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  • You’ve Seen 2015 Kia K900, but You Haven’t Seen it Like This! [VIDEO]

    Kia-K900-SEMA-THUMB2015 Kia K900 is company’s flagship sedan, which recently went on sale, is getting ready to make some “Wows” at the SEMA Auto Show at Las Vegas. For the new model year the car comes with a new V8 engine, next to the still existing V6, which won’t be at the top of the top now. But to go directly to the topic, at the event the company will enter a modified Kia which we have never seen before, but thanks to the released video, we can actually hear it roar. It is the so called “high-performance” K900 Concept.

    If you follow up the promo film, you’ll see the matte gray high-performance SEMA-based K900. Kia is promising that we are about witness exceptional performance blended with personalized style, which are prerequisites for the machine.

    Although the Korean company has kept the details about the engine in secret, it has disclosed that the vehicle will have a one-off body kit with carbon fiber inserts, of course will be “wrapped” in custom-blended gray paint, include a blacked-out chrome trim and run on massive 21-inch gloss-black wheels.

    Yes, this may be a menacing appearance hinting at the power underneath, but we are still in question of what we are to see under the hood. From listening to this video the engine certainly sounds convincingly. Still, putting the question, whether there is a forced induction going on?

    With all the innovative details of the K900 exterior, you can expect the interior will get your adrenaline pumping. You can simply share in the comment section below what do you expect to see.

    httpv://youtu.be/7D-562aUPP4

    Video Source: YouTube

    Source: Kia

  • The New 2015 ATS Sport 490 Stradale Finally Revealed

    Well, it’s official! sports car manufacturer Automobili Turismo Sport (ATS ) has just presented its latest model in the form of the 490 Stradale which is licensed for the road use. The ATS Sport 490 Stradale embodies all of the company’s race-track knowledge and successfully demonstrates it into the street.

    The new street-legal Sport 490 Stradale shares some common features with its predesessor, the race-only model,  which was revealed in early 2014. However, there is a range of significant changes that have been adopted. For instance, the car has been equipped with a retuned suspension, a new transmission with a mechanic reverse gear with LSD. There are also hand brake and interior refinements visible on the cockpit and an innovative specific front a rear full light Hella kit.

    Beneath the skin, the new Sport 490 Stradale is powered by a potent 1.4-litre Extreme engine which is tuned to deliver a spectacular 235 hp at an impressive 10.000 rpm. When combined with a weight just around 500 kg and only 35 kg more than the race car, the Sport 490 Stradale rockets from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3 seconds and over 230 km/h as top speed.

    The ATS owner of the Tenerife based car manufacturer Gianluca Gregis comments that: “Obviously this version has been realized with track day use in mind, giving the chance to the owner to drive it directly from the home’s garage to the race circuit. A great opportunity to expand the ATS market also through a less professional driver, but still with the passion for extreme sportscars.”

    Source: ATS

  • Kahn and Chelsea Truck Company Makeover for Land Rover Defender SVX

    Kahn-Land-Rover-Defender-SVX-Chelsea-Truck-Company-THUMBThe rock-solid Land Rover Defender has once again fallen in the hands of A. Kahn Design and Chelsea Truck Company to get a makeover. Both tuning companies say that this custom Defender is for “those who like to drive in a suitably presidential manner” and we are to agree with them. Follow our thoughts to understand why. The revamped vehicle features a wide range of accessories and styling features which lend it more aggressive and at the same time luxurious stance. At the front and rear we see wide wings with vents and bolt apertures.

    The wheel arches have been extended and they perfectly harmonize with the new bumper sump guard, mesh side and top bonnet vents, mud flaps, paint roll bars and side steps in matt black. In general, the body of this Land Rover is covered with santorini black paint finish.

    Not to mention the cross-hair military headlights, the fog lamps from A. Kahn Design and the X-Lander front grille. All they command is attention and they deserve it. The vehicle runs on Volcanic Black Mondial wheels in 9.0 x 20” fitment with 275 x 55 x 20 tyres. We have missed to mention the crosshair exhaust system that additionally gives this 60th anniversary Defender SVX Edition a rugged look.

    Unlike most tuners, A. Kahn Design is famous for its generously equipped custom interiors. Consequently, this Defender benefits from front racing seats in black quilted nappa leather with Harris Tweed Inserts and silver contrast stitching. Firm cushioning in the form of Harris Tweed inserts improves the overall comfort, too.

    The tuning inside continues with black door panels, dashboard and centre glove box in black quilted nappa, both with Harris Tweed inserts, and silver contrast stitching. Those who are looking carefully at the pictures below will also see the, Churchill time clock and speedo/rev counter facia in red, the Kahn billet steering wheel, the centre console facia in matt black, and vented machined aluminium foot pedals.

    So, do you like this new Kahn project? Pen down your thoughts in the comments section below.

    Source: A. Kahn Design 

  • Automotive Technology With Teenagers In Mind

    Car crashes are the number-one killer of teenagers in the United States. Contributing factors include behaviors such as speeding, lack of seat belt use, drinking, and texting. Various manufacturers have addressed this issue with safety technology and the many of the systems they have developed are quite unique. In this article we looked at systems from Ford, GM, Hyundai, and Mercedes-Benz.

    GM’s Family Link is part of OnStar and costs $3.99 a month on top of the OnStar subscription fees. It allows parents to find their teen’s car on a map on their website and receive a text or email as to their whereabouts. Parents can set a time to receive a geo-based alert, which is helpful to verify they arrived at their destination safely.

    Hyundai BlueLink is similar to OnStar in that it keeps track of the vehicle and driver’s safety in an emergency. For $179 a year, you get roadside-assistance features in addition to teen safeguards, such as a speed alert, geo-fencing (restricts where the car can be driven), and curfew alert. This allows parents to set these boundaries on the car and to receive a message when they are overridden.

    The Ford MyKey system became standard on most Ford models in 2010. It allows a parent to program a second vehicle key that holds specific driving restrictions. Here are some of the features offered to parents:

    • Sets off an alarm and won’t allow the radio to go on when a seat belt isn’t fastened
    • Sets a top speed up to 80 mph, with chimes that go off at 45, 55, or 65 mph.
    • Limits audio volume.
    • Set the low-fuel warning at an earlier level, so instead of 50 miles to empty, you can change it to 75 miles.
    • Driving aids such as blind spot, park aid, and traction control cannot be deactivated.

    Mercedes-Benz mbrace2 has similar features as Hyundai’s BlueLink. It adds an interesting feature called Safe Ride that allows the driver to signal they need help getting home, such as if they are intoxicated. The cost for mbrace2 is $280 a year and $20 more for mbrace plus, which adds a geo-fencing, speed alerts, a comprehensive driving journal, and travel assistance.

    The reception to the public to these features by the public has been strong. The fees can sometimes sound expensive for these services, yet in reality, most families would probably use them just for a couple of years. Of course, most parents don’t necessarily buy a new car for their teen, but when sharing a family car (which saves on insurance), teens can benefit from these potentially life-saving services.

    Source: Anthony Buick GMC

  • Automotive Audio


    Automotive audio systems used to be rather simple affairs but today, with pure digital audio sources such as the internet and smartphones, the game has become more complex. Fortunately the engineering of high-quality sound reproduction hasn’t changed a great deal. Good speakers and good amplifiers are the foundation of a high-performance sound system in any automobile. In this article we will explore the components and features of today’s automotive audio systems so that you can be better informed when you hit the showroom floor.

    Head-Units

    They used to just be called “the radio” but today the component that sits in your dash is called the “head unit”. They used to be just one piece too but today you are are likely to see the head unit separated from the display part. When checking out a new car, spend a good amount of time looking over the display and if it has touch screen controls make sure all your basic audio functions are easy to see and control –especially when you are driving.

    Radio Features

    All car radios have basic features such as seek and scan tuning and the ability to save favorite stations as presets. Some carmakers use traditional knobs for tuning and control and others use buttons and switches. Radio displays also differ, with some mimicking an old-fashioned radio dial and others just showing a station’s frequency. Make sure that the radio features include Radio Data Service (RDS) that shows artist and song information.

    Bluetooth

    Bluetooth audio is another feature that’s very popular. The technology wirelessly streams music from a compatible device to a car with Bluetooth audio. And if you have an Internet-connected smartphone with the feature, you can stream Internet radio stations like Pandora. Many other devices now offer Bluetooth audio too.

    Hard Drives

    A hard-disk drive (HDD) is another music source available in some vehicles. You record music files to an HDD a USB drive or other sources. The system catalogs files in a format similar to the one used by an iPod. Many HDD systems also allow you to create playlists repeating tracks or albums. And you also can choose to play tracks in random order.

    Recent vehicles have a time-shift feature that stores live-radio content to a hard-drive, similar to DVRs offered by some cable and satellite TV providers. Depending on the vehicle you can store and replay audio programs and some cars record these programs when the car is parked.

    Extra Features

    To combat outside noise in a moving vehicle, automakers employ various digital signal processing (DSP) technologies. A common one raises the volume relative to the speed of the vehicle. Some automakers also employ DSP such as Dolby Pro Logic II to give stereo recordings a surround-sound effect and provide a greater sense of space.

    Some automobiles come with steering wheel controls allow you to turn the volume up or down, skip forward/back on a CD, switch radio stations and change audio sources without removing your hands from the wheel or your eyes from the road. Another feature, voice activation, lets you control aspects of the audio system by pressing a button on the steering wheel and speaking a command.

    The listening Test

    Just as a car’s exterior styling comes down to a matter of taste, the sound of an automotive sound system also is subjective. If the sound of an automotive audio system is important to you, bring your own music source to audition a car system. Judge how it sounds and how easily the system operates. Make sure that you and your car can make beautiful music together.

    Source: Zeigler of Downers Grove

  • Electric Turbochargers – Coming Soon


    A very popular method that uses forced air induction to momentarily increase the horsepower of an internal combustion engine is turbocharging. This technique has been around for decades and hasn’t changed a great deal until recently. Several manufacturers have announced that they are working on electrically-powered turbos. Before we explain why this is such an interesting advance, let’s take a quick look at exactly how turbocharging works.

    Engineers know that the speed and power of an internal combustion engine is limited by a number of factors. One of them, and a critical one, is the rate and pressure that fresh air can be drawn into the combustion chambers. Standard engines “pull” outside air into their combustion chambers by means of pistons sliding down and sucking the air in. This works fine for standard engines but when higher power is desired, one way of achieving it is to “push” in more air, instead of pulling it. And that’s exactly what turbochargers do. This technique is often referred to as “forced induction”. This is how it works:

    A turbocharger is basically two fans connected together. On one end, it has a fan that is located in the exhaust manifold. When the engine is running, hot exhaust gases hit the fan blades and makes the unit spin very rapidly. On the other end is fan that sucks in the outside air and drives it down into the cylinders hence the term “forced induction”. Essentially what you have is a dual fan device that takes energy from hot, moving exhaust gases and uses it to drive more fresh air into the combustion chambers. Turbochargers have been around for years and work quite well but have a limitation: it takes a second or so for a turbo to come up to speed when rapid acceleration is needed. This is called “Turbo Lag”.

    The folks at Audi tell us that it will have an electrically-driven turbocharger in 2016 models. Some journalists have referred to this as an e-turbo and it will be very interesting to see how well it works. The inherent advantage of an electrically-driven turbocharger is that it should have very little turbo lag. In fact, the engineers at Audi say the duration before boost is some .25 secs. This is essentially instanteous, much better than standard turbochargers. Astute readers will note that the best definition of this forced induction device might technically be an “e-supercharger” because no exhaust gases are involved but whatever way the industry goes electrically-driven forced induction is likely to catch on quickly. We suspect you will be seeing a lot of press soon concerning “e-Turbos”.

    Courtesy of: Team KIA

  • Dual-Clutch Transmissions – The transmission of the future?


    Most people know that automobiles come with two basic transmission types; first there are manual transmissions which require that the driver change gears by depressing a clutch pedal and using a stick shift and then there are automatics which do all of the shifting work using a torque convertor and sets of planetary gears. But there’s also something in between that offers the best of both worlds — the dual-clutch transmission (DCT). This article will explore how a dual-clutch transmission works, how it compares to other types of transmissions and why some predict that it is the transmission of the future.

    A dual-clutch transmission offers the function of two manual gearboxes in one. To understand what this means, it’s helpful to review how manual gearboxes work. When a driver wants to change from one gear to another, he first presses down the clutch pedal. This operates a single clutch, which disconnects the engine from the gearbox and interrupts power flow to the transmission. Then the driver uses the stick shift to select a new gear. Once the new gear is engaged, the driver releases the clutch pedal, which re-connects the engine to the gearbox and transmits power to the wheels.

    A dual-clutch gearbox, by contrast, uses two clutches, but has no clutch pedal. Sophisticated electronics and hydraulics control the clutches, just as they do in a standard automatic transmission. In a DCT, however, the clutches operate independently. One clutch controls the odd gears (first, third, fifth and reverse), while the other controls the even gears (second, fourth and sixth). Using this arrangement, gears can be changed almost instantly without interrupting the power flow from the engine to the transmission.

    Some explain that a DCT is an “automated manual transmission.” In principle, the DCT behaves just like a standard manual transmission: It’s got input and auxiliary shafts to house gears, synchronizers and a clutch. What it doesn’t have is a clutch pedal, because computers, solenoids and hydraulics do the actual shifting. Even without a clutch pedal, the driver can still “tell” the computer when to take action through paddles, buttons or a gearshift.

    Perhaps the most compelling advantage of a DCT is improved fuel economy. Because power flow from the engine to the transmission is not interrupted, fuel efficiency increases dramatically. Some experts say that a six-speed DCT can deliver up to a 10 percent increase in relative fuel efficiency when compared to a conventional five-speed automatic.

    Many car manufacturers are interested in DCT technology. However, some automakers are wary of the additional costs associated with modifying production lines to accommodate a new type of transmission. This could initially drive up the costs of cars outfitted with DCTs, which might discourage cost-conscious consumers.

    Source: Honda of Tiffany Springs

  • Car Myths That Just Won’t Go Away


    As humans we strive to attach meaning to all the things in our environment. This allows us to interact with our physical world in consistent ways so we can survive and prosper. However, funny things can occur during this process and the generation of myths is a good example. In our need to understand things, even our cars get myths attached to them and they often last well past the time when “the real facts” prove them wrong. Here are several automotive myths that refuse to die:

    Big cars are safe and small cars aren’t

    It’s funny, many parents think that their teenager will only be safe in a big SUV (with average handling and a rollover-prone high center of gravity) than a sensible economy car. They forget that the safety of today’s cars are hardly a function of just mass but involve lots of safety technology like high-strength steel, energy-absorbing crumple zones and multiple airbags. The myth continues, though, and probably accounts for a sizable amount of SUV purchases every year. No wonder as a nation that we consume so much petroleum; it’s all these “safer” SUVs on the roads.

    Model T Fords only came in black

    This is a particularly persistent myth that has been dispelled by Ford Motor Company itself many times. The myth that the Model T only came in black probably comes from the reality that almost 12 million of the 15 million total Model Ts manufactured were black. But, the Model T was produced in many different colors, including blue, red, green and grey. Oddly, many these hues were so dark they were hardly discernible from black, probably another reason the myth lives on.

    Change your oil every 3,000 miles

    The 3K rule dates back to when engine oils were less refined than they are now and got dirty quicker than they do now. Regular car service, like an oil change, was a necessity back then to keep a car reliable. Today, engines are better, oils are better and few manufacturers recommend an oil change every 3000 miles. Just don’t ask the guys down at Jiffy Lube for their opinion.

    Overdrive makes you go a lot faster

    We blame this one the Hollywood cliché of “kicking into overdrive”. This generally means that we are really going to haul now. Funny thing is, this is a true myth because overdrive just puts a car into a higher gear. Basically, it’s just for cruising and saving gas; as the engine RPMs settle down the car’s fuel economy usually increases.

    Red cars cost more to insure

    This is a popular one too. Why are they more expensive to insure? As the myth goes, “Because red cars are involved in more accidents!” Well, have you ever bought insurance for a car? Was there any point where they asked what color the car was when you got a quote? Insurance agents love this one and get asked about it all the time. From an insurance point of view, car color makes no difference.

    Premium gas gives you more power

    Wrong! Premium gas is simply less volatile than ordinary gas so it the gas of choice in high compression engines. Using it in your lower compression automobile would be just a waste of money because it has no more power than ordinary gas.

    Source: Adrenaline Off-Road and Performance

  • How Your Car’s Anti-Lock Braking System Works

    Before Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) were installed on cars, drivers were told to rapidly pump their brakes if they felt a tire start to skid. Today, you don’t need to pump your car’s brakes when skidding, anti-lock braking systems do this for you. In this article, we’ll learn about anti-lock braking systems and how they work.The operational theory starts with the fact that a skidding wheel has less traction than a non-skidding one. The best thing to do when a skid does occur is to slow your engine down and let the tires “grab”. ABS systems do the same thing, they sense when a wheel is skidding during braking and then they pulse the brake automatically to regain traction. This not only allows you to stop in a shorter distance, you’ll be able to regain your steering too. Here are four components we should quickly discuss:1) Speed Sensors – The ABS needs some way of knowing when a wheel is about to lock up. Speed sensors, which are located on each wheel assembly, provide this information.2) Brake Line Valves – There is a valve in the brake line of each brake controlled by the ABS. This electrically-controlled valve controls the brake pressure going to each brake assembly.3) Electric Pump – When a Brake Line Valve reduces the pressure in a brake line, there is an electric pump to bring the restore the pressure.4) ABS Controller – The ABS controller is a small computer. It runs the whole ABS system.The ABS Controller is the brain of the system. It constantly monitors the four wheel speed sensors, looking for speed decelerations in any of the four wheels that are out of the ordinary. The ABS controller knows that rapid deceleration is technically “impossible” under normal driving conditions, so it reduces the brake line pressure to the brake involved until it sees it speed up again. The result: this gives the system maximum braking power. When the ABS system is in operation you will feel a pulsing in the brake pedal; this comes from the rapid opening and closing of the valves.Have you ever wondered what you should do when your car starts to skid? First, do not pump your brakes! The ABS system does this for you. In an emergency stop in a car with ABS, you should just apply your brake pedal firmly and hold it while the ABS does all the work. You will feel a pulsing in the pedal that may be quite noticeable but this is completely normal so don’t let off the brake. When your ABS system is functioning properly, you should have some steering control quickly return so use that to get back on course.

  • All About Continuously Variable Transmissions

    Today we have a new type of transmission to consider and it is called a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A CVT is a type of automatic transmission but it operates very differently than older automatics. CVTs provide more useable power, better fuel economy and smoother driving than traditional automatic transmissions. CVTs have been around for years in motorized applications such as snowmobiles and off-road recreational vehicles, but just started to be used in regular automobiles a decade or so ago.Conventional automatic transmissions use sets of gears inside that provide different ratios or speeds. Control units sense speeds and shift a transmission’s gears automatically to provide the most appropriate ratio for a given driving situation: lowest gears for low speeds, middle gears for acceleration and passing, and higher gears for efficient cruising. This is visually indicated in most vehicles with a selector display (P-R-N-D-L).A CVT replaces the complex gears sets common in standard transmissions with two variable-diameter pulleys, each shaped like a pair of opposing cones, with a metal belt running between them. One pulley is connected to the engine, the other to the drive wheels. The way it works is that during operation the pulleys move in and out such that a drive belt between moves higher on one pulley, lower on the other. You can picture this roughly as the way a 10-speed bike works, by routing the chain over smaller or larger gears to change the gear ratios.The controls for a CVT-based car are the same as an automatic-based car: Two pedals (gas and brake) and a P-R-N-D-L-style shift pattern. When driving a car with a CVT, you won’t hear or feel the transmission shift, though. It simply raises and lowers the engine speed as needed, calling up higher engine speeds (or RPMs) for better acceleration and lower RPMs for better fuel economy while cruising. Many people find that driving a CVT-based automobile is a little disconcerting because of the sound it makes. When you push hard on the accelerator, the engine races a bit as it would with a slipping clutch or a failing automatic transmission. This is normal, the CVT is simply adjusting itself to provide optimal power for acceleration.Engines do not develop constant power at all speeds; they have specific speeds where either torque, horsepower or fuel efficiency are at their optimum levels. Because a CVT can theoretically adjust to any gear ratio, engineers can program it to give maximum performance during all these situations. For example, when power is needed, or maximum fuel-economy is desired, a CVT can adjust to those conditions more accurately than a standard automatic transmission.The CVT’s biggest problem has been user acceptance. Because the CVT allows the engine to rotate at any speed, the noises coming from under the hood can sound odd to ears accustomed to conventional automatic transmissions. The gradual changes in engine note sound like something is “slipping”– signs of trouble with a conventional transmission, but perfectly normal for a CVT. Automakers have gone to great lengths to make the CVT feel more like a conventional transmission.Because early automotive CVTs were limited as to how much horsepower they could handle, there has been some concern about the long-term reliability of the CVT. This has not proven to be a problem, though. Advanced technology has made the CVT quite robust and reliable. Nissan has more than a million CVTs in service around the world and says their long-term reliability is comparable to conventional transmissions.The future of the CVT remains to be seen. In spite of the obvious efficiencies of CVTs, customers can be fickle and may prefer and older technology. We will likely see how CVT transmissions fare over the next few years or so.

  • Lexus LS Gets Exclusive Updates for MY2015

    2015-Lexus-LS-THUMBA quarter-century ago Lexus made real history in the automotive world by introducing the Lexus LS. One of the main reasons is that it was equipped with the powerful V8 engine as a standard. Back then this powerplant was a very expensive extra-cost option and not even available in others. It seems like in 2015 the history is repeating. 2015 Lexus LS features as a standard the 386-horsepower (284 kW) 4.6-liter V8 unit, which is coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The nearly silent acceleration is the other striking hallmark aspect of driving a Lexus LS. In addition, the model also offers the option of a more engaging driving experience due to the addition of the F SPORT Package.

    The LS 460 trim is introduced as a regular and long-wheelbase, with a choice of a rear-wheel drive or all-weather drive. At the top is positioned the LS 600h L hybrid that generates a total of 438 horsepower (322 kW) from its 5-liter V8 engine and the electric motor. This trim level also features all-weather drive.

    A new multimedia system and Lexus Enform Remote are also there. The latter can be used to control certain vehicle features via mobile application. Key elements include remote door lock/unlock, remote stop/start for the engine and climate control, vehicle finder, guest driver monitor and more.

    This car also comes as a standard with frequency-dependent suspension dampers that deliver agile handling and driving smoothness. Through the Drive Select, the person behind the steering wheel can select one of three settings: “Normal,” “Eco” or “Sport S”. The system automatically adjusts several performance parameters such as transmission shift points and throttle response.

    Of course, “Eco” mode prioritizes fuel efficiency. The “Sport” on quickens responses for a livelier feeling, while the models equipped with the air suspension, offer two additional drive settings, “Comfort” and “Sport S+”.

    Lexus LS 460 F SPORT is the trim level featuring the sport-tuned air suspension. It runs on 19-inch forged alloy wheels behind which there have been positioned Brembo six-piston caliper front brakes. In terms of exterior, the F SPORT adds a unique front fascia with mesh spindle grille featuring a black surround, larger air intake openings and round fog lamps. Its interior is adorned by Alcantara headliner, aluminum trim and leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters.

    Also new for 2015 model year are the multimedia system with enhanced Navigation features, Lexus Enform App Suite which adds Slacker and upgrades to iHeartRadio 4.0 and Lexus Enform Remote. In addition, new are also the LED dome lamps and the dynamic gridlines added to backup camera. Turning radius of the 2015 Lexus LS was reduced by four inches on cars with 18-inch wheels, which also include as a standard new suspension. The F SPORT gets badge added to rear.

    In terms of safety and security the car can get an optional Lane-Keep Assist system (LKA) as well as Blind Spot Monitor (BSM). The latter feature includes also Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA). Available luxury options for the interior include power rear seats with Climate Concierge and Ottoman Seating Package with Shiatsu massage and a Rear Seat Entertainment System featuring a Blu-ray Disc DVD player, an SD card slot and a retractable, ceiling mounted, nine-inch full-color VGA screen.

    Source: Lexus 

  • Citroen C4 Cactus Chrome Edition Shown at Q Awards 25th Anniversary

    Citroen-C4-Cactus-Chrome-Edition-THUMBCitroen is releasing a one-off C4 Cactus Chrome Edition in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Q Awards. This signifies that the company has continued the sponsorship of the event for another year, thus remaining in-tune with the UK music industry. The prestigious Q Awards took place yesterday (22 October) at the Grosvenor House Hotel and was hosted by Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell. In addition, Citroen revealed that it will sponsor this years ‘Best Solo Artist’ category winner – Ed Sheeran.

    A fleet of chauffeur-driven Grand C4 Picasso and C4 Cactus models were there to transport the celebrity guests to the venue. The star in company’s range of vehicles at the event was the one-off chrome-finished C4 Cactus, which also appeared on the red carpet.

    It immediately gathered glances and was the transport-of-choice for the French composer, performer and music producer Jean-Michel Jarre. He also got an award – the coveted Q Innovation In Sound Award.

    Citroen C4 Cactus Chrome Edition includes the special Airbump feature. It does away with dents and scratches in real life and it is found on the front and rear bumpers and the sides. Airbump provides a type of buffer zone which protects the actual body. The car is also equipped with an array of driving aids such as the park assist, a reversing camera, hill-start assist, to name a few.

    The C4 Cactus is powered by Citroen’s latest-generation engines. These modern and efficient engines, PureTech petrol and BlueHDi diesel with Stop & Start, need very little fuel to run. The gasoline powered are the naturally aspirated three-cylinder PureTech VTi 82 engine with capacity of 1.2l and the turbocharged PureTech e-THP 110 engine with a central direct-injection turbocharger and dual VVT.

    On the diesel side is the BlueHDi 100 unit, which is an example of another step towards cleaner diesel, cutting CO₂ emissions to a record low 82g/km and keeping fuel consumption on a tight rein up to 91.1mpg on a combined cycle.

    Source: Citroen