Automobiles Review – Page 852 – Car News, Car Reviews, Auto Shows, Car Photos, Car Videos

2012 Fiat Panda Van – Price €8 850

Fiat has revealed their 2012 Panda Van. The vehicle combines performance, handling and car-like comfort with generous, easy loading, and the reliability and low operating costs, typical of a commercial vehicle.

Produced at the Giambattista Vico plant in Pomigliano d’Arco (Naples), the most compact commercial vehicle for Fiat Professional is the perfect answer for those who spend long hours driving or need to make deliveries, such as postal services, maintenance, service companies, craftsmen, etcetera.

The vehicle can be ordered without a rear bench to enable the cargo compartment to hold more than 1000 liters of luggage. An “easy floor” feature des a flat loading surface and under floor storage.

The engine range includes a 1.2-liter Fire with 69HP (51 kW) and 102Nm of torque. There is also a 1.3 liter Multijet diesel with 75HP (55 kW) and 190Nm (140 lb-ft), which is not only faster, but more efficient.

The safety includes an excellent performance braking system with ABS complete with BAS (Brake Assist System), four standard airbags (front and side), an front seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters load.

Furthermore, depending on the market and version, is available as standard or optional ESC (Electronic Stability Control) including hill-holder system that helps the driver on hill starts keeping locked the brakes for about 2 seconds, thus facilitating the re-start .

2012 Fiat Panda Van will hit the market in the next months at a competitive price of €8 850 for the entry level vehicle.

Source: Fiat

July 12, 2012

Hartmann Vansports Volkswagen T5 Prime

Hartmann Vansports Volkswagen T5 Prime is powerful and stylish, and although it is based on a van, it looks better, sportier and more luxurious.

Hartman has added more power and dynamic to the Volkswagen by upgrading the engine. In details, the Vansports electronic Diesel-Performance-Kit pushes the 2.0 TDI from 103 kW (140 hp) up to 122 kW (165 hp), and the torque from 340 Nm (460 lb-ft) up to 395 Nm (535 lb-ft). If the bus is equipped with the 2.0 BiTDI then the transformation is from 132 kW (180 hp) up to 156 kW (212 hp), torque from 400 Nm (542 lb-ft) up to 460 Nm (623 lb-ft).

The driving fun is further enhanced thanks to the Hartmann’s sport-exhaust-system and an electronic accelerator pedal kit. What they do is basically to optimize the standard signal in the T5, which allows a significantly shorter reaction response during acceleration.

Furthermore, the sports suspension which has been added is giving a better visual outlook to the van. In addition it enhances the road handling for all steering, acceleration and braking maneuvers without sacrificing any comfort.

In particular, the sport suspension brings the T5 30 mm closer to the road. Additional visual highlights are the front spoilers, the side-skirts and the rear skirt extension, as well as the light alloy wheel program.

The wheel design here is created by VEST 3 and the size is 9 x 20 inches coming along with 275/35 R20 Tires. At last, the interior styling of this vehicle offers velour carpeting with an embroidered Hartmann emblem, antiskid rubber-knobs and interior parts in carbon optic.

Source: Hartmann

July 12, 2012

Nissan Leaf starts patrolling Portuguese streets

Nissan Leaf Blue Light will be used by the police in Portugal. Not only one example of the Leaf will support the local patrolmen but a whole fleet of eight units.

In fact this Nissan model is famous with its multi-awards for being one of the best zero-emission cars currently on the market. The car will be also utilized in a Safe School Program, and thanks to the flashing blue lights, sirens and clear ‘Polícia’ markings, the students will be called upon to perform thier police duties.

Of course, no other car but Nissan Leaf has been chosen to reduce the ecological footprint in Portugal. The great example given by the local officers is expected to be followed by other people in the country.

This makes Portugal an EV pioneer in Europe. And did you know that it was one of the first countries to install a network of EV chargers in its big cities and was the first to sell Nissan Leaf to the European public.

Nissan Leaf is the world’s most selling electric vehicle. Its AC motor generates 80 kW (108 hp) of power and 280 Nm (380 lb-ft) of torque. This means that it has a maximum speed of 145 km/h.

The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90 kW (122 hp). And one of the most convenient facts is that the recharging time is only eight hours, of course we are speaking here for 100% recharging. However, it takes only 30 minutes to “refill” the battery’s power from 0 to 80% thanks to the quick charger in optimal conditions.

European production of Nissan Leaf will start in early 2013.

Source: Nissan

July 12, 2012

Wimmer Rennsporttechnik Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG with 624 horsepower

Wimmer Rennsporttechnik Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG is an interesting project which deserves some attention. It stays under the guiding principle of AMG’s handmade engineering art and luxury philosophy, and in addition is able to produce the great amount of 624 horsepower (460 kW).

However, before the tuning from Wimmer Rennsporttechnik, the Mercedes-Benz got only 487 hp (358 kW). The professionals from Wimmer achieve this enhancement of power through various means such as the upgrade of the cylinder heads, the sport cam shafts, throttle and the optimization of the intake manifolds.

Furthermore, they have added a larger fuel pump, which additionally works very efficiently. Next, onto the C 63 AMG were added also especially crafted headers from Wimmer and special sport catalysts from HJS Company, as well as sport exhaust system made from stainless steel, again by Wimmer. The wider audience can enjoy the sound of the engine thanks to the 84-mm- wide Y-pipes.

Wimmer Rennsporttechnik Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG

The Mercedes runs on 19 inch BBS rims fitted with Dunlop tires. A club sport suspension from KW, spacers from H & R, plus limited slip differential of Drexler Company, must also be recognized in this tuning.

The exterior color of the vehicle has been modified by the tuners from Kempener. They have covered a Mercedes with material of the film manufacturer BRUXSAFOL in shiny “electrical- yellow”. The floor mats Ronsdorf of the interior stress the origin of this powercar by Wimmer logo.

Source: Wimmer Rennsporttechnik

July 12, 2012

Vorsteiner BMW E9X M3 GTS5 with new Front Bumper

Vorsteiner BMW E9X M3 GTS5 is a unique combination between the retiring E9X M3 and Vorsteiner’s GTS5 Front Bumper. The car will be produced only in limited 88 units so that it keeps the one-of-a-kindness of the driving experience to only a few people.

The GTS5 front bumper adds little details that first improve the overall appearance of the BMW. Furthermore it is important to mention the quality with which it is made.

Secondly an accent is put on the eyebrow over the bumper vent, thanks to a refinement which makes this Vorsteiner vehicle extraordinary. It is this very small element that will set anyone apart from the crowd.

In addition, the tuning company added also vertical vents which give more aesthetic outlook to the front bumper and also serve as a functional air flow for brake cooling.

What’s more here are some of the same features that are on the GTS3 Front Bumper. The integrated carbon fiber front lip detaches from the bumper for easy replacement in the event of road damage. Its strength, durability and reliability are also enhanced thanks to the latest innovations in carbon fiber technology.

Source: Vorsteiner

July 12, 2012

VATH Takes on the Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS Roadster

The Mercedes-Benz SLS is an AMG engineering pinnacle. A completely separate project which managed to fit all of the company’s prowess in a single car. Under it’s hood there hides an AMG enhanced Mercedes-Benz V8 engine that spurs out 563 naturally aspirated, rampaging horses. Obviously, that doesn’t work for the guys at VATH who have taken a SLS and made it a bit over the top… although there really isn’t any top. It’s the VATH Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS Roadster.

What’s the first thing they did? Slot in a supercharger of course. How did that affect the performance? 690 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.6 seconds. The supercharger however, is not the only force at work here. VATH have also changed the air box, remapped the engine electronics and enlarged the transmission’s oil cooler.

The newly equipped brake discs that measure up to 405 mm and have extremely robust steel flax lines will be good enough to handle 850 Nm of torques coming through, right? Zoom out a little and you’ll find three piece forged VATH 9.5×20-inch wheels with a set of tires of the following dimensions: 265/30-20 on the front and 315/25-20 – on the rear axle (the wheels there are 12×20-inch). Another handling highlight are the threaded sports springs which lower the stance with 20 – 45 mm, yet work in a complete unison with AMG‘s Ride Control. The shock absorbers on the other hand, are height and hardness adjustable.

It goes without saying that some carbon fiber has been used as well. Shamelessly naked carbon fiber front spoiler, trunk spoiler and side skirts all add to the appeal. You can hove some inside as well as an option. If not, you still get a leather/leather combination, a sporty steering wheel and a speed counter that’s been increased to 400 km/h.

It is evident then, that VATH have been hard at work. That’s exactly why the complete programme will cost you. 85.130 Euros ($104.097) to be precise.

Source: VATH

July 12, 2012

Range Rover Evoque GTS refined by Overfinch

Overfinch has presented their latest project – Range Rover Evoque GTS. The car comes in a stunning ultraviolet colour scheme and Lotus White leather interior. It is specially designed for the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012.

The body styling is giving the SAV a more sporty look. There is also a set of huge 22” Harrier alloy wheels, in diamond-turned gloss black.

The interior is as astonishing as the exterior. It boasts Lotus White leather featuring a piano black veneer set, contrast stitching and detailing.

A unique Ultraviolet colour was chosen for the show car and will be available as an option when the car is released in September.

The Evoque is powered by a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 240HP and 380Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque. No updates for the engine are mentioned.

Source: Overfinch

July 11, 2012

AC Schnitzer BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe – Tuning to Perfection

AC Schnitzer has announced their tuning program for one of the latest BMW models – the four-door coupe 6-Series Gran Coupe. The big car comes with both styling and performance packages.

The exterior modifications include entire aerodynamics AC Schnitzer package – a new front spoiler, a rear bumper insert and additional chrome trim. There is also a complete high performance brake system behind enormous 19” to 21” Schnitzer wheels. The tuning specialists also fitted the Gran Coupe with a sports exhaust system.

Lightweight forged alloys and forged racing rims Type VIII BiColor are available in sizes 9J x 21″ and 10J x 21″ with 255/30 R 21 tyres on the front and 295/25 R 21 tyres on the rear.

The interior boasts a new sport steering wheel, aluminum pedals, an aluminum iDrive knob and velour floor mats with Schnitzer logo.

There are performance packages for the 640i and the 640d models.

The mighty petrol is boosted to 360HP (264 kW) from 320HP (235 kW) and the diesel now develops the same amount of power like the petrol engine – 360HP (264 kW), instead of 313HP. This is an increase of 47HP (35 kW) over the factory power.

Perfectionism is defined as striving for perfection. This is the goal of the experts at AC Schnitzer, and the 6-series Gran Coupé demonstrates that even good things can actually be improved further.

Source: AC Schnitzer

July 11, 2012

2012 Vauxhall Ampera Earth UK – Price 29 995 GBP

Vauxhall has introduced a new entry-level Ampera for the United Kingdom. The car is priced from just £29 995. The name of the model is Earth, which screams “Eco-friendly” vehicle, so probably there would be many satisfied clients.

Still, the car comes with a lot of standard equipment like power windows and locks, electronic climate control and a 7” touchscreen display.

The Ampera Earth has the same electric motor with total power of 152HP (111 kW) and 370Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque. The top speed of the car is 161 km/h (100 mph) and the range is 64 km (40 miles) on electricity alone. However, when the 16 kWh lithium-ion battery is depleted, a small 1.4-liter petrol engine-generator activates to recharge it.

Every Ampera owner also has access to ‘My Ampera Services’ a programme which provides owners with a direct number / email address to a named Ampera agent at Vauxhall HQ. Completing the package and like all Vauxhall cars, the Ampera is backed by a unique Lifetime/100,000 mile new vehicle warranty. In addition, the battery system benefits from an impressive eight year/100,000 mile warranty that is transferable to subsequent owners.

Source: Vauxhall

July 11, 2012

Global debut for Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster is the new sports car by the famous British brand which will be available for only limited number of customers because it comes out as a limited edition model.

It comes equipped with the astonishing power of Aston Martin’s naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 engine that will offer the lucky drivers the thrills of Vantage Roadster driving experience. The V12 is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, and hence is able to produce 517 hp (380 kW) at 6,500 rpm and a muscular 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque at 5,750 rpm.

It is no surprise then that the 0-62 mph sprint is dispatched in just 4.5 seconds. The top speed here is 190 mph.

Furthermore, the new Roadster includes modified rear boot lid and lower front air intake to maintain a level of dynamic performance that’s fully in keeping with the V12 Coupe. In addition redesigned are also the rear damper set-up, front and rear damper valve tuning and a new rear spring design. The outstanding performance of the vehicle is improved additionally by the Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.

Some other stylish characteristics of the car include: carbon fibre side strakes; a carbon fibre front splitter and rear diffuser; carbon fibre mirror caps and carbon fibre rear lamp infills; new forged alloy wheel design.

The interior includes some new features as well. For example, there are subtle additions as the use of glass switches in the lower centre stack. They give more luxurious ambience to the Vantage Roadster cabin.

What is more here is the unique feature of the V12 Vantage’s which the engine’s “Sport” mode button is. What it does basically is to enables the driver to select between two different powertrain modes.

When in Normal mode, which is active as soon as the car starts working, the Roadster has not only a more relaxed throttle response but also a quieter, more refined exhaust note.

On the other hand, the Sport mode is made for more dynamic driving situations where sharper responses are required. Thanks to it the car has sharper throttle response, with the engine delivering more torque during the early stages of throttle pedal travel.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster pricing starts at £150 000 RRP.

Source: Aston Martin

July 11, 2012

2013 Mazda MX-5 Roadster enters European market this Autumn

2013 Mazda MX-5 Roadster is the newly-upgraded version of one of the most famous open-top sports car, and more importantly it will go on sale in Europe this autumn. It has improved safety and driving attributes, along with exterior and interior upgrades.

The first new thing around the upgraded MX-5 to be mentioned is the new front bumper design. It gives the Roadster more aggressive-visual appearance and additionally it contributes to optimal aerodynamic performance.

Furthermore, the MX-5 is now even more responsive to driver input. Throttle movement, and the degree to which the gas pedal is pushed, are now controlled separately on all manual transmission models. The effect of this is that it increases the feeling of linear acceleration, and gives the driver more control during acceleration.

The brake return control is enhanced as well, which is very advantageous when the driver brakes upon entering a curve. Another advantage after the upgrade is that Mazda has introduced a new “active bonnet” pedestrian protection system to the Roadster.

2013 Mazda MX-5 will go on sale across Europe in autumn 2012.

Source: Mazda

July 11, 2012

2013 Vauxhall Adam: first official images revealed

The first official images of 2013 Vauxhall Adam has just been released and we can see how excitingly stylish and sophisticated this car looks. Adam is a three-door four-seater built with the help of the highest quality materials. This Vauxhall is to be presented to the public officially at this year’s Paris Motorshow.

The design philosophy of the car was implemented by the Brit, Mark Adams’ team in Europe. It has a “floating” roof which is visually disconnected from the body. The aim is to use more than one colour for the body and to make the vehicle even more eclectic.

Adam carries design signatures which are typical for other Vauxhalls: the crisp line around the door handle (GTC), the wing-shaped chrome grille bar (new Astra) and the blade shape in the lower doors. However, it will include as an option a LED daytime running lights, making it the first car of the A-Segment to incorporate this.

Furthermore, the vehicle will be available in three trims from launch – JAM (fashionable/colourful), GLAM (elegant/sophisticated) and SLAM (racy/sporty). It is all about personalization here which can match any individual taste. There are plenty of visual combinations, with a wide variety of exterior colours: two different roof colours, interior colours, equipment and materials.

Not only will be the car unique to its driver, but also it will be offered with a choice of three efficient ecoFLEX four-cylinder petrol engines: 1.2-litre 70 hp (52 kW), plus two 1.4-litre engines with either 87 hp (64 kW) or 100 hp (74 kW). In addition the optional Start/Stop technology will further improve the efficiency of the Adam. All engines will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

What is more, for the first time in the A-segment, ADAM will offer a new top-of-the-range infotainment system. It was especially designed to support new media sources, including Bluetooth, as well as connectivity for smartphones with Android or Apple iOS software. Of course, this will enable access to internet-based applications, including GPS navigation.

In particular, the system utilizes state-of-the-art seven-inch, full-colour touch screen display. Thanks to it the driver and the passenger next to them can quickly access the variety of on-board controls.

Next, the technologies included here are also unique to the segment. An example is the Advanced Park Assist II system. With its help the drivers switch on the system with a button on the dashboard and it tells them when they reach a parking space large enough to accommodate the car.

Adam comes equipped with a front suspension created by MacPherson and with a compound crank system at the rear. The wheels are in sizes from 16- to 18-inch, and cars that are specified with 17- or 18-inch rims come as standard with the lowered sports chassis.

The first examples of 2013 Vauxhall Adam will be seen at dealerships in January 2013.

Source: Vauxhall

July 11, 2012

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