Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
Click to enlarge
The new W204 Mercedes-Benz C-Class will gain a new specialised range of vehicles known as the BlueEFFICIENCY family. incorporating smart measures and technologies to reduce fuel consumption by up to 12%, while retaining the comfort and safety associated with a Mercedes-Benz.
[Read more...]
Hyundai has given its Hyundai Matrix a facelift for the 2009 model year and the mini-MPV now features Hyundai’s new corporate nose, similiar to the one on the new generation Hyundai i30. There are minimal changes on the rear.
Three engine choices are available – a 103 PS 1.6 litre from the Alpha family of engines, a 128 PS 1.8 litre from the Beta family of engines, and a 1.5 litre CRDi turbodiesel putting out 110 PS. The Malaysian Inokom Matrix is only available with the petrol engines.
More photos and a video after the jump.
[Read more...]
Kia showcased three differently styled concept versions of the Kia SOUL, an upcoming production model set to be launched at the Paris Motor Show this year.
The Kia SOUL Diva is aimed at the conscious young-at-heart woman who regards her car as part of her outfit. The Kia SOUL Burner is the “bad boy”, while the Kia SOUL Searcher is meant to project a sense of tranquility within the urban jungle, somewhat like a comfort zone.
“Because this new Kia model is not a replacement for an existing vehicle and will play a unique role within the Kia range it can be a bit of a rebel! The trio of concepts shown at Geneva are ‘appetisers for the Paris introduction. We are making a bold ‘fun statement to highlight ‘the world of possibilities that this new Kia will bring to the marketplace,” said Gregory Guillaume, Chief Designer Kia Motors Europe.
Guillaume led the Kia SOUL Concept trio’s design team, under the guidance of Kia’s Chief Design Office Peter Schreyer. Mr Schreyer is shown above with the concepts.
More photos and a video after the jump.
[Read more...]
This is the most powerful tune-up of the Ferrari F430 from Novitec Rosso to date, and it is given the name F430 Race. We saw a 656 horsepower version just last year, but Novitec Rossi is back with a 707 horsepower monster thanks to the two superchargers slapped onto the Ferrari F430′s V8 engine. The 707 horses kicks in fully at 8,350rpm, while torque is rated at a peak of 712Nm at 6,300rpm, giving the Novitec Rosso Ferrari F430 Race a 0 to 100km/h time of 3.5 seconds.
The 4.3 litre V8′s two belt-driven superchargers gets upgraded turbine vanes and boost upped to 0.48 bar, which seems rather low but already very decent for the engine thats been force induction, considering the high revs and the high compression ratio. The blown air gets cooled by water-cooled intercoolers, one for each supercharger. Air is sucked in via a new heat-insulated intake manifold with larger ports, and high-performance air filters. On the exhaust side, low-pressure performance catalysts and a high performance stainless-steel exhaust system designed by Novitec Rosso ensures minimal restrictions.
The car rides on 20 inch wheels instead of the standard 19 inchers, and the tyres used are 235/30ZR20 at the front and 325/25ZR20 at the rear from Pirelli. The suspension system is a Novitec Rosso system, which can be raised by 40mm at the push of a button to get past curbs, driveway entries and speed bumps. Once the speed goes past 80km/h, the suspension will lower back to its normal setting automatically, which is 35mm lower than the production F430. This means the car can be raised up to 5mm higher than a production F430.
Prices start at 193,277 Euros for the base version. For existing Ferrari F430 owners, a conversion kit is priced at 51,260 Euros.
Look at more photos after the jump, and also a video featuring the previous F430 tune-up which produces 656 horses.
[Read more...]
Subaru’s UK distributor IM Group is expecting the availability of Subaru’s new boxer turbodiesel engine to double UK Subaru sales from 7,000 units in 2007 to about 15,000 cars annually by 2010. It’s target for 2008 is 8,500 units.
The first oil burning Subarus to arrive on UK shores is the Legacy and the Outback, and this will be followed by diesel version of the Subaru Forester in September 2008, and the Subaru Impreza before the year ends.
While doubling sales by 2010 sounds impressive, IM Group says this is about as far as Subaru can go in the UK with its current model line-up, with no higher sales expected unless Subaru expands its model line-up into other segments.
Related Posts:
Subaru turbodiesel boxer to make debut at Geneva 2008
Subaru turbodiesel to debut in Legacy and Outback
Subaru turbodiesel boxer produces 110kW (147 horsepower)
This video produced by BMW WebTV is some form of short documentary (2:27 long) on the history of the BMW M3. Check out the video after the jump, together with links to a previously published three-part series of articles on the BMW M3.
[Read more...]
While the European Toyota Yaris TS uses a 1.8 litre Dual VVT-i engine producing 130 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 173Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, its Japanese twin with a different name the Toyota Vitz has gone down the forced induction route with the Toyota Vitz TRD Turbo M. Sporting a similiar engine to the Toyota Vios Turbo sold in Thailand some time ago, the 1.5 litre DOHC VVT-i engine 1NZ-FE in the Toyota Vitz gets a bolt-on turbocharger with intercooler and now produces 150 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 195Nm of torque at 4,800rpm, far more powerful than the Yaris TS.
Nearly 200Nm of torque should prove pretty fun for a car that weighs only 1,060kg, but its a shame that peak torque kicks in at such a high RPM, something unseen of with modern turbocharged engines. We’re used to peak torque kicking in under 2,500rpm in small displacement engines these days, but then again we have to remember that unlike the BMW Price, Fiat T-JET or the Volkswagen TSI engine, this wasn’t designed to be a turbocharged engine to begin with, and is a bolt-on. So the numbers are pretty decent. The Vitz TRD Turbo M rides on a stiffer suspension that also lowers the car by 15mm.
When I was browsing through the Vitz’s microsite, I also found a more powerful normally aspirated variant of the 1NZ-FE that makes 119 PS at 6,000rpm and 147Nm of torque between 4,400rpm and 5,200rpm, compared to the 1NZ-FE in our Toyota Vios which makes the usual 109 PS and 142Nm of torque. We could possibly see this state of tune being made the standard 1NZ-FE tune in the future to counter Honda’s latest series of 1.5 litre engines found in the 2nd generation Fit which already produces 120 PS.
A few photos of the TRD components after the jump.
[Read more...]
Toyota has been testing a plug-in version of its Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid car.
The plug-in system is expected to make its debut in the next generation Toyota Prius, which is due soon. Plug-in recharging is one of the features of the next generation Hybrid Synergy Drive.
According to Toyota, a complete recharge of the prototype’s batteries can be done in about 3 to 4 hours from a 100V outlet. Check out the 3 minute video after the jump, which previews the next generation Prius technologies.
[Read more...]
It’s been quite some time since we’ve heard of the Lexus IS-F here on this blog. Here is a video of the Lexus IS-F at a track day. You can see a whole line-up of the Lexus IS-F in the pits, and not just the blue one we see so often. Needless to say, there’s also plenty of engine growl to enjoy. Video after jump.
[Read more...]
Toyota has revealed the production version of the Toyota iQ at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, but without any details on its powertrain options, except that two will be petrol and one will be diesel. So what we do know now is what it will actually look like when it goes into production late this year.
The compact Toyota iQ has a length of 2,985mm and a wheelbase of 2,000mm – such a long wheelbase for such a short length means a surprisingly large interior, very short overhangs, and a generally cute cartoon-like appearance. It takes 3 adults and a child or luggage, or the entire rear bench can be used for luggage instead.
The small Toyota iQ is definitely not a Tata Nano competitor despite it being so small sized. According to Toyota, it is designed to cater for the needs of buyers who seek more than just urban mobility but demand space and refinement in an environmentally-friendly vehicle. Those who want it to be green and convenient, but not necessarily sparse. It is also expected to score 5 stars in the Euro NCAP safety test.
The interior has a chocolate-plum colour scheme, and the dashboard sports a 5.8 inch color touch screen display which allows you to control the in-car entertainment and satellite navigation. Rear legroom has been increased by using a slim seat design for the front seats, which gives a further 40mm of rear legroom at knee height.
The short overhangs were achieved through clever methods. Firstly, a newly developed differential saves engine compartment space. The whole under-bonnet equipment packaging has been made alot more compact so that the front wheels can be placed at the very corners of the car. The rear shock absorbers are rear-angled. The iQ uses a flat under-floor fuel tank, which is something difficult to engineer because of the variance in fuel surface levels depending on the angle of the car. Somehow Toyota engineers managed to make a viable flat under-floor fuel tank.
More photos after the jump.
Related Posts:
Production Toyota iQ to debut at Geneva 2008
Toyota Endo production concept at Frankfurt 2007
Toyota to produce the Toyota Endo
Toyota iQ Concept unveiled at Frankfurt 2007
[Read more...]
