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GQbyCitroen – design brief by GQ magazine

March 9, 2010 at 2:32 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Citroën, Concept Cars

The GQbyCitroen concept is a concept car styled by GQ magazine’s editorial team and executed by Citroen’s design team, including Mark Lloyd, the man who was responsible for the new Citroen DS3′s design. If this is the case shouldn’t it be more like a CitroenbyGQ rather than a GQbyCitroen?

In any case, the car looks like a 2-seater to me. It’s just a concept so Citroen can probably say whatever they want in terms of what’s powering it but in this case they’ve chosen a plug-in hybrid system based around a 1.6 litre direct injection turbocharged inline-4 – probably the same 1.6 litre Prince engine found in nearly all of their cars now. 0 to 100km/h is quoted to be 4.5 seconds while CO2 emissions are just 80 g/km of CO2.

Despite the car being released somewhere around the Geneva Motorshow, the car was never shown at the show. Does a physical versions exist? Look after the jump for more shots of the GQbyCitroen and a ‘making of’ video.
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I.DE.A SOFIA wears a ‘glamorous red dress’?

March 9, 2010 at 2:15 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars

Turin-based I.DE.A Institute showcased this concept at the Geneva show earlier this month. It’s called the SOFIA concept, and the feminine name is quite suitable as the car’s designers intended for it to be inspired by the ‘female form’ – we’re talking about lots of curves making up a nice hourglass figure. Their exact words – ‘its flanks, glance and elegance are emphasised by a glamorous red dress.’

The SOFIA has classic front engined sports car proportions which can be found on other beauties like Maseratis and Aston Martins. It’s actually a sedan, sporting four doors. There’s nothing in the engine bay at this point of time, but I.DE.A says the packaging is suitable for a typical V8 or even a hybrid powertrain.

Look after the jump for an 8 photo gallery of the SOFIA.
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Mu by Peugeot – principal owned car rental

March 9, 2010 at 2:15 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Peugeot

Peugeot Ion

Peugeot’s Mu ‘pay as you go’ car rental service has been in operation in France for quite some time now, and now it has landed in the UK. Basically you get a prepaid account and top it up on the Peugeot Mu website. Then you will get access to renting various Peugeot vehicles from a bicycle, a scooter, cars like the 207 CC, 308 CC, 407 Coupe, 3008, an SUV, MPV, etc or even accessories such as a roof box if you have your MPV filled to the brim for a long journey and you need additional boot space.

The whole idea is to allow easier access to vehicles in cities/countries where car ownership is expensive and a hassle. If you take the subway/bus to work or even to shop most of the time, why buy and keep a car? You might as well only rent one when you need one. Rental prices in Paris range from 65 Euro (325 Mu points or RM295) a day for a 207 CC to 215 Euro (1075 Mu points – about RM980) for a weekend in a 407 Coupe. It might seem expensive to us because we use our cars everyday so we might as well buy one and maintain it. Something like this won’t work in Malaysia. In Malaysia, you can get a Mondeo 2.3 for RM458 a day from Sime Darby Hertz Rent A Car.

The Mu program will probably play a key role to supporting the launch of the Peugeot Ion, the French company’s rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV which coincidentally has just been finalized this week in terms of the paperwork required. The two companies will no doubt be working closer from now on, since they have done rebadge deals for both the 4007/C-Crosser (rebadged Mitsubishi Outlander) and now the Ion (rebadged MiEV). But earlier this month they also announced that they have abandoned plans for an equity stake swap to ‘seal the bond’. A lot of people were expecting yet another French-Japanese alliance like Renault-Nissan.

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Big aero upgrade to boost Lotus times by a second

March 9, 2010 at 2:19 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Formula 1, Lotus

We only have a few days more before one of the most anticpated seasons in Formula 1 kicks off in Bahrain, and while the returning Michael Schumacher in his Mercedes GP Petronas will conquer the headlines alongside two-time champion Fernando Alonso (now in Schumi’s old seat in Ferrari) and the all-British world champion pairing of Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, most of us will spare some attention for the Malaysian backed Lotus Racing, which has Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen as pilots. But what can we expect from the team in green at Sakhir?

Looking at the timing sheets from the official test sessions, we should be able to expect a “best of the newcomers” showing at Bahrain. At the final session in Barcelona last week, Lotus consistently put in more laps and faster times than “archrivals” Virgin Racing, which had seen a troubled start for its virtually designed VR-01. Campos, which has been renamed HRT, will not have a single lap of testing under its belt before Bahrain while USF1 is set to be a no-show.

“We have far exceeded the mileage that we thought we would do and, starting the project five months ago, the aim was to have a neat simple car that would be reliable for the first four races. It was a pretty tall order, and we’ve achieved it probably better than we expected we could.

“Three and a half seconds off the pace – that’s where we said we’d be six months ago and I think that’s where we are. We always said that the first four races were about being respectable, that level of performance and being reliable. We’ve done everything we’ve said we were going to do,” technical chief Mike Gascoyne told Autosport.

Gascoyne also revealed that the Lotus T127 will sport a major aerodynamic upgrade in time for the start of the European leg in Spain (fifth race of the season), which should bring big improvements. “Normally you are chipping away and finding tenths, but now we are looking at updates that will bring us a second,” he said. Driver Kovalainen was previously quoted as saying that aerodynamics is the T127′s biggest problem.

With the award of points now being extended to 10th place, there could be a tiny chance of Lotus snatching a point or two should a major incident happen up front or if the weather decides to play kingmaker, but for now, let’s just target seeing Sir Richard Branson serving Pak Nasser’s Nasi Lemak onboard AirAsia as the main prize.

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Production Hyundai i-flow planned for 2011; showcar previews diesel hybrid system and new eco ideas

March 8, 2010 at 5:35 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Cars, Concept Cars, Hyundai, Koreans

The Hyundai i-flow is one of the significant concept cars at Geneva, not just because it looks dramatic, but because under that heavily sculpted skin is a range of latest tech that could appear in Hyundai’s next generation of cars.

Powering the i-flow is the company’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain consisting of a U2 1.7-litre oil burner with two-stage turbocharging and Hyundai’s lithium ion-polymer battery. Coupled to a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission, the drivetrain is capable of 33.3 km/l and a low CO2 output of 85g/km.

The i-flow is also a test bed for new energy harvesting ideas, ranging from a flexible solar panel roofing to a thermo-electric generator developed in partnership with leading chemical company BASF. One such idea is thermal engine encapsulation, which ensures that the engine reaches optimum operating temperature more quickly by retaining heat when the car is idle. Hyundai says that this translates into fuel savings and emissions cuts of 5% during summer and up to 9% in winter. The thermo-electric generator meanwhile recaptures energy from hot exhaust gases and converts it to electrical energy to help power auxiliary systems.

Designed at Hyundai’s European studio in Russelsheim, the i-flow sports the firm’s “fluidic sculpture” design language. With an overall length of 4,780 mm and a 2,800 mm wheelbase, the i-flow is a Honda Accord sized D-segment contender that is set to hit the market in 2011. It remains to be seen how much of the i-flow’s styling is retained for production, but things look promising with the recent Korean realisation that advanced design is as important as making competent cars.

Live pictures from Geneva and official images are after the jump!
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Citroen DS3 Racing – anti retro Mini Cooper S rival!

March 8, 2010 at 3:11 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Cars, Citroën

The first ad I noticed once touching down at the Geneva airport was one for the Citroen DS3, which had the headline “anti-retro”. We all know that the DS3 is pitched as a rival to BMW’s Mini, and the ad is clearly a jibe in the direction of the bug-eyed car.

I understand the DS3′s appeal for those who either don’t “get” the Mini’s retro looks or simply look at it as a fashion fad. With creative design typical of Citroen and a modern, classy cabin, we reckon that it will do very well in Europe.

At the Geneva show, Citroen Racing (Citroen’s STi/RalliArt) paraded the DS3 Racing that’s set to go on sale in the second half of 2010. Limited to 1,000 units, the DS3R comes with plenty of carbon trim – on the front bumper, lower body trim, wing extensions, door side mouldings and spoiler, to be exact. The grey showcar was nicely contrasted with orange on the roof, wing mirrors, grille and rims (18-inch, looks really wicked) and wore some funky decals. Orange and carbon are also repeated in the cabin, which has a high-quality feel to it.

Citroen took the 1.6 THP engine (as found in our Peugeot 308 Turbo) and boosted output to 200 bhp, while torque is up from 240 Nm to 275 Nm. The gains were achieved by “optimising powertrain components”, modifying the turbo, remapping the ECU and adding a sports exhaust system. With these figures, the DS3R will outpace a Mini Cooper S, but will it outpoint the Brit in the bends?

For starters, the standard front and rear tracks have been widened by 30 mm and the DS3R sits lower by 15 mm. Stiffer springs, retuned shock absorbers and “specific steering mapping” for a more precise helm have been added as well. To cope with the added grunt, Racing spec brakes have been installed – four-piston calipers up front and drilled discs for the back. Also, the switchable ESP system has been tuned for “extra vitality, sportiness and driving pleasure” – in other words, it’s less restrictive.

We’re bound to see more of the DS3 in the sports pages, as it will replace the C4 as Citroen’s WRC machine – the French brand is a five-time WRC champion and is defending both driver and constructor crowns with rally king Sebastien Loeb.

Live images from Geneva and official gallery after the jump!
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RUF RGT-8: a 911 without a boxer engine?

March 8, 2010 at 1:50 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Porsche

I don’t know about you but RUF is the first name that comes to my mind when I think of a souped up Porsche. They have a few cars in their line-up, even one based on the Cayenne, but while other Porsche models like the Cayenne gets taglines like ‘an SUV lover’s Porsche’, or the ‘poor man’s Porsche’ for the Boxster (not here in Malaysia of course), it is the 911 that is considered THE Porsche. And the first RUF RGT was based on a 911 – the type 996 to be exact. But those first incarnations of the RGT used engines based on what was originally found in the car – 6-pot boxers, souped up to produce more power than Porsche originally intended. The first RGT used the 996 GT3′s 3.6 litre engine as a base, but used the crankcase from the air-cooled version of the 3.6 litre engine.

The new RUF RGT-8 is the third generation RGT. And it no longer runs a Porsche 6-pot. RUF has junked the 6-pot (to be donated to Volkswagen Beetle dragsters somewhere across the globe?) in favor for a RUF-designed V8. It’s not the same engine as the Porsche V8s found in the Panamera and the Cayenne. Those are ‘conventional’ cross-plane crank V8s, but this RUF V8 has a 180 degree ‘flatcrank’ similiar to Ferraris. They sound much different compared to the cross-plane ‘American-ish’ rumbly sound that we typically associate with V8s. Ever hear a Ferrari ‘rumble’? No, they have high pitched superbike-like howls, sounding more like two Civic Type R engines screaming in unison rather than an American V8.

The RUF V8 is 4.5 litres in size is a high revving monster weighing less than 200kg, producing 550 horsepower at 8,500rpm and 500Nm of torque at 5,400rpm. That’s more power than what the high-revving 3.8 litre boxer in the 911 GT3 RS makes by a good 100 horses. The engine is built on an aluminum crankcase with dry sump lubrication. Each V bank has its own throttle butterfly. Waterpump, alternator and the aircond compressor are all driven directly by the engine without any belts, and are located in the lowest position possible. The engine puts power to the rear wheels only, via 6-speed manual transmission.

Look after the jump for hi-res pix of the new RGT-8.
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Toyota FT-86 concept gets a proper family portrait

March 8, 2010 at 12:59 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Cars, Toyota

The Toyota FT-86 Sports Concept made its European debut in Geneva, and although it was tucked away in a corner, received plenty of attention. I observed a young boy looking at the rotating FT-86 longingly for a good 20 seconds, and wondered “there’s no reason why Toyota would not want to produce this car” especially after the great reception it got for the AE86′s spritual successor.

Compact dimensions, lightweight, boxer engine, six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive – there’s little not to like for the enthusiast, and Toyota adds to the yum factor by showing us a family portrait of the FT-86 with past masters such as the Supra, Celica GT-Four and of course, the AE86. Those cars have no decendent in today’s Toyota lineup, which has nothing to entice enthusiasts, something Akio Toyoda himself is intent of changing. I personally hope that the present troubles the company is facing won’t derail its plan to bring “fun” back into driving.

For now, enjoy the official images of the FT-86 after the jump; some of them look good as wallpapers!
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Sexy Alfa Romeo Giulietta says ciao to Selespeed!

March 8, 2010 at 5:10 am By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo, Cars

The 147 replacement Alfa Romeo Giulietta will be without doubt the most sensational looking five-door hatchback in the market when it goes on sale in Italy later this month. Making its world debut in Geneva, the first right-hand drive models will go to the UK in June. Sime Darby Auto ConneXion, how about this for a 2010 Christmas present for the Malaysian market?

The Giulietta takes on Alfa’s current long headamps as seen on the Mito supermini, but with a strip of four LED driving lamps residing within them. Alfa’s famous shield grille sits inside a larger triangle while the lower bumper is very sculpted. The profile features a strong shoulder line that “disappears” in the middle before emerging again on the rear doors, which handles are hidden like the 147′s (there won’t be a three-door variant). The Giulietta’s rear end sports a distinctive LED pattern in the taillamps and a diffuser-style rear bumper with two exhaust tips. To sum it all up in one word – sexy.

Four turbo engines are available at launch, all Euro5 compliant and with Start/Stop tech: two petrols (120 bhp 1.4TB and 170 bhp 1.4TB MultiAir) and two second-gen MultiJet diesels (105 bhp 1.6 JTDM and 170 bhp 2.0 JTDM). All these powerplants come with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but a dual-clutch transmission will be coming soon as the automatic option – with this, we can bid farewell to Alfa’s frustrating Selespeed ‘box. Ciao!

Also coming soon is a hot 235 bhp 1750 TBi Cloverleaf version. This engine is said to have “performance comparable to – or better than – that of many 3.0-litre engines while still delivering fuel consumption typical of a compact four cylinder unit,” says Alfa Romeo. The Italian firm also pointed out that at 134 bhp/litre, specific output is the highest ever achieved by an Alfa Romeo engine. Max torque of 340 Nm (at 1,900 rpm) is much more than what the VW Golf GTI produces, so performance should be superb, and we’re guaranteed a good soundtrack from Alfa too. We’re salivating already thinking of it!

Live pictures from Geneva after the jump!
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Bufori Geneva is “only 50 per cent complete”

March 8, 2010 at 3:59 am By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Bufori, Cars

Bufori’s luxury saloon that was unveiled in Geneva “is only 50 per cent complete” according to company founder, managing director and the car’s designer Gerry Khouri. The Geneva (the car is named after the city it’s launched in) will cost from RM1.3 million when production begins in June this year, but by then some things would have been changed from the car shown in Switzerland.

The only significant change to the Geneva’s structure will be a 100 mm increase in wheelbase length to make 3,427 mm. As comparison, a long-wheelbase Mercedes S-Class has a wheelbase of 3,165 mm. Length, width and height is 5,340 mm, 1,925 mm and 1,520 mm, respectively. To recap, the Geneva’s swoopy body is crafted from a mixture of carbon fibre and kevlar, bonded together by Vinylester resin (commonly used in the marine industry for its high corrosion resistance and ability to withstand water absorption), while the chassis is made from top grade stainless steel.

The Geneva’s air-suspended four-seat cabin feels intimate and luxurious, but ingress and egress isn’t the most effortless – calves will brush against the running boards that characterises the car, for instance, but the doors on the production car will feature gas struts and 90-degree openings. Better seats will be fitted and there will be changes to the interior design, too. The stereo and air-con units in the show car will also make way for bespoke items, according to Khouri.

We will continue to follow the developments on the Geneva as Bufori puts the final round of improvements to its luxury saloon. For more details, live images from Geneva and the official gallery, click here to link to our previous post.

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