is partly due to the diet on which the RS had been put. (They should have called it the ‘minus’). The Coupé with manual transmission, including quattro drive, weighs just 1,450 kilograms (3,196.70 lb). Other factors which might help the track performance include the four-piston calipers of the big ventilated front brake disks, the large fixed rear wing and the optional electro-magnetic damping suspension that has been a trademark the TT line for ages. The car itself sits on four 19-inch cast wheels (black with red lining on the rim) which are wrapped in wide 255/35 tires.

A striking feature that may give the car away as a ‘plus‘ version is the front grille – it’s a mesh of diamond-patterned design framed in what look like aluminum. Apart from that, there are the wing mirrors which are made from a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and the exhaust system which is distinguishable with its black oval tailpipe trims. A sound flap on the pipes, which enhances the roar from the engine is the car’s party piece.

In Germany, the ‘plus’ versions are priced as follows:

Coupe, manual transmission – €60,650 ($80,434)

Coupe, S tronic – €62,800 ($83,285)

Roadster, manual transmission – €63,500 ($84,214)

Roadster, S tronic – €65,650 ($87,065)

Source: Audi

February 10, 2012

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Behold a finished product – images of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato are here. Geneva Motor Show goers next month will witness the debut while production is set to start later this year. But this not much of a car as it is a blend of complex emotions and passion on wheels.

The V12 Zagato has two tasks to fulfill – 1. it is basically purpose built to honor a generation of magnificent GT cars and the historic DB4GT Zagato in particuliar. 2. it also needs a perspective – setting new boundaries with innovative technology and style is a must if the V12 were to be a success. That’s why it shares so many components with the stunning One-77. In all essence, the V12 is an advanced HP printer in vintage overalls.

Looking at the V12 Zagato we see the exposed elements of carbon fiber on the front splitter, A-pillars, rear lamp pods, diffuser, door mirror cases and rear wing and we get that instant sense of modernity and purposefulness. Yet the bold new grille formed in a unique three-dimensional composite material mesh brings back the Zagato’s famous ‘Z’ moniker.

A pleasant place to be (a wild guess) would be also the inside of the Aston. Satin-finish carbon fibre on the dashboard and center stack is perfectly set next to piano black accents and satin black rotary switchgear. Carbon fiber sill plaques with ’V12 Zagato’ inlaid metal script provide a distinctive finishing touch.

It all sounds rally delightful but there are two problems with it: Price stands at £330,000 ($522,258) so it is pricy. Also it will be extremely rare – no more than 150 will be commissioned.

But when we see how much ‘Soul, Beauty, Power’ goes into making one the steep price kind of makes sense. The process of creating a V12 Zagato takes approximately 2,000 man-hours to complete. Hand-crafted aluminum and carbon fiber are the main composites that form the whole of the car. Hand-stitched quilting adds to the time and effort but it does leave that feel of passion and luxury usually felt with Italian cars. The Aston Martin V12 Zagato however, is all British and it will worth its every penny.

Source: Aston Martin

February 10, 2012

3rd Generation Mitsubishi Outlander at Geneva

A new generation of Outlanders is on its way, was the announcement made today by Mitsubishi. The now third Outlander will be a greener, safer, more clever and comfortable version of its previous crossover incarnations. The 2012 Geneva Motor Show is expected to be the debut site and hopefully reception will be positive.

Dimensions are pretty much the same as the ones the previous Outlanders have and the design is kept simple and clean in tune with a motto that goes: “Solid–Safe–Simple”. Inside it is also function/driving oriented. Sure, there are some “high grade materials” to ornament the cabin but the more prominent stuff includes the ergonomic steering wheel controls and the high-resolution and easy-to-read instrument displays.

Some features bound to make your life easier include: dual zone climate climate control, a third full row of seats, flat-floored cargo area, a tilt & telescopic steering column and a multitude of safety systems that make sure you don’t crash (or at least inform you that you are crashing).

The Outlanders will be available with a 2WD or a 4WD setup while engine lineup initially, in Europe, will consist of two diesel engines: 2.0 l MIVEC petrol and 2.2 l MIVEC Clean Diesel. Depending on market, model, engine and specifications, Auto Stop & Go will be available, as well as an all-new 6-speed automatic gearbox. The eco-conscious customers can rest assured that there will also be a system that monitors the driving style (more precisely – are you getting the maximum efficiency out of the engine). In fact, Mitsubishi say that the new crossovers have target emissions below 130 g/km at best

Since the Outlander’s frame seems ideal enough for experimenting, Mitsubishi are planning to put an EV-based plug-In hybrid powertrain based on the existing EV technology portfolio of the company. It would be nice to see though, how that technology fares when mated to a 4WD system.

Source: Mitsubishi

February 9, 2012

Cruze Station Wagon at Geneva

Geneva this year will see the unveiling of a new type of Chevrolet Cruze – The Cruze Station Wagon. It is here to complement the already best sellers, the hatch and the saloon Cruze, and now, as a whole, Chevrolet can meet the needs of its customers, whatever they might be.

Obviously, the Cruze Station Wagon is betting on space. 1500 liters of cargo space in fact if you top it up. However, dimensions have not changed much. The Wagon stands at 4,678mm in length while the hatch and the saloon are 4,510mm and 4,597mm respectively. It also retains the forms of a Cruze with that tapering single arch roofline which comes with roof rails as standard – convenience and sportiness at the same time. A few details have been changed for the MY2012 – remodeled front fascia, modified head-lamp interiors and fog lamps, and new wheel styles on the exterior and refinements to the center console and a greater choice of seat finishes for the interior.

Engine choice is said to be wide. The one mentioned is the new 130bhp 1.7-litre VCDi diesel engine which has a Stop/Start technology working along side it and thus the CO2 emissions equal to 119g/km.

Source: Chevrolet

February 9, 2012

Kia Track’ster Revealed

Kia-Trackster-Concept-thumb The Kia Track’ster concept is out of the box. Attenders at the Chicago Auto Show yesterday had the privilege to witness the rather dramatic revealing. And now when the Track’ster is open to the public, we do are not sure from where to start.

Although it is based on the current Soul, in essence it is an entirely different car. The Track’ster is simply exciting to look at thanks to those air-gulping, carbon grille installations across the front and the massive auxiliary LED lights that complement them. The headlights themselves are impressive enough with that flowing figure that seems to be reaching for the fenders. And can you not notice the color of the whole thing? It’s white and orange as if it’s a pair of trainers – The roof and lower front, side and back valances are in, what Kia calls, an ‘inferno’ shade. That burning hue can be noticed as a motive also on the mirrors and at the front air-scooping slit and inside. To do the honor of the overall sculptured body lines of the Track’ster, Kia have fitted four HRE-K1 monoblock billet performance wheels. Ideal tires would be 245/40-19-inch for the front wheels and a stunningly wide and low pair of 285/35-19′s at the back.

More features that set the Track’ster apart from the Soul include the dimensions – 101.2-inches of wheelbase length make the concept almost an inch longer than its production parent. And most certainly, the 14-inch Brembo vented and cross-drilled brake discs at the front and 13.6-inch ones at the back, gripped by six and four-piston calipers respectively, do not come as standard on a Soul but they are present in Track’ster. Such suspension attention on a concept car seems redundant but when we realize that the Track’ster hides a 2.0-liter, straight four turbocharged power plant that develops 250 hp things start to make sense. What also makes sense is the power being channeled trough an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system in order to prevent any torquesteer, understeer or oversteer tendencies. The transmission is a six-speed, short-ratio manual controlled by a stubby gear stick found on the center console (naturally).

Speaking of the center console, the inside of the car is certainly a place where we or any other car enthusiast might like to spend a great deal of time. The two bucket seats at the front are dressed in gray and orange (inferno) leather. The dashboard, door panels and center console have the same motives with added white patterns. There are standalone gauges on top of the dashboard that indicate things like oil pressure, temperature and battery voltage. Just bellow is a touch-screen interface which deals with the navigation, ventilation and entertainment system. The start button on the other hand, might just be the most exciting feature of all (for a 10 year old).

A part of the Track’ster‘s “street” appeal is lost when we look at the back where, on a normal Soul, one would find rear seats. The Track’ster however stands by its name and occupies the rear space with a section for tools, a sport’s gear compartment, a place for a spare tire and other track-friendly items. It all sounds like a car enthusiast’s dream really. Except one problem – Kia are not thinking of actually making it. It is said that the Track’ster is more of a test for the company’s engineers and their creativity and ability to make perfect, road going, performance superminis. Point taken.

Source: Kia

February 9, 2012

Author: Tsvetan Varbanov