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2015 Opel Astra OPC Extreme [video]

Opel has released a promotional video clip for the all-new Astra OPC Extreme. The super powerful hot hatchback comes with extreme aerodynamics package and a lot of power under the hood.

The radical Astra is actually going into production sometime in next year. Some of the highlights include a carbon fiber hood, roof and wheels. There are also sport front seats, a safety rollcage and a carbon fiber-reinforced steering wheel and Schroth 6-point safety belts.

The 2.0 liter turbocharged gasoline engine has 300HP (225 kW). It is connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox sending the power to an LSD (limited-slip differential) at the front wheels. 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited. There is also a Brembo 6-piston brake system with 370mm front discs sitting behind the 19” alloy wheels fitted with specially developed 245/35 tires.

Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkEjc8CBTM

Source: Opel

March 14, 2014

DMC Ferrari Berlinetta F12 SPIA Spotted In Hong Kong

The luxury tuning experts at DMC are now gaining popularity in China, and the proof for this is that a DMC Ferrari Berlinetta F12 SPIA was recently spotted in Hong Kong and captured by the photo wizard Linus Lam.

The DMC F12 SPIA has unique white exterior, which makes perfect contrast to the DMC carbon fiber kit which was installed at a later time. In fact, the refinement gives the Ferrari even more aggressive look and improved aerodynamics.

To go into details, the front diffuser was substituted with a prominent new lip splitter. The latter extends the car and also enhances its road stability. Next, the front hood was entirely replaced with a carbon fiber version. An optional roof scoop is also visible here and it definitely contributes towards DMC’s F12 bolder appearance.

What is more, the extended side skirts add to improved road stability, because they utilize a pair of diffuser plates. They also feature flaps which go in harmony with those found on the front diffuser. The trunk has received a 599XX spoiler wing, which goes well along with the newly designed rear diffuser.

Inside, the package is finalized with an interior refinement. DMC has used here Italy’s finest leathers and carbon finer. Plenty of buttons and trims and a redesigned steering wheel are also present.

Source: DMC

March 14, 2014

Datsun Teases New Production Model For Russia [VIDEO]

The first Datsun production car designed specifically for the Russian market is going to be unveiled on 4th of April in Moscow. Ahead of the debut of the car, the brand has released an animated sketch-video which gives very good hints of its exterior characteristics.

The launch of the brand in Russia is significant for the global expansion of the brand. Whats I more, it is the first time in company’s history, that the Datsun has been officially introduced to Russia.

There hasn’t been much revealed about the car, except for a promised engaging driving experience, peace of mind ownership and accessibility at the right and transparent price, with a competitive Total Cost of Ownership. The car was designed in Japan, while its manufacturing was carried out locally by an international team of engineers.

The name of the vehicle, as well as more details around it will be officially released after the debut. Take a look below to get an idea of new Datsun’s car design.

httpv://youtu.be/CEU8n_DnNIQ

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Datsun

March 14, 2014

Kamui Kobayashi Drives Caterham Seven 620R At Silverstone [VIDEO]

Caterham just released an interesting video, showing its new F1 Team boy – Kamui Kobayashi. In the video you can see how the racer warmed up for the first Grand Prix of the season in Australia by making his first ever drive of the Caterham Seven 620R.

Just as a reminder, the 620R is the most powerful “Seven” built by the brand. It is capable of producing 310 hp (228 kW) and has a top speed of 155 mph. The acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h is rated here less than 2.8 seconds.

The video below documents how Kobayashi is making his first Seven drive, but what is more important it also captures the thoughts on the iconic British sportscar. And from what we are hearing, the car certainly made an impression on the 27-year old, who dubbed the 620R as “pure car”.

He also disclosed that it took him only one corner, to understand the car straight away. The racer was also impressed by the power of the 620R, being the closest thing to a race car (but street legal) that he has ever driven. See for yourselves:

httpv://youtu.be/ho8otFpsGYA

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Caterham

March 14, 2014

New MINI Cooper Hatch Shows Contemporary Evolution Of Classic Design

The iconic MINI Hatch has been built up completely anew from the ground up. Although it keeps its emblematic design cues, every component has been back to the drawing board with the aim to enhance its function, performance and style.

The result is that the new MINI includes major improvements in technology, engine efficiency and power delivery, driving dynamics, quality and personalisation. Next to the fact that the new hatch is quieter than the outgoing model, it is also more spacious and safer than before.

The dimensions of the new model are the following: 3,821mm length (MINI Cooper S is 3,850mm), 1,727mm width and 1,414mm height. In general, this makes it 98mm longer, 44mm wider and 7mm taller than its predecessor. The wheelbase has been extended by 28mm, while the track width has been enlarged at the front by 42mm and at the rear by 34mm.

The traditional exterior design of the car has been kept, we can still see a slightly refined the hexagonal contour of the radiator grille, circular headlights, ‘side scuttle’ indicator surrounds, upright rear light clusters and black lower body edging. What is new here: the LED headlamps and tail-lights, surrounded by an LED daylight driving ring.

As mentioned, the interior is spacious than before due to the larger dimensions. In addition, the horizontal structure of the cockpit is linked to circular and elliptical details. At its heart is the instrument cluster on the steering column. Speed, revs and fuel level are displayed on vertically arranged circular dials. A 8.8 inch TFT display is also positioned on the dashboard.

Controller or MINI Touch Controller, fitted in the centre console work together with the MINI Visual Boost Radio or the MINI Navigation System. LED lighting around the new central instrument provides visual feedback to the current driving situations.

In terms of engines, MINI has features an entirely new powertrains, each featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology: three-cylinder petrol, four-cylinder petrol and three-cylinder diesel engine. Details are listed in the table below:

Engine		MINI One Hatch	MINI One D Hatch	MINI Cooper Hatch	MINI Cooper D Hatch	MINI Cooper S Hatch
Type/no. of cylinders/valves		in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 3 / 4	in-line / 4 / 4
Capacity	cc	1198	1496	1499	1496	1998
Bore/stroke	mm	78.0 / 83.6	78 / 83.	82.0 / 94.6	84.0 / 90.0	82.0 / 94.6
Compression	:1	11	16.5	11.0	16.5	11.0
Output	kW/hp	75 / 102	70 / 95	100 / 136	85 / 116	141 / 192
at engine speed	rpm	4250 – 6000	4000	4500 – 6000	4000	4700 – 6000
Torque (with overboost)	Nm	180	220	220)	270	280
at engine speed	rpm	1400-4000	1750 – 2250	1250 – 4000	1750	1250 – 4750

As a standard, the units are fitted with the six-speed manual transmission, while six-speed automatic and six-speed sports automatic transmissions come as an option.

MINI Hatch will also sport an optimized suspension, which has been enhanced via a new single-joint spring strut axle at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear. All improvements are made with the aim to intensify MINI’s ‘go-kart’ handling responses. Also new to the car is the optional Variable Damper Control.

MINI Cooper Hatch and MINI Cooper D Hatch ride on 15-inch forged light alloy wheels, while the MINI Cooper S Hatch is fitted with 16-inch light alloy wheels as standard. Debuting on the hatch are the following technologies: the optional MINI Head-Up-Display, Driving Assistant option with collision and pedestrian warning system, a rear view camera and parking assistant, ABS anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), cornering brake control (CBC) with brake assistant, the driving stability control system (DSC), drive-off assistant, brake dry function, fading brake support and dynamic traction control (DTC).

2014 MINI Cooper Hatches will be available in dealerships from tomorrow.

Source: MINI

March 14, 2014

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 – Grip Problem

A very strange problem occurred with the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28. As we well know, the performance car is extremely fast, so fast even that it provides more traction than the wheels can handle.

The engineers noticed that the wheels rotate inside the tire, which kind of unexpected challenge that requires fast thinking. Obviously the main reason are brakes, which provide excessive stopping power.

“We were told to build a fast car – period,” commented Mark Stielow, Camaro Z/28 program manager and pro-touring expert.

“We knew on Day One we’d need to bring some of the best suppliers onboard to make it happen.”, he added.

Some of the suppliers included Pirelli and its P Zero™ Trofeo R tires and Brembo for carbon-ceramic brake rotors. The Trofeo R tires have a track-oriented tread design and compound that, together with the carbon-ceramic rotors, help the Z28 achieve up to 1.5 g in deceleration force.

It was a perfect combination, but engineers quickly found that when the Z28’s capability was tested, the wheels were rotating – slipping – inside the tires. They sought the root of the problem by marking one of the Pirelli P Zero™ Trofeo R tires at the beginning of a lap with a chalk line relative to the valve stem on the wheel. At the end of the lap, they recorded where the chalk line ended up and noticed the tire had rotated at least a full 360 degrees from where they started.

The solution was media blasting, which involves shooting a gritty material through an air gun at the wheel’s surface, adding texture to the paint for the tire to grip.

Source: Chevrolet

March 13, 2014

Nissan GT-R AMS Alpha 7 vs GT-R AMS Alpha 12+

Dragtimesinfo has published on Youtube a video showing two super-fast tuned Nissan GT-Rs against each other. The first is a GT-R AMS Alpha A7 with 700HP and the second is the well-known GT-R AMS Alpha 12+ driven by Yuriy with whopping 1700HP.

In the first start, The Alpha A7 managed to clock 11.061 seconds with 207 km/h at ¼ mile and 27.851 seconds with 294 km/h at 1 mile mark, while the Yuriy’s monster finished in 22.239 seconds with 366 km/h.

The Alpha A7 made the second start alone and the times were the same – 11.108 seconds with 208 km/h at ¼ mile and 27.854 seconds with 293 km/h at 1 mile.

Enjoy!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3AoJKkYsjg

Source: Dragtimesinfo

March 13, 2014

2014 Seat Leon Sports Styling Kit

Seat has announced a special sport body kit for the 3- and 5-door Leon. The hatchback comes with a number of styling upgrades improving its unique styling.

The kit is the work of SEAT’s design studio in Martorell, and comprises a new front bumper including revised fog lamps, side sills, roof spoiler, and a rear bumper that includes a contrasting black ‘diffuser’ and incorporates twin sports exhaust pipes.

In addition, the kit is complemented beautifully by a set of 19” Sports wheels, available now in either black or silver from the official SEAT Accessories catalogue.

Designed to perfectly complement the lines and curves of the SEAT Leon, the Sports Styling Kit visually lowers the car, giving it a more aggressive stance from any angle. Every part has been designed to avoid looking incongruous when fitted alone.

The Sports Styling Kit can be fitted on S,SE and FR trim levels.

Ordered alone, the prices for the kit’s constituent parts are as follows:

Front bumper: £1,500
Rear bumper: £975
Rear roof spoiler: £399
Side skirts: £645
Twin sports exhaust: £480
Alloy wheels: £999

All prices include VAT, painting and fitting at an approved SEAT dealership.

Source: Seat

March 13, 2014

Alfa Romeo 4C Safety Car for 2014 WTCC

Alfa Romeo 4C immediately became one of the most appreciated cars on the market. What is more, the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) chosen it to be a Safety Car during the races. Last week, BMW has introduced the M4 MotoGP Safety Car for this season and now the small Alfa Romeo 4C will take its duties.

The first appearance during a race will be on April 12^th – the first round of the season at Moulay El Hassan Circuit of Marrakech in Morocco.

As a reminder, the 2013 Alfa Romeo 4C is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged petrol with 240HP (177 kW) at 6,000RPM and 350Nm (258 lb-ft) at 2,000RPM of torque. The engine is connected to a dual-clutch transmission. 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 258 km/h (160 mph). It will average 6.8 liters / 100 km (41.5 mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 157 g/km. All these figures are thanks to the super-low weight of 4C – just 895kg (1973 lb).

The 4C was also named “Most Beautiful Car of 2013” at the 29^th International Automobile Festival of Paris.

The complete 2014 FIA WTCC schedule follows:

12-13 April Morocco Moulay El Hassan Circuit
19-20 April France Paul Ricard Circuit
3-4 May Hungary Hungaroring
10-11 May Slovakia Slovakia Ring
24-25 May Austria Salzburgring
7-8 June Russia Moscow Raceway
21-22 June Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
2-3 August Argentina Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo
13-14 September United States Sonoma Raceway
11-12 October China Shanghai International Circuit
25-26 October Japan Japan
14-16 November Macau Da Guia Circuit

Source: Alfa Romeo

March 13, 2014

If Koenigsegg One:1 Was Driven By Dubai Police

Dubai Police is probably the luckiest police department in the world because it is famous for driving some of the most expensive, exclusive and fastest cars in the world. In their fleet we have already seen Mercedes-Benz G-Class tuned by Brabus, Chevrolet Camaro SS, Aston-Martins and Lamborghinis. It was even speculated that a Bugatti has joined the exclusive line-up of Dubai police vehicles, however – soon proven wrong by A. Kahn Design.What we have found over Facebook recently is an interesting render which shows how a Koenigsegg One:1 would look like if it has been attributed to this famous department. It is made by the creative digital artist and photographer Santapanter (real name is Teun Verwijmeren).Dubai Police One:1 features unique exterior treatment – it is dressed in white, but has green and black accents all over its body. Carbon fiber is visible almost everywhere: on the top-cover, hood, rear wing, side sills, front and rear bumpers, rearview mirrors. Even the five-spoke wheels were made of this material.Koenigsegg One:1 was unveiled one week ahead of Geneva Auto Show, where it made is official premiere. It is world’s fastest production car, generating 1,341 horsepower (986 kW) and 1,371 Nm (1,011 lb-ft) of torque at 6,000RPM thanks to its 5.0 liter twin-turbocharged V8 aluminum engine.This almost unbelievable amount of power is transmitted on the road through a dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox, which sends it to an electronic differential at the rear wheels. If you wonder about its top speed – well, it is 440 km/h (273 mph). The car covers the sprint from 0 to 400 km/h in just 20.0 seconds. And definitely this makes it perfect for the police department in Dubai.

March 13, 2014

A-Team Racing Transforms 1978 Ford Mustang II [VIDEO]

The presented 1978 Ford Mustang II was transformed in unique way by the tuning specialists at A-Team Racing. The car has some powerful looks, isn’t it? It is dressed in Ford’s Kona Blue exterior paint finish, but what makes this project one-of-a-kind is its Triton V-10 engine.

Dubbed as Evolution II, this Mustang is driven by an all-custom-made Triton V-10 powertrain, which features custom manifold, intake and custom-made valve covers on the top of the powertrain. The unit is mated to a Z06 6-speed transaxle.

Obviously, the work on the vehicle did not stop here. The tuners included equipment features such as 3” Magnaflow exhaust, unique Race Mesh grille, Dakota Digital gauges, brand new billet window cranks and door handles.

In general, the car has widened proportions. For instance, in order to accommodate the larger engine, the front wheels were moved with 12-inches forward, while at the rear A-Team Racing used Mustang GT fenders cover the large Toyo tires.

In contrast to the striking blue exterior paint stand the ten-spoke wheels in black, which were also fitted with 6 piston front and 4 piston rear brakes. What rounds out this project are the tail lights that were taken from 1976 Toyota Clica GT.

httpv://youtu.be/PGoZlICY_6Q

Video Source: YouTube

Source: A-Team Racing

March 13, 2014

2014 Ford Explorer Gets Five Stars From NHTSA [VIDEO]

2014 Ford Explorer was awarded with five stars by NHTSA or in other words gets the top marks in the federal government’s new car safety rating program. In fact, model’s both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive have achieved the five-star score under the New Car Assessment Program.

This top safety rating was given to the vehicles due to its advanced safety equipment, which includes second-row inflatable safety belts that improved comfort and protection for passengers. This advanced restraint system was created with the aim to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for second-row passengers.

In addition, what also helped for the achievement were the features such as AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, Safety Canopy side air curtain technology for all three rows, and dual-stage airbags for driver and front passenger. 2014 Ford Explorer comes as a standard with a tire pressure monitoring system and SOS Post-Crash Alert System.

The new explorer is offered with three engine variants featuring the 3.5L Ti-VCT V6, 2.0L I-4 EcoBoost and 3.5L V6 EcoBoost units. The powertrains are matched with 6-Speed SelectShift Automatic transmission. Only the 2.0L I-4 Ecoboost gets a 6-Speed Automatic gearshift. Front Wheel Drive system comes as a standard here, while Ford is also offering the optional Intelligent 4WD with Terrain Management, which requires the V6 engine.

httpv://youtu.be/S-yQM3uInyQ

2014 Ford Explorer Specifications:

Fuel Economy and Engine Highlights
Engine Type	3.5L Ti-VCT V6	2.0L I-4 EcoBoost®	3.5L V6 EcoBoost®
EPA-Estimated Ratings (Actual mileage will vary)	17 city / 24 hwy / 20 combined (FWD) 17 city / 23 hwy / 19 combined (4WD)	20 city / 28 hwy / 23 combined	16 city/ 22 hwy /18 combined
Vehicle Highlights
Max Seating Capacity	7
Drive Type	Front Wheel Drive (standard) Optional Intelligent 4WD System with Terrain Management System (requires V6)
Transmission	6-Speed SelectShift Automatic® 6-Speed Automatic (2.0L Ecoboost®)
Wheelbase	112.6″
Maximum Towing Capacity	5000 lbs.
Wheels available	17″ steel with wheel covers 18″ painted aluminum 20″ painted aluminum 20″ polished aluminum 20″ machined aluminum with painted pockets
Engine Specifications
	3.5L V6	2.0L EcoBoost I4	3.5L EcoBoost V6
Drive type	Front-Wheel Drive (std.) / Intelligent 4WD (opt.)	Front-Wheel Drive	Intelligent 4WD
Engine type	3.5L Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (TiVCT) V6	2.0L Turbocharged, Direct Injection Ti-VCT Ecoboost I4	3.5L Twin Turbocharged, Direct Injection Ecoboost V6
Transmission	6-speed SelectShift Automatic	6-speed automatic	6-speed SelectShift Automatic
Final drive ratio	3.39 (FWD) / 3.65 (4WD)	3.36	3.16
Horsepower (net @ rpm)	290 @ 6500	240 @ 5500	365 @ 5500
Torque (lb.-ft @ rpm)	255 @ 4000	270 @ 3000	350 @ 3500
Compression ratio	10.8: 1	9.3: 1	10.0: 1
Valve lifters	Direct acting mechanical bucket	Direct acting mechanical bucket	Direct acting mechanical bucket
Induction System	Naturally aspirated	Turbocharged	Twin Turbocharged
Fuel delivery	Sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection	Direct Injection	Direct Injection
Exhaust	Quasi dual exhaust with chrome tips	Quasi dual exhaust with chrome tips	Quasi dual exhaust with chrome tips
Engine block type	Cast aluminum	Cast aluminum	Cast aluminum
Cylinder head material	Cast aluminum	Cast aluminum	Cast aluminum
EPA-Estimated Ratings FWD (Actual mileage will vary)	17 city / 24 hwy / 20 combined	20 city/28 hwy/23 combined	–
EPA-Estimated Ratings Four Wheel Drive (Actual mileage will vary)	17 city / 23 hwy / 19 combined	–	16 city/22 hwy/18 combined
Chassis Specifications
Front suspension	MacPherson strut front suspension with 32mm front stabilizer bar
Front shocks	Gas-pressurized twin tube
Rear suspension	Multi-link independent rear suspension with 22mm rear stabilizer bar
Rear shocks	Gas-pressurized twin tube
Brakes	Power 4-wheel disc with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Base Curb Weight	4534 lbs
Steering	Electronic Power-As
Towing Specifications
Optional Class III Trailer Tow Package	–	–	–
Configuration	Axle Ratio	GCWR	Max Loaded Trailer Weight
3.5L TiVCT V6 FWD	3.39	9980	5000
3.5L TiVCT V6 4WD	3.65	10160	5000
2.0L TiVCT I4 FWD	3.36	6830	2000
3.5L EcoBoost V6 4WD	3.16	10400	5000

Video Source: YouTube

Source: Ford

March 13, 2014

Category: Auto News