Auto News – Page 700 – Automobiles Review

BMW 5-Series F10 and F11 Exclusive Sport Edition for Japan

BMW has introduced a limited edition 5-Series F10 and F11 (Sedan and Touring) exclusively for Japan. The special edition series is called Exclusive Sport and will be limited to just 300 units.

The engine range includes a 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol (523i) and 2.0 liter diesel – 523d. The 5-Series F10 and F11 come with more standard equipment which normally would be available at an additional cost. The upgrades include a set of 19” alloy wheels, three-spoke M steering wheel, contoured sports seats and an ///M aerodynamics package including aggressive front and rear bumpers and a pair of new side skirts. The exterior can be finished in white or carbon-black.

The interior boasts Cinnamon Brown leather covering the lower section of the dashboard, door panels and seats. There is also a premium audio system, a HUD and an “Exclusive Sport” plaque.

The BMW 5-Series Exclusive Sport starts from ¥7,490,000 ($75,200).

Source: BMW

April 12, 2013

McLaren Automotive Bespoke Pre-owned Car Programme

McLaren has its bespoke pre-owned car programme – McLaren Qualified. The new service makes entry to the McLaren ownership experience more accessible, with the added peace of mind that each and every vehicle has been checked by a McLaren trained technician, and brought up to date with the latest upgrades.

McLaren Qualified is the only programme which can guarantee that every car is fully updated with the latest upgrades. As part of the multipoint checks, every 12C sold receives the latest 2013-specification updates. This means each car is presented with the upgrade in power of 25HP, giving yet more vivid acceleration at track speeds with no loss in efficiency, while the latest calibration optimises the SSG transmission to further enhance responsiveness.

Buying a McLaren through the Qualified programme allows owners the opportunity to further personalise their MP4-12C or MP4-12C Spider through preferential rates on the extensive range of bespoke options available through McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The upgrades are available to every customer up to four weeks from handover.

“The management and tight control of pre-owned vehicles is key to maintaining the exclusivity, customer experience and overall residual values of each McLaren. This is something that is important to us and, more crucially, our customers. Through the McLaren Qualified programme, we are ensuring that the pre-owned McLaren ownership experience is a unique journey, that provides owners with the knowledge and confidence that every pre-owned 12C or 12C Spider is sold to McLaren standards.”, commented McLaren Automotive’s Sales and Marketing Director, Greg Levine.

Source: McLaren

McLaren has its bespoke pre-owned car programme – McLaren Qualified. The new service makes entry to the McLaren ownership experience more accessible, with the added peace of mind that each and every vehicle has been checked by a McLaren trained technician, and brought up to date with the latest upgrades.

McLaren Qualified is the only programme which can guarantee that every car is fully updated with the latest upgrades. As part of the multipoint checks, every 12C sold receives the latest 2013-specification updates. This means each car is presented with the upgrade in power of 25HP, giving yet more vivid acceleration at track speeds with no loss in efficiency, while the latest calibration optimises the SSG transmission to further enhance responsiveness.

Buying a McLaren through the Qualified programme allows owners the opportunity to further personalise their 12C or 12C Spider through preferential rates on the extensive range of bespoke options available through McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The upgrades are available to every customer up to four weeks from handover.

“The management and tight control of pre-owned vehicles is key to maintaining the exclusivity, customer experience and overall residual values of each McLaren. This is something that is important to us and, more crucially, our customers. Through the McLaren Qualified programme, we are ensuring that the pre-owned McLaren ownership experience is a unique journey, that provides owners with the knowledge and confidence that every pre-owned 12C or 12C Spider is sold to McLaren standards.”, commented McLaren Automotive’s Sales and Marketing Director, Greg Levine.

April 12, 2013

2013 Lamborghini Gallardo – ESP Test [video]

Here is an interesting video by Autocar.co.uk. The new 2013 Lamborghini Gallardo has been put on test by Steve Sutcliffe, who wants to examine the car’s behavior with and without ESP in real life situations.

You will be amazed, how well the new Gallardo cope with extremely difficult situations. For example, the ESP manages to turn the car back in straight line after severe turn in order to avoid car accident with 112 km/h (70 mph).

The 2013 Gallardo is powered by a 5.2 liter V10 with 560HP (412 kW) at 8,000RPM and 540Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque at 6,500RPM. The engine is mated to either 6-speed manual or 6-speed E-gear automatic gearbox.

0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, 0-200 km/h of 11.8 and a top speed of 325 km/h (202 mph).

The MSRP base price is $198,000 in the US and £147,330 (including NavTrak vehicle tracking system and delivery package) in the UK.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I86mQZJWabU

Source: Autocar.co.uk via Youtube

April 12, 2013

SR Auto Enhances BMW F10 M5

The latest project of the tuners at SR Auto Group includes an optimization of the BMW F10 M5. The latter hides under its hood a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine which can generate 560 PS (412 kW) and has 680Nm (502 lb-ft) of torque.

This powerful unit is matched perfectly with a seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission. And all this contributes to an effortless acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in only 4.4 seconds on the way to a Vmax of 305 km/h.

This is the first project of SR Auto Group where they equip a BMW with wheels form PUR Wheels. In this case they have added PUR Legacy multispoke straight edged designed wheel in Matte Anthracite Face with Gloss Lumiere Grey Lip, which fitted perfectly the M5.

Even more, the sizes of the wheels here are impressive – 21×9 inches for the front and 21×10.5 inches for the rear. In addition, they were paired with a set of H&R lowering springs in order to create the even more menacing stance.

Source: SR Auto Group

April 12, 2013

Ford Extends EcoBoost Line-Up With New Fuel-Efficient 1.5 Engine

Ford has just announced the introduction of the 1.5-liter EcoBoost Engine which will be added to the lineup of fuel-efficient, innovative powertrains. According to the company this unit is a key strategic entry because it aims to meet the global demand for its four-cylinder EcoBoost engines.

In addition, Ford aims to produces 1.6 million EcoBoost engines annually. For this reason, by the end of 2013, six plants across Europe, Asia and North America will be producing EcoBoost engines.

The fifth member of the EcoBoost family will begin being built at Ford’s facility at Craiova, Romania. The new engine will be first introduced in China through the Ford Mondeo, which is going to make its debut at Auto Shanghai 2013. Next, the engine is planned to be applied to the Fusion sedan in North America and afterwards in the new Mondeo in Europe.

EcoBoost technologies enable enhancements in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions up to 20 and 15 percent respectively. In the current case, the 1.5-liter engine benefits from signature EcoBoost turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing, and has been created to be more fuel efficient and offer high levels of refinement, quietness and performance.

The new aluminum-block, twin-cam 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine will feature innovations such as integrated exhaust manifold. And in addition, it is expected to deliver similar horsepower as its 1.6-liter sibling. However, it will be much more efficient in terms of emitting CO2.

What is more, this engine is the first one to include computer-controlled clutch on the belt-drive water pump. The result is that it will additionally enhance the efficiency through the reduction of the warm-up time. Additionally, a water-cooled charge air cooler is also being mounted in order to deliver more efficient feed of air into the engine.

Source: Ford

April 12, 2013

2014 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Goes Officially On Sale

2014 Audi R8 Spyder V10 offers unprecedented performance and has outstanding design which makes it stand at the pinnacle of Audi performance vehicles. The new R8 Spyder is in fact more dynamic and powerful than ever and is now officially on sale.

The optimizations included in this car are numerous. For example here is featured a new seven-speed S tronic transmission which contributes for the 0-60 km/h sprint to be reduced with 0.3 seconds. In addition, this transmission also substantially enhances the comfort through smoother gear shifts and greater efficiency.

Another instance is the new full-LED headlamp design, which gives the R8 distinctive appearance. But to go further into details, the engine which propels this Audi can generate 550 horsepower (404 kW) and 540 Nm (398 lb.-ft.) of torque.

This means that the car effortlessly cover the acceleration time sprint form standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds on its way to the top speed of 196 mph. In addition, the overall weight of the R8 Spyder is circa 130 lbs less than the R8 V10. The reason for this are the new ceramic brakes, carbon fiber side blades, front splitter, rear diffuser, and spoiler; a smaller fuel tank; manual Alcantara® seats and reduced sound insulation in the engine bay.

In terms of interior, the model is adorned with beautiful diamond-stitch leather seats. As an option, an additional enhancement of the interior can be chosen and we are speaking here about the flat-bottom multi-function steering wheel.

And al last, if you are a fan of the Iron Man Movies, you will be happy to see the Audi R8 in the part three of the series. Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., will once again be back in the R8 as his car of choice.

2014 Audi R8 Pricing	R8 V8	R8 V10	R8 V10 Plus
Coupe	Manual $114,900	Manual $151,200	Manual $170,545
Coupe	S tronic $124,000	S tronic $160,300	S tronic $179,645
Spyder	Manual $128,400	Manual $164,700	NA
Spyder	S tronic $137,500	S tronic $173,800	NA

Source: Audi

April 12, 2013

Aston Martin Rapide S Hybrid Hydrogen To Compete At Nurburgring

Aston Martin Rapide S Hybrid Hydrogen Race Car is going to compete at the 41st ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring next month. This is the first hybrid hydrogen car created by the British brand, which is based on the Rapide S four-door, four-seat sports car.

This means that this hybrid is going to be not only the first hydrogen-powered car to compete in an international event but also the first zero CO2 emissions sports car to complete a race pace lap at the Nürburgring 24-hour race.

The model was created with the help of the hydrogen experts at Alset Global. The specialists at both brands have developed a prototype twin turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 engine that will power the race car.

Furthermore, this Aston Martin vehicle is able to run on pure gasoline, pure gaseous hydrogen, or a blend of both. For instance, when in pure hydrogen mode the car delivers zero emissions while emitting only water from its exhaust.

In addition, this Hybrid Hydrogen system consists of a hydrogen fuel rail, storage tanks and proprietary engine management system. The result is flexibility in the control of the combustion process: either pure hydrogen, gasoline or both can be chosen in order to generate maximum power, acceleration and CO2 reduction.

Safety was also considered a major component in this project. The system features four ultra-high strength carbon fibre tanks holding a total of 3.5 kg of hydrogen stored at a pressure of 350 bar. The two tanks are positioned next to the driver and two – in the boot of the car.

Showing a great capability of enhanced performance, the unit under the hood of the Aston Martin Rapide S Hybrid Hydrogen has a top speed of 190 mph and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

Source: Aston Martin

April 12, 2013

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Car Edition – 408.84 km/h

Bugatti will introduce the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Car Edition at the Shanghai Motor Show. The special edition hyper-car will be presented in order to celebrate that the Grand Sport Vitesse has officially become the fastest convertible in the world.

During the high-speed test, the Grand Sport Vitesse managed to hit a top speed of 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph) at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien proving grounds.

The Grand Sport Vitesse is powered by the famous 8.0 liter W16 quad-turbo engine with 1200HP (883 kW) and 1500Nm (1106 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is paired with a 7-speed DSG gearbox. It sends all that torque to an AWD system. 0-100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and 0-200 km/h in 7.1 seconds, 0-300 km/h in 16 seconds. ¼ mile is covered in 10.0 seconds flat and 1 mile in just 25.0 seconds.

Other interesting disciplines like 0-100-0 km/h take 5.9 seconds and 0-200-0 take 12.9 seconds. The interesting 0-300-0, which is brutal for the brakes take 23.9 seconds.

The official fuel consumption is 23.1 l / 100 km on average cycle and the city cycle is around 37.2 l / 100 km.

The overall weight of the vehicle is 1990 kg and the fuel tank can take up to 100 litres of fuel or around 250 km range in city.

The suspension features three different settings: Standard, Handling and Top Speed.

The brake system includes 400 mm front discs with 8 piston calipers and 380 mm discs at the rear with 6 piston calipers.

Only eight Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Car Edition will be produced – price €1,990,000.

Source: Bugatti

April 11, 2013

Kahn Land Rover Defender Chelsea Wide Track Military Grey

Kahn Land Rover Defender Chelsea Wide Track Military Grey is an expression of workmanship and refinement. Its purposeful looks and rugged stance only highlights the more aggressive stance of the vehicle.

The vehicles are matched with expedition wheels, and the “Chelsea truck company”has bestowed upon us the military grey XS90 2.2 TDCI.

Kahn Military Defender is equipped with wide range of enhancements, including an aggressive looking wide track arch kit which consists of front and rear wide wings with integrated vents and bolt apertures, hardwearing mud flaps, front grille with embossed Kahn branding and mesh.

Kahn-Land-Rover-Defender-Chelsea-Wide-Track-Military-Grey-651-3

There are also added bonnet vents with mesh, xenon crosshair headlights, side vents with mesh, roof in satin black, Kahn oval tailgate badge, brake calipers finished in liquid red, extended wheel arches in satin black and front, rear wing vent mesh inserts, undercar Kahn logo projection floor light and the customary Chelsea Truck Company spare wheel cover.

The interior of this Land Rover is adorned by Kahn’s emblematic “bespoke touch”. Even more, it comes complete with front sports GTB racing seats and rear folding seats, billet machined leather steering wheel, vented foot pedals in machined aluminum, interior entry LED lights for the rear cabin, floor mats, Kahn fire extinguisher, rev counter and Churchill time clock facia in red.

Kahn Project runs on state-of-the art 8 X 16” 1948 Defender wheels which were fitted with 235 x 85 x 16” tyres.

Source: A. Kahn Design

April 11, 2013

Citroen DS Wild Rubis Concept Unveiled Ahead of Shanghai

Citroen DS Wild Rubis Concept is a one-of-a-kind model that has just been unveiled prior to its official premiere at Shanghai Motor Show later this month. The vehicle shows the design and technology directions of a future DS SUV.

DS Wild Rubis adds to the model range of DS3, DS4, DS5 and the Numéro 9 concept with its inimitable style. The concepts emotional exterior shows sophistication in design and attention to detail.

The model is destined to be a full-hybrid and includes plug-in technology, and it is packed with technological innovations. The unique profile of this Citroen concept mixes the powerful appearance of an SUV with the refined style of the DS line.

The model is 4.7 m in length, 1.95 m in width and 1.59 m in height, while its wheelbase is of 2.9 m. The car runs on 21” wheels that add its power and strength. In addition, the vehicle’s silhouette is highlighted by chrome signature on the side.

The roof bars on the other hand put an emphasis of the height, whilst hinting at power and performance, before blending into the bodywork and flow of the profile of the rear wing. Next, thee front fascia of DS Wild Rubis includes a three-dimensional radiator grille with the DS emblem.

The grill flows into full-LED headlights that are created via three mobile lighting modules and surrounded by scrolling indicator lights at the base and a tuning fork-shaped light signature on the edge.

At the rear there is also visible a new arrangement of the lights that look like they appear to be part of the raised tailgate. Here, the glass of the rear lights is encased in chrome, whilst a subtle lighting effect on the DS emblem creates more depth. The rear tailgate is emphasized by the chrome finish, incorporating the twin exhaust pipes.

Some of the highlights here feature side chrome signature, the multitude of sculptured details in the metal, the front and rear light signatures and the finish of the materials, like the guilloche pattern on the hub caps. At last, the hues and materials utilized in the DS Wild Rubis exude sophisticated appearance, while the color of the ruby red bodywork changes with the intensity of light.

Source: Citroen

April 11, 2013

Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette Limited Edition

Aston Martin has revealed the Cygnet & Collete limited edition, which was spotted in Dubai recently. The small Aston comes with a number of unique extras such as Bitter Chocolate brown finish, quilted leather door and seat inserts and quilted Alcantara sun visors for the interior.

Only 14 units are produced and all of them boast a Lightning Silver exterior paint with a hood livery and a race-inspired front bumper. There are also diamond-turned wheels and mirror caps.

The Cygnet & Collete limited edition is prepared in collaboration with Paris fashion house Colette. This explains the whopping price of €48,995.

Source: Aston Martin

April 11, 2013

Lumma Design 2013 Range Rover

Lumma has extended their individualization program for the 4^th Range Rover, which has been available since the beginning of the year. The program includes only styling modifications.

The exterior boasts a new wide-body kit, a set of LUMMA CLR 22 sports rims – 10J x 22 fitted with 295/35-22 tires.

There are also sports exhaust systems available for diesel and gasoline engines – four tailpipes with a diameter of 90 mm each has an EC approval and ensure unlimited enjoyment of a sporty sound while driving. The LUMMA sport exhaust can be installed as a rear silencer or ordered as a complete exhaust system for gasoline models.

Other highlights include a sleek hood with integrated air vents, LUMMA rear spoiler lip and a variety of carbon parts for the exterior.

The interior features LUMMA aluminum pedal set, fine carpets from high quality velour and a custom trunk mat.