Automobiles Review – Page 836 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid to debut in Paris

2013 Toyota Auris Hybrid will be officially unveiled at Paris Motor Show in the end of September. The new Toyota at will offer enhanced dynamics, more distinctive styling and higher equipment levels.

With its new and more confident exterior design combined with a higher quality interior, the new Auris also benefits from improvements on the driving dynamics and efficiency enhancements to its powertrain line-up. In particular this means that it includes a full hybrid system that powers the flagship Auris Hybrid model.

The overall height of the vehicle is with 55mm less than the current model. This and the lower front end design contribute to the perfect aerodynamic performance with a Cd0.28 drag coefficient. Furthermore, this also effects in better handling stability and lower fuel consumption.

The new design philosophy of the Japanese brand is applied here. 2013 Auris adopts the new “face” of Toyota in the design of its grille and the sharp-edged appearance of its headlights and LED daytime running lights. This gives the car a more powerful road presence.

Another styling change can be seen on the profile. Thanks to the extension of the side glazing into three panels. The effect will be rendered even more eye-catching in some versions with a piano black finish for the B-pillars and a dynamic treatment of the C-pillars above a stronger and more pronounced chrome-trimmed rising belt line.

Observed from the rear, one can see a wider opening tailgate, with interplay of convex and concave surfaces, a wrap-around combination lamp design and new bumper profile, strengthening the car’s broad stance.

What about the interior? Of course, it was completely redesigned. The new interior is now more spacious and comfortable. What is the main highlight here us the introduction of the Skyview. This is one of the largest panoramic roofs in the segment.

Furthermore, the air vent and meter surrounds, centre console and transmission tunnel trim have high quality satin silver finish. The interior surfaces such as the steering wheel and the instrument panel’s upper surface are covered with baseball-stitched nappa leather.

Loadspace length is now further enhanced. All hatchback versions have now 360 litres luggage space. Repositioning of the battery pack beneath the rear seat has ensured Auris Hybrid has the same load capacity as other models in the range.

Next, efficiency and dynamic improvements have been performed on the Hybrid Synergy Drive system. The new model will also include 1.4-litre diesel and 1.33 and 1.6-litre petrol engines.

2013 Toyota Auris Dimensions

	NEW AURIS	CHANGE vs CURRENT AURIS
Length (mm)	4,275	+30
Width (mm)	1,760	–
Height (mm)	1,460	-55
Wheelbase (mm)	2,600	–
Loadspace (l)	360	+6 (+127 for Auris Hybrid)
Cd	0.28	-0.01

Source: Toyota

August 20, 2012

Bentley Mulsanne Convertible Concept Sketches Revealed

Bentley Mulsanne debuted back in 2009. Since then it is a pure example of coach-built elegance and hand-crafted luxury with immense power and sportiness. Now the luxury British brand is coming out with a concept in mind and it is namely the Bentley Mulsanne Convertible Concept.

Unfortunately, Bentley hasn’t released any actual images of the concept except for some sketches, which by the way give enough to the imagination of how incredible this car would look like.

The aim is for the Mulsanne Convertible Concept to be the world’s most elegant and sophisticated convertible, providing a supremely powerful and refined luxury grand touring experience for four persons.

The form of the new Concept combines sportiness and elegance, and its sculpted lines and muscular haunches convey a sense of power and movement. The interior includes a spacious but yet intimate cabin, which was inspired by luxurious, high-performance power boats.

Mulsanne Convertible Concept will further sustain Bentley’s position as the most undisputed benchmark in handcrafted automotive luxury, thanks to its contemporary design, sumptuous materials, painstaking attention to detail and supreme refinement.

Source: Bentley

August 20, 2012

Exclusive Nissan Juke with Ministry of Sound Limited Edition Project [VIDEO]

Nissan Juke and Ministry of Sound have combined forces and knowledge to create one-of-a-kind Limited Edition model. The bold new Nissan can be specified with any engine and transmission in the current Juke range.

Furthermore, it is being offered with a range of special design and technology features that make it a unique and innovative addition to the line-up. This Nissan Juke and Ministry of sound Limited Edition model will be offered in Metallic Black or Solid White.

All models will have as a standard 17-inch white alloy wheels, white door handles and white mirror caps. Moreover, the B-pillar is finished in high-gloss black, while a unique Ministry of Sound badge rounds off the external design package.

The interior of this Limited Edition Juke includes a striking white centre console, white door trims and white stitching on the leather seats, steering wheel and gear gaiter. The cabin also features an iPod cradle that gives occupants the perfect set-up for choosing their music on the move.

The newcomer will be available with the full range of Juke engines: the flagship 190 hp (140 kW) 1.6-litre turbocharged DIG-T petrol and a 110 hp (81 kW) 1.5-litre dCi diesel. New feature however is the Stop/Start system for the 117 hp (86 kW) 1.6-litre petrol engine.

Juke with Ministry of Sound Limited Edition model will make its official world debut at the 2012 Moscow International Motor Show. It is now available to order with a starting price of £17 895.

httpv://youtu.be/e06wJ0eDrIk

Source: Nissan

August 20, 2012

Debut for McLaren X-1 Concept

McLaren X-1 Concept is a breathtaking one-off supercar. It has one-of-a-kind body, never seen before, and has been created for an anonymous car enthusiast. The client wished he had a machine which was capable as the 12C but wrapped in a unique body.

In the development process of this current McLaren Concept were used as an inspirational cars 1961 Facel Vega, 1953 Chrysler D’Elegance Ghia, 1959 Buick Electra, 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K and 1971 Citroën SM.

One of the biggest design challenges however, was that most of the mentioned cars have front engines and rear-wheel drive proportions. This is the exact opposite of a mid-engined supercar. Therefore a new visual language was needed to be considered in order to bring the concept eventually to perfect visual balance.

All in all, the styling of the X-1 was done in 18 months. And as you can see the result is undoubtedly worth the wait: a timeless elegant design.

To go further into details, the X-1 has a whole new body made of advanced materials. Everything is bespoke, even down to the lights and wheels. A lot of work was concentrated on the demands that it has to be a usable car, road legal and capable of traveling at supercar speeds. The whole car was meticulously built by hand.

Carbon fibre was utilized for the creation of all body panels of the X-1. They are finished in a rich piano black, as wished by the owner. Body sides are lacquered visual carbon fibre.

The brightwork is made from solid aluminium and the nickel plated. The same process is used for the McLaren logo in the nose. The wheels are also unique to the X-1 and are diamond turned with a tinted lacquer to complement the exterior nickel-plated brightwork.

Another “detail” specifically developed for this project was the doors. They keep the dihedral action and twin hinges, however the roof is new. Only the glasshouse is carried over from the 12C. The X-1 unique body is 4658mm long, 2097mm wide and 1199mm high. Kerb weight is about 1400kg.

The interior also includes a great deal of personalization: Harissa Red McLaren Nappa leather used for the seats, door and roof trim, and switchgear with machined nickel-coated, aluminium bezels. The carbon interior trim has a titanium weave, to give a magical 3D-like effect. Special Andesite tufted carpet covers the floor.

As mentioned, the car has been engineered to be usable and road legal. The X-1 shares the same the major mechanical components as the 12C, which include the twin-turbo 625 hp (460 kW) engine, giving stunning acceleration and top speed.

Source: McLaren

August 20, 2012

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Cobra is a unique built – a tribute to the American legend Carroll Shelby. The last 60 years Shelby worked with Ford and Cobra has been the consistent performance label.

Furthermore, he not only worked in the creation of Ford performance vehicles such as Cobras, but also in those of the GT40s and Mustangs.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the original Shelby Cobra. The stunning car they’ve made stands for Shelby’s idea of turning the 2013 Shelby GT500 into a true Cobra. As a foundation was used the 662 horsepower (487 kW) of the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500.

The unique wide-body of the car was further enhanced and now delivers more than 850 horsepower (625 kW). This is possible due to the implementation of Ford Racing 4.0-litre Whipple supercharger.

In addition, the 13-inch-wide rear wheels were wrapped in huge 345-section high-performance tyres for extra grip. Shelby American provided a specially designed bonnet, new rear wide-body kit, Shelby Wilwood brakes and new 20×13-inch rear and 20×10-inch front wheels.

In the end, everything came to place when the bodywork was finished in the same Guardsman Blue with Wimbledon White stripes that graced so many of the Cobra roadsters built in the 1960s.

Source: Ford

August 20, 2012

Dark Tungsten RS250 Evoque tuned by Kahn Design

Kahn Design has announced a new tuning package for the sexy Evoque. The project is named Dark Tungsten RS250 and it will be showcased at the Carfest Show in Hampshire between 25^th and 26^th August. All elements are produced from high quality materials and fit perfectly to the SAV. Only styling modifications will be introduced and nothing is mentioned about performance upgrades.

The aerodynamics package includes new front and rear bumpers featuring integrated vents with 3D mesh inserts. There is also lower boot spoiler, the front grille which also has a 3D mesh, the lower bootlid spoiler lip finished in matte black.

Last touches are the vented foot pedals machined in aluminum and a chin spoiler that has the same color as the body.

The SAV stands on enormous 9J x 22” RS600 alloy wheels finished in matte gray fitted with low-profile run-on-flat tires.

The interior also comes with a number of upgrades like new upholstery for the front and the rear seats, which are finished in perforated leather with Alcantara inserts. Other improvements are center dashboard trim in Alcantara, center console in carbon, stainless steel sill plates, four door armrests, heavy-duty carpets.

Finally, Kahn Design has installed new gauges in red and transmission tunnel in alcantara with contrast stitching.

Source: Kahn Design

August 17, 2012

Porsche 911 Turbo Proto 1000 vs Nissan GT-R vs Porsche 9ff vs Porsche 911 PP-Performance [HD video]

Here is a nice video of an epic battle between several highly tuned vehicles – Porsche 911 Turbo Proto 1000 with 1100HP, Nissan GT-R Mk.1 Stage 2 with 560HP, Porsche 911 PP-Performance Stage 1 with 650HP and Porsche 911 Turbo 9ff with 900HP.

In the first start, the mighty Protomotive VRT1000 Porsche meets a lot underpowered Nissan GT-R Mk.1. The Porsche crosses the finish line at 1 mile with 256.04 km/h and 27.567 seconds time, while the GT-R finished in 31.757 seconds (without reaction times).

The second start is between 911 PP-Performance and 911 Turbo 9ff. Again, one of the cars has a lot more horsepower, but there is an intrigue between the two of them. The 9ff finishes in 27.735 seconds with 305.86 km/h, but this is not enough to win. The 911 PP-Performance stops the clock at 27.544 seconds with 292.20 km/h.

The third start is between the two winners – the Protomotive VRT1000 vs 911 PP-Performance. Although the 911 PP-Performance has stopped the clock at 27.804 seconds with 290.55 km/h, it wasn’t enough to beat the staggering Protomotive VRT1000, which finished in just 26.452 seconds.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcQ0nuYJsbM&feature=player_profilepage

August 17, 2012

Senner Rise the Stakes with an Audi S5 Coupe

Senner-Audi-S5-Coupe-medium Senner are now showcasing their latest work. An Audi S5 Coupe, refurbished in a way so that it suits the taste of a person who would normally breakfast, lunch and dine behind the wheel.

The looks then: A rear spoiler flap, a rear carbon fender skirt insert and a blind for the rear screen all combine to create an appealing street look. A bit more sophistication stems from the carbon fiber side skirts and carbon fiber mirror caps. A set of red Work Varianza T1S wheels measuring at 9 x 20 inch at the front and 10.5 x 20 inch at the back, offer perfect contrast to the overall whiteness of the S5. 245/30R20 and 295/25R20 tires respectively complete the picture. The final exterior touch on Senner‘s creation is the stance – a complete coilover kit from KW (Variant 3) with adjustable rebound and compression settings.

Under the hood, the aftermarket experts have also left their mark. The power is now up to 377 hp – 48 hp and 60 Nm more than you’d expect from the 3.0-liter V6 TFSI engine inside. A power converter for the electronic gas pedal offers better responsivness as a new performance filter ensures better breathing. A high-grade steel sport exhaust system ends up with four exhaust tips. With all that in mind, the S5‘s top speed now comes close to 300 km/h.

Inside, a classic black and red leather trim complete with carbon inserts. A carbon steering wheel with Race Ring from an Audi R8 sits in front of the driver and a set of light-up RS5 door handles adorn the sides.

Source: Senner

August 17, 2012

2013 Jaguar XF and XJ Models Now With All-Wheel Drive

Jaguar announces that the 2013 XF an XJ models will now feature an All-Wheel-Drive (AWD). The new versions of the luxury models will be available in selected markets from 2013 Model Year.

The new AWD will undoubtedly increase the capability and versatility of the XF and XJ in conditions where grip is compromised. For instance such regions are North America, Russia, China and continental Europe.

The vehicles will be powered by Jaguar’s new 3.0-litre V6 supercharged 340 hp (250 kW) petrol engine. This means that it will be mated to the first-ever all-wheel drive system in a Jaguar XJ and XF models.

An active torque-management system, Jaguar Instinctive All-Wheel Drive offers a performance-oriented rear-drive bias and can shift power to the front wheels to either pre-empt or counter wheel slip.

For instance, when the Jaguar is driven in dry-road conditions, the all-wheel drive system normally sends most torque to the rear wheels to preserve the agile driving feel and response of a rear-wheel drive.

In addition, the system monitors grip levels, the steering and throttle inputs at all times.Using special control algorithms, the system can proactively predict rear-tire slip and send torque to the front wheels to help increase traction.

And as a matter of fact, Jaguar engineers spent 18 months testing the new Instinctive All-Wheel Drive system in a different of conditions. Some of them featured frozen lakes and split friction coefficient surfaces.

Source: Jaguar

August 17, 2012

Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection Makes World Debut

Rolls-Royce has just announced the launch of limited edition series of only 35 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé Aviator Collection examples. The models were inspired by Charles Stewart Rolls and the legend of the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine S6B, which is powered by a Rolls-Royce R Type engine.

The collection was created in order to celebrate the spirit of human endeavor that drove a very British hero and subsequently led Rolls-Royce to simultaneous world speed records on land, air and in the water.

As a matter of fact, the first appearance of this model will be made today, just few hours ahead, at the Pebble Beach Quail gathering in the United States. The new luxury vehicle will showcase there the new Aviator Grey paint finish as well as a contrasting matt bonnet, window and grille surround.

The interior is as glorious as the exterior. It features an interplay of wood and metal, a Thommen, aviation-grade clock with blood orange needle tips embedded in the metal foil upper fascia, matt black dials for power reserve, speedometer and fuel gauges.

The lower fascia here is veneered in mahogany and features Sapele contrast. Polished stainless steel wraps the ‘onlays’ with bullet-shaped ends, which in terms of design match the floor mat fixings.

Another interesting highlight here is the leather-lined glove compartment which features an embossed Charles Rolls quote following his first flight with the Wright Brothers in 1908. It says the following: “The power of flight is as a fresh gift from the Creator, the greatest treasure yet given to man.” In addition, the centre console chrome plaque includes his sweeping signature.

Aviator Collection cars are also equipped with leather floor mats, which have also been designed to incorporate the Rolls-Royce of cup holders. Beautifully engineered in highly polished aluminium, they offer optimal functionality combined with a great sense of luxury.

Source: Rolls-Royce

August 17, 2012

Toyota GT86 Real Deal Campaign [VIDEO]

Have you seen the film The Thirteenth Floor, which came out in 1999? Well if you have, then the new Real Deal advertising campaign by Toyota will “sound” very familiar to you.

This is a multi-million pound advertising strategy for the new Toyota GT86 Sports Coupe. It was created by Saatchi & Saatchi London and celebrates the brand’s return to its sports car heritage and reflects the rave reviews the GT86 has received for its authentic driving experience.

In summary, the Real Deal ad tells the story of a CGi man who has become tired of living in an artificial world. Some of the world’s best animators were involved in the making of the video. The computer game-style city is the living area of the animated hero and in addition is one of “pixels, pretence and driver assist”.

The hero goes to the underworld in order to find a way to feel alive. There he finds the new Toyota GT86. With its help he breaks free of his unsatisfying, inauthentic existence and escape into the real world. Take a look to the video below and see how he does it!

httpv://youtu.be/HLThzvsPCkI

Video Source: You Tube

Source: Toyota

August 17, 2012

The Temptation of Vilner Mercedes-Benz CLS

The latest astonishing transformation that the Bulgarian tuners from Vilner have made is on the emblematic Mercedes-Benz model CLS. Having in mind what we have seen so far from them, and particularly the great work and craftsmanship they implement on any model, we are to see here another one-of-a-kind vehicle.

The transformation concerns not only the interior, but the exterior as well. Starting with the exterior grille, going through the taillights the great work passes on the interior, where the true power of these talented tuners lies.

In fact, there is no single visible plastic left in the interior. They haven’t spared even the rearview mirror. Sun visors and steering wheel airbag are clad in Alcantara, and seatbelts are replaced with new red ones. Great work isn’t it!

Source: Vilner

August 17, 2012

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