Car Makes – Page 561 – Automobiles Review

Romeo Ferraris Performance Boost For Toyota GT86

Romeo-Ferraris-Toyota-GT86-shadow Romeo-Ferraris-Toyota-GT86-medium Alright, picture the following: a couple of years ago you bought a Toyota GT86. At the time it was an affordable RWD car with the right weight distribution and enough power to go sideways. An obvious choice for a gearhead, because that’s essentially the formula reserved for supercars. But now you find yourself in the position of wanting more. Not much more though. Just that extra bit of something to spice things up.

How about a tune up then? Let’s see. Oh, Romeo Ferraris here might have what you are looking for! The Toyota GT86 before you bares a performance kit consisting of a supercharger and an intercooler. After strapping them onto the flat-four Toyota engine, the guys from Romeo Ferraris played around with the ECU and eventually the GT86 yielded 258 hp and more than 260 N/m of torque. That’s a surplus of almost 80 hp and 60 Nm.

There’s not much else out of order with it. Have to keep that low center of gravity in check!

Here’s a video of the finished product guzzling down petrol on a dyno. See if you can detect a distinctiveness of the soundtrack.

httpv://youtu.be/FSaWpWZG5xE

Source: Romeo Ferraris

December 12, 2013

2014 BMW X1 – Minor Updates

BMW will bring the facelifted 2014 X1 at the North American International Auto Show. The compact BMW X1 is raising the standard for this segment even higher with eye-catching exterior accents, a more refined interior ambience and innovative equipment features.

The exterior boasts standard DRLs and 17” alloy wheels with a V-spoke design. There is also a new Sparkling Brown metallic paint. The interior features an instrument cluster visor that is covered in a new soft-touch material for the xLine, Sport Line and M Sport models. There is also a stainless steel tailgate sill and three new interior trims: high-gloss black, matte coral red and pearl-gloss chrome.

Among the new services offered for the BMW X1 are Online Entertainment and the ECO PRO Analyser.

Source: BMW

December 12, 2013

Capristo With Another Ferrari 458 Spider

Capristo-Ferrari-458-Spider-shadow Capristo-Ferrari-458-Spider-medium

There doesn’t seem to be something out of the ordinary with this Capristo Ferrari 458 Spider. Yes, it’s shockingly yellow, but there are no bumpers, or skirts, or diffusers, or wings, stuff that you’d normally find on an after market product. It is an universal truth that the 458 needs little improvement, yet this one does sport a few changes here and there.

Take the engine cover/lid for example – its entirely new. Capristo’s reasoning is that the standard one is too obstructive, hindering the vista of the glorious V8 that hides underneath. This one, as you can see, is rather transparent. Not only that but it now has more vents and bigger air-scoops for an increased stream of cooling air. You’d think that a Ferrari doesn’t need any adjustments in the thermodynamic compartment, but there might be some logic behind the Capristo 458’s flamboyant ports. See, the Sundern-based company also bolted on a bigger airbox from “baked carbon” which, supposedly, increases the torque with 25 Nm.

Add to that a custom-made exhaust system, and you have a brilliantly sounding yellow jacket that stings with 562 hp and 565 Nm. Ouch!

This is not the first time Capristo have enhanced a 458 Spider with their idea of an engine cover

Source: Capristo

December 12, 2013

Volvo Tease The Concept XC Coupe Ahead Of NAIAS

Volvo-XC-Coupe-concept-medium-1

First there was the Volvo Concept Coupé, and it was very good. Now, or in a month or so later, we get to meet the second of three design studies that are based on the Swedish company’s Scalable Product Architecture – it’s the Volvo Concept XC Coupé. Before its world première on the 13th of January at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), here are some pictures and a video to get the main idea behind it.

Volvo say that the purpose of this particular concept is to showcase how the company’s famous safety technology can go hand-in-hand with the contemporary Scandinavian active lifestyle. It’s a Volvo with a ski-box. We see what you did there.

If we have to be honest, the XC looks like an uncanny merging of the Volvo Concept Coupé and the back end of a Volvo C30. It is obviously going to be an SUV-ish type of thing (hence the X in the name). Maybe Volvo also want a piece of the sub-compact pie? We are looking at you, Volkswagen and Audi.

More (if not all) information on the Volvo Concept XC Coupe will be available on the 8th of January.

Volvo-XC-Coupe-concept-medium-2

Volvo-XC-Coupe-concept-medium-3

httpv://youtu.be/P6cOJxGGuzg

Source: Volvo

December 11, 2013

Honda Release A Sketchy Teaser For The Brand-new Ridgeline

Honda-Ridgeline-teaser-shadow Honda-Ridgeline-teaser-medium

In mid 2014, the production of the exclusively made in Lincoln, Alabama Honda Ridgeline will be coming to an end. In “less then two years”, however, there’s going to be a successor and today we get to have a glimpse at its styling direction. Despite being a Honda, the Ridgeline has always been thoroughly American. The new one is the brainchild of the company’s Los Angeles and Ohio R&D centres. Looking at the “sketch” provided, we can safely conclude: it’s a pickup truck, no surprises then.

To be fair, the current one, with its flaring C-pillars, tries too hard to differentiate itself from the mainstream. That might have something to do with the Ridgeline’s unique closed-box unibody platform. Our guess is that they are going to stick to that structure, but at least the new one seems to have a nice vertical cut where the cabin ends and the bed begins. In fact, if nobody told had us that this silhouette belonged to a Honda, we might have dismissed it for an F-150.

Honda might have been encouraged to update the model due to the success of the current one. There has been a 29 percent increase in sales for the first eleven months of this year.

Source: Honda

December 11, 2013

2014 Vauxhall VXR8 GTS – Price £54,999

The new Vauxhall VXR8 GTS is the most powerful production car ever to emerge from Australia. It is priced at £54,999 in the UK and allows owners the least expensive membership into the 500+HP club.

The new VXR8 GTS is powered by a 6.2 liter LSA supercharged V8 – 576HP (426 kW) and 739Nm (545 lb-ft) of torque, which is 150HP and 190Nm more than the previous VXR8. 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – electronically limited.

To cater for the extra performance, the GTS is fitted with an all-new Brake-Torque Vectoring system that applies braking to the inside rear wheel and transfers torque to the outside rear wheel to reduce understeer during high-speed manoeuvres.

The GTS also receives the latest generation Magnetic Ride Control with three independent settings. Hardware and software improvements deliver greater body control, sharper handling and a significantly more pliant ride quality, compared with the outgoing model.

Source: Vauxhall

December 11, 2013

2014 Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC – 3.6l / 100km

2014 Honda CR-V has achieved a sensation fuel consumption of just 3.6 liters per 100 km (77.86 mpg UK), which is almost a quarter more than its official quoted figure of 62.8 mpg UK. The compact crossover managed to cover 800 km/h (500 miles) with less than 30 liters of diesel.

The engine below the front hood is the well-known 1.6 liter i-DTEC 120HP (88 kW) at 4,000RPM and 300Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque at just 2,000RPM.

The CR-V was tested by the team behind the recent ‘MPG Marathon’ under the same rules and conditions as that event.

As in the MPG Marathon the car was driven by two independent drivers, John Kerswill and Ian McKean. Carried out over two days, the test covered 509.5 miles on a variety of roads and conditions and at speeds which represent real-world driving.

Honda’s 1.6 diesel engine is the first to be launched in Europe under its flagship Earth Dreams Technology environmental programme; offering customers an outstanding balance of high fuel economy, low emissions and dynamic performance.

Source: Honda

December 11, 2013

2014 BMW M3 and M4 [leak images]

BMW Blog has published a lot of leak images of the production ready 2014 BMW M3 and M4. The high-performance BMWs look really impressive.The all-new 2014 M3 Sedan boasts complete aerodynamics package, kidney grilles and beefy dual front air intakes. There is also a redesigned front hood featuring a power dome. Other highlights include twin five-spoke grey ///M alloy wheels and gold brake calipers. At the rear, there is a redesigned diffuser and quad sports exhaust system.The 2014 M4 has the same upgrades, but it also has a carbon fiber roof and is a lot more sleeker than its 4-door sibling.The interior of both is virtually the same – sports steering wheel and seats, high-quality leather all over the place and some carbon fiber accents.The most important is the 3.0 liter inline-six TwinPower Turbo engine – 430HP (316 kW) and 500Nm (369 lb-ft). The M3 is expected to weigh less than 1,500 kg (3,300 lbs), so it will be extremely fast.Stay tuned for full details!

December 11, 2013

2014 Infiniti Q50 – The Safest on the Road

2014 Infiniti Q50 has proved itself to have one of the most advanced standard fit collision avoidance systems. Together with its recently announced 5 star Euro NCAP rating the Infiniti Q50 is easily one of the safest cars on the road.

By using a highly specified radar system along with several cameras located around the vehicle to constantly monitor the vehicles surrounding area, many systems are able to combine together and reduce the risk of an accident ever taking place. Forward Emergency Braking is only one of many other features included in the optional Safety Pack:

Reversing (Back-up Collision Intervention). Detects moving vehicles and objects behind the car when reverse gear is selected, warning the driver with visual and audible alerts. If necessary the system can autonomously engage the brakes to avoid a collision.
Drifting out of lane (Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention). Industry-first system senses unintended lane drift and assists the driver in guiding the vehicle back to the centre of its lane.
Moving into the path of another vehicle (Blind Spot Intervention and Blind Spot Warning). World-first technology aids the driver in avoiding vehicles concealed in the blind-spot area during lane-change manoeuvres.
Motorway hold-ups (Predictive Forward Collision Warning). Another world-first for Infiniti, PFCW warns the driver of hazards which lie beyond the driver’s field of view – seeing past not just the car in front but two cars ahead.
Low-speed manoeuvring in busy areas (Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection). Infiniti’s world-first real-time camera system provides a virtual 360 degree view of the environment around the car, with visual and audible warnings of hazards.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-X0IFXFUxY

As well as the availability of the most advanced safety systems, every Infiniti Q50 includes safety-oriented features such as:

Seat belt reminder system for all seats
Speed limiter
Active pop-up bonnet for pedestrian safety
Electronic Stability Control with Active Trace Control
LED fog lights front and rear
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
Hill start assist
Six airbags
Rear view camera and front and rear parking sensors

Source: Infiniti

December 10, 2013

Hyundai Intrado Concept Teaser

Hyundai-Intrado-Concept-shadow Hyundai-Intrado-Concept-medium

Hyundai are really bent on shaking the foundations of the automotive industry. At least, that’s what we are led to believe from the latest piece of news that’s come out of the South Korean manufacturer. The 2014 Geneva Motor Show will host the arrival of an “iconic” concept called the Hyundai Intrado. It’s supposed to be a super-space-age type of car that brings innovation, refinement and utter awesomeness. Hyundai go as far as claiming that the Intrado, with its super-lightweight structure made from a mixture of advanced materials, has the potential to change the way cars are constructed in the future.

Apparently, Intrado is a term from aerospace – the underside of an aircarft’s wing which produces lift. Hope they didn’t take that idea too seriously, or we fear that the grip of the Hyundai Intrado will be pretty abominable. The thing is, the concept should be drawing some inspiration from aircraft technologies – use of advanced materials, keeping it light, a form that follows function exclusively, and a highly efficient powertrain. Peter Schreyer, President & CDO of Hyundai Motor Group, commented:

“Hyundai Intrado envisages a motoring future that encapsulates the efficiency and freedom associated with flying. I believe in the power of mobility to deliver emotional as well as physical connections and this car helps us find again the joy of discovery. Intrado shows that future cars can be relevant and exciting.”

The body style is, actually, based on something called the Fluidic Sculpture 2.0. It has been designed by the Hyundai Motor European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany. As for the efficient powertrain – the Intrado will make use of a lighter and less voluminous version of the one in the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell.

That’s all we have for now. Viva la revolution?

Source: Hyundai

December 10, 2013

2014 Hyundai i20 WRC – The Winner

Hyundai Motorsport has unveiled its full team line-up at a special launch event in Frankfurt today. The manufacturer gears up for its debut in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship at Monte Carlo, next month.

Going up against vastly more experienced WRC competitors, Hyundai team knows that it has a steep learning curve, but it certainly relishes the challenge and will be aiming to compete for podium places during the season.

“We have worked tremendously hard to get where we are today and to be able to launch our new WRC team to the world,” commented Team Principal of Hyundai Motorsport GmbH, Michel Nandan.

“In less than one year, we have built and tested a brand new WRC-specification car, the Hyundai i20 WRC, and established a professional team and modern motorsport facility. It’s a huge accomplishment but we know that we have a lot to learn in our first season. Our aims for 2014 are realistic: we want to finish each rally with both cars and build up a database of information and experience so we can develop ourselves into prospective rally winners in the future. If all goes well, we will hope to be competing for occasional podiums as the year progresses.”, he added.

The newly liveried Hyundai i20 WRC will be on display as well as Hyundai “N”. Both will be used to symbolise Hyundai’s high performance technology and future mass-produced high performance cars.

The company has already shown what can be accomplished in a short space of time with the right mentality and approach. For the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, January cannot come soon enough.

Source: Hyundai

December 10, 2013

KTW Tuning Enhance The Porsche 991 Carrera S

KTW-Porsche-Carrera-S-991-medium

The Porsche 991 (AKA the 911) – fifty years of history, pedigree and fine-tuning. Can it ever reach perfection? Is there such a thing as perfection? Okay, let’s not get too philosophical about it. After all, what’s good and what’s bad and what’s perfect is a very subjective point. That explains why KTW from Germany have taken up enhancing the Porsche Carrera S 991.

Rest assured, the Porsche’s 3.8-liter 400 hp has been left immaculate. In fact, all KTW did was to get their hands on a TECHART body kit and glue it on. In other words, a front lip spoiler, two side skirts, two wing mirror caps, a rear lip-like spoiler and a big anti-wing on top. Okey so there are also the Formula III 21-inch wheels which complete the picture .

Again a TECHART feature, is the noselift system which is supposed to eliminate that fear of scraping a speed hump. There’s also a custom made exhaust system with valve control.

KTW say that the interior too has undergone a lot of changes – the steering wheel, the seats, the dashboard, the center console and many other. There is, however, nothing specific on these modifications. The seatbelts are red. Does that count?

Source: KTW Tuning

December 10, 2013

Category: Car Makes