Category: Auto News

Auto news – automobile industry news. Articles about all the latest car models and concepts. Breaking news, uncovered secrets.

  • Mercedes-Benz CLC Sports Coupe – A Dream Come True

    Mercedes-Benz launches integrated marketing campaign for new CLC with the slogan “What car do you drive when you’re dreaming?”
    Campaign presents new sports coupe as affordable dream car
    Alongside classic print media ads, TV commercials, and dealership marketing, Mercedes-Benz focuses on the customers’ personal experience (more…)

  • Volkswagen’s U.S. Debut of Zero Emission Tiguan

    Volkswagen of America, Inc. is showcasing its broad range of near-term and future fuel-efficient powertrain technologies with the all-new 2.0 liter TSI Tiguan, the upcoming 2.0 liter Jetta TDI and the North American debut of the Tiguan HyMotion Fuel Cell Concept. (more…)

  • BMW of North America Expands Headquarters

    BMW of North America, LLC. today opened its new $100 million addition to its Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey US headquarters. The expansion is BMW Group’s largest investment in the U.S. since the inception of its U.S. subsidiary in 1975, apart from the plant in Spartanburg, S.C. (more…)

  • ‘AYGO CRAZY’ concept car to make world premiere at London motor show

    Aygo Crazy is the perfect antidote to all those wild concept cars that look great on the show stand but never turn a wheel. It is a unique machine that has been developed from the start to deliver no-holds-barred maximum driving pleasure, an unforgettable, fun experience. Making its public debut at the British International Motor Show in London, Aygo Crazy is a one-off model, a “shopping supercar” that takes Aygo’s essential qualities to the limit. Owing more to the spirit of Group B rallying rather than D1 drifting, this is a car that is all about the joy of driving: with no electronic handling aids, no power steering and no ABS, it is like a kart with doors and a roof.

    Recognisably an Aygo, it clearly packs more muscle with its custom-made body, 17-inch alloys and beefy Goodyear 225/45 rubber. There is even a direct link to Toyota’s sporting heritage as Aygo Crazy’s carbon fibre rear wing is a part taken directly from the 200mph race cars in the American Champ Car series.

    Aygo Crazy is fettled with the Toyota 1.8 VVT-i unit that powered the final generation Celica and MR2 Roadster, rear-mounted and driving the rear wheels through the Roadster’s five-speed manual gearbox.  The addition of a Toyota Motorsport turbo conversion kit boosts power output to 200DIN hp and torque to 240Nm.

    Compare the performance to the 68 DIN bhp and 93Nm mustered by the standard road-going Aygo and you gain some idea of just what a different kind of machine this is.

    To cope with the greater engine performance, a bespoke cooling system has been designed, with a huge, front-mounted aluminium radiator – ideal for those endless, tyre smoking, crowd pleasing donuts.

    Weighing in at just 1,050kg, Aygo Crazy is capable of 127mph (est), but speed is not its defining quality: this is a machine that exists to be responsive and alive to the driver’s commands, to put smiles on the faces of those inside and outside the car.

    The suspension is from the MR2 Roadster, with MacPherson struts front and rear. Adjustable Tein dampers sharpen dynamic performance and the front and rear track are one inch wider than on a standard Aygo.

    The cabin, finished by specialist coachtrimmers O’Rourke, features purpose-built sports seats with four-point safety harnesses and a full roll cage.

    With its bold Aygo Crazy decals and T2 4YGO (turbocharged, two-seat Aygo) number plate, Aygo Crazy will be hitting the show circuit – and the open road – this summer, proving that while this Aygo may be crazy, it’s a memorable madness.

    AYGO CRAZY vs AYGO TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

    ENGINE

    AYGO CRAZY

    AYGO

    Type

    Rear-mounted four-cylinder 1.8 VVT-i with TMG turbo conversion kit

    Front-mounted three-cylinder 1.0 VVT-i

    Valve mechanism

    DOHC 16-valve

    DOHC 12-valve

    Displacement (cc)

    1,794

    998

    Bore x stroke (mm)

    79.0 x 91.5

    71.0 x 84.0

    Compression ratio

    10.0:1

    10.5:1

    Max. power (DIN hp @ rpm)

    200 @ 6,700

    68 @ 6,000

    Max. torque Nm @ rpm

    240 @ 3,400

    93 @ 3,600

    TRANSMISSION
    Clutch type

    Uprated Helix

    Dry, single plate

    Gearbox type

    Five-speed manual

    Five-speed manual

    Gear ratios 1st

    3.166

    3.545

    2nd

    1.904

    1.913

    3rd

    1.310

    1.310

    4th

    0.969

    1.027

    5th

    0.815

    0.850

    Reverse

    3.250

    3.550

    BRAKES
    Front

    328mm ventilated discs with 4-pot Brembo callipers

    247mm ventilated discs

    Rear

    280mm ventilated discs

    200mm drums

    SUSPENSION
    Front

    MacPherson strut

    MacPherson strut

    Rear

    Dual-link MacPherson strut

    Torsion beam

    Dampers

    Tein, adjustable

    STEERING
    Type

    Rack and pinion, electric power assisted

    Rack and pinion

    Ratio (:1)

    13.2:1

    16.5:1

    TYRES AND WHEELS
    Wheel size (in)

    17×7.5

    14×4.5J

    Tyres

    Goodyear 225/45R17

    155/65 R14

    DIMENSIONS
    Overall length (mm)

    3,500

    3,405

    Overall width (mm)

    1,800

    1,615

    Overall height (mm)

    1,500

    1,465

    Front track (mm)

    1,475

    1,420

    Rear track (mm)

    1,460

    1,410

    WEIGHTS
    Kerb weight (kg)

    1,050

    790-890

    PERFORMANCE
    Max speed (mph)

    127 (est)

    98

    0-62mph (sec)

    5.75

    14.2

  • Suzuki announce new Hayabusa & gsx-r750 colours

    Following the announcement last month of a new colour scheme for the GSX-R1000, Suzuki GB has now added a further two colour options to their Supersport range, with a new limited white GSX1300R Hayabusa and an orange and black GSX-R750.

    Available this month from any authorised Suzuki dealer, the two new additions offer greater choice for customers, brought about by consumer interest at the many outdoor events that Suzuki GB attend. (more…)

  • New Ford Focus RS on track as first details confirmed

    Ford RS is back and the all-new Focus RS is on track!  An early prototype of the fastest Focus road car to date is now undergoing performance and durability testing at the challenging Nu”rburgring Circuit in Germany, in preparation for its launch in 2009.

    The principal architect of the Focus RS project is Ford of Europe’s Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles, Jost Capito, whose Team RS development group were responsible for the first generation Focus RS in 2002, and more recently, the Fiesta ST and the new Focus ST. (more…)

  • Volvo C30 Wins Ward’s AutoWorld Interior Design Award

    Ward’s AutoWorld magazine once again acknowledged Volvo for superior car interior design. The Volvo C30 earned Ward’s Interior Design Award for Best Brand Reflection. Last year, Ward’s named the Volvo S80 winner of the Best Interior Design of the Year Award.

    (more…)

  • Emanuela Wilm to head media relations at Bugatti

    The former journalist has been employed by Volkswagen AG since April 1997. The “Team New Media” was developed in the communication department under her management, and in 2001, she introduced Volkswagen’s B2B market place to the public. In 2000, she accompanied the creation of Auto 5000 GmbH, which was widely discussed at the time, and two years later, she supported the press work of the Hartz Commission in Berlin. She has headed the newly created sector “Lifestyle Communication” in the product communication department since 2003. (more…)

  • Half of serious truck accidents could be prevented

    According to the findings of development engineers at Mercedes-Benz following a fleet test conducted with a total of 1,000 Mercedes-Benz Actros trailer in 2005/2006, half of the serious truck accidents could be prevented. For the purposes of the trial, half of the trucks were equipped with the Lane Assistant, proximity control and stability control assistance systems. The number of accidents for the vehicles fitted with the safety package was shown to be halved compared to the 500 trailer with a conventional specification; furthermore, where an accident did occur, the cost of the damage was 90% lower. The results were derived based on an observation period of twelve months and a total distance travelled of 106 million kilo­metres. (more…)

  • 2009 Cadillac CTS-V Performance Reaches the Stratosphere

    As final testing of the limited-edition 2009 CTS-V nears completion, the results suggest that Cadillac’s upcoming sports sedan is entering the stratosphere of the world’s highest-performing cars. Cadillac announces the following performance specifications for all-new 2009 CTS-V: (more…)

  • Ford, university of Michigan Develop New Mobility and Transportation Options for the Future

    Ford Motor Company announced today that it is working with researchers, academia, and public and private companies to develop long-term strategies to confront growing transportation and personal mobility challenges in large and increasingly congested metropolitan areas. (more…)

  • Model T Collector Savors Life in the Slow Lane

    Jay Klehfoth was born into a General Motors family – but you wouldn’t guess it by looking in his garage. Klehfoth is the proud owner of four Ford Model Ts, the first of which he bought when he was only 13 years old.

    (more…)