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Land Rover – stepping into the front-wheel drive market

May 11, 2010 at 11:36 am By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Land Rover

Word is that Land Rover is planning a foray into the front-wheel drive market with its next crossover model – the Range Rover LRX. Apparently, Land Rover initially ruled out the option but recently said that they “cannot ignore the growth of the two-wheel drive SUV segment”.

The LRX will be launched as an all-wheel drive car and the FWD version will be introduced shortly after. The change to front-wheel drive is said to improve Land Rover’s eco-credentials as CO2 emissions are 130 g/km for the FWD compared to 140 g/km for the AWD.

The engine is said to be a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine producing around 185 bhp, the same PSA Group unit from the Freelander. A surprise would be the fact that standard transmission is a six-speed manual; the last stick shift Range Rover was available in 2002.

The production LRX is expected to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this year.

Source

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Ferrari unveils world’s fastest roller coaster – 240 km/h!

May 11, 2010 at 10:00 am By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Ferrari, Formula 1, Motorsports

The car that will be used for the Formula Rossa ride at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, which opens on the 28th of October at the Yas Marina Island, was unveiled over the Spanish GP weekend. The car accommodates eight people in its F1 car style body and will be the world’s fastest roller coaster with a top speed of 240 km/h. The other coaster for Ferrari World, the F430 inspired GT Racing Coaster, reaches a top speed of “only” 200 km/h.

For all you speed buffs, here are some numbers for your brains to wrap around. The ride hurtles you 52 metres into the desert sky to the maximum speed and produces an incredible feeling of 1.7 Gs. You will then be ushered quickly through a series of chicanes. Terrified passengers will be powered on by a 20,800 horsepower winch that propels the roller coaster to maximum speed in only 5 seconds! 0-100 km/h? 2 seconds flat. Passengers will be handed out protective eyewear due to the windforce being so extreme.

“I can’t wait to have a go on it, It’s true that we drivers are used to speed, but this way I’ll get the chance to share the thrill of doing 240 an hour with my engineers, so they can get a feel for what it’s all about!” said Scuderia driver Fernando Alonso.

Look after the jump for a video of the hi-speed car.
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Matte military green MINI Cooper S by Nowack Motors

May 11, 2010 at 2:32 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

To all you tennis fans out there, no, Novak Djokovic isn’t running a side business. I’ve never heard of them before, but Nowack Motors is a German based tuner that preys on BMWs and MINIs, and their latest plaything is the 175 bhp MINI Cooper S. I personally think that the matte military green finish with those Porsche style decals along the wheelbase look very good on the MINI.

Three packages are available. The N210 offers 210 bhp via a reprogrammed ECU and free flow air filter, while the N230 offers 230 bhp through all of the above plus a stainless steel sport exhaust system. Nowack’s N260 adds on sport camshafts, a downpipe, new cylinder heads and an optimised intercooling system. Power is, you’ve guessed it, 260 bhp. Cars tuned at Nowack’s Kamp-Lintfort HQ will be dyno tested before the customer’s eyes.

There are also various suspension upgrades available, from sport spring kits to complete coilover suspensions. Other recommended upgrades include 8.5J x18″ light alloys with 225/40 rubber and sport differentials. More images after the jump.
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Mercedes-Benz introduces new V8 and V6 engines

May 11, 2010 at 2:15 am By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz has released a new generation of V-engines, and revisions start from the basic construction with the use of lightweight aluminium crankcases, pistons and cylinder heads while the crankshaft, connecting rods and valves are now of special forged steel.

Other improvements to the V8 and V6 include multi-spark ignition and a third generation direct fuel injection system with spray-guided combustion and piezo-electric injectors that increase fuel efficiency. This creates a homogeneous combustion in the V8 and stratified combustion in the V6 for a leaner burn. Add in start stop technology, shift point adjustment, specific friction reducing measures and overall fuel consumption is reduced by more than 20%.

The new V8 (non AMG, to power ’500′ badged Mercs) comes with two turbochargers for 700 Nm of torque at 1,800 rpm. Although the 4,663 cc unit sees a 15% decrease in engine displacement, it produces 12% more power than before – 435 bhp versus 388 bhp – and that headline grabbing 700 Nm is 32% more than the previous 530 Nm. Stuttgart says that the power available at low revs is similar to that of a naturally aspirated 7.0-litre engine.

Fuel consumption has seen a drop too. The CL500 previously did 12.3 litres per 100 km; with the new engine the big coupe manages 9.3 litres for every 100km, which is significant. CO2 figures are down to 224 g/km from 288 g/km.

The most notable change to the naturally aspirated V6 is the shifting of the V angle between the cylinder banks from 90 degrees to 60 degrees. Mercedes has future proofed this unit by designing it to accommodate future turbocharging applications with the help of a modular design concept. This in turn allows the balancer shaft to counter primary vibrations for better smoothness.

While the 3.5-litre size is unchanged, the V6 gets a new intake and exhaust gas system with a variable-resonance intake manifold and optimised airflow. These combine for increased power (from 272 bhp to 306 bhp) and torque (from 350 Nm to 370 Nm). With it, the S350 achieves 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres and 177 g/km of CO2, a big improvement from the engine it replaces.

Look after the jump for more images of the engine.
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Auto Bavaria to take over Sapura Auto BMW showroom

May 10, 2010 at 6:43 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Local News

BMW LogoIt looks like Sapura Auto is exiting the business of selling BMWs and MINIs in Malaysia and are selling their showroom and land to Sime Darby Motor Division. A Bursa Malaysia filing popped up today detailing a Property Sale Agreement between Sime Darby Motor Division Sdn Bhd (which operates the Auto Bavaria dealerships) and Sapura Auto Sdn Bhd where the former will acquire a piece of freehold land together with the 3.5 year old showroom and aftersales facilities for RM49,054,503 cash.

It’s not a done deal yet of course as it is subject to the necessary approvals by the Prime Minister’s Department’s Economic Planning Unit and the shareholders of Sapura Resources Berhad. The transaction is expected to be complete by the end of this year.

Once done, Sapura’s sole Jalan Tun Razak showroom will become an Auto Bavaria showroom. Suddenly it makes sense why Auto Bavaria shut down and moved their Bukit Bintang showroom to Glenmarie earlier this year.

Source: Bursa Malaysia

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GALLERY: BMW Gran Coupe Concept – behind the scenes

May 10, 2010 at 4:42 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, Concept Cars

Here is a just released gallery of “behind the scenes” images featuring the BMW Gran Coupe Concept that was unveiled in Beijing last month, where you’ll get to see design sketches of Munich’s four-door coupe and sculptors working on a clay model. The Gran Coupe looks like a reincarnation of the Concept CS, which was shown back in 2007.

Long, wide and low slung, the sleek Gran Coupe is said to preview the next 6-Series (just minus two doors) and provide a Mercedes-Benz CLS rival for BMW. From how good it looks, we don’t see why BMW shouldn’t put this into production. It should be already in the works, judging from how “real” the Gran Coupe looks and Munich’s history of putting the “Concept” tag on near finalised designs.

Previous post and images of the Gran Coupe in the metal is here. Gallery is after the jump.
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Geely IG set to match Tata Nano as world’s cheapest car?

May 10, 2010 at 4:10 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, China, International News, Rumours

This was going to happen sooner or later – it’s a clash of the giants and we’re talking about China versus India! Word on the street is that Geely is set to target Tata Nano customers with the new Geely IG you see above.

Set to be released sometime in 2012, the Intelligent Geely (IG) will feature a 998cc 70 horsepower engine. This power is fed through the front two wheels and planted to the road via a CVT gearbox. The IG is likely to stay relatively simple compared to the concept car that you see above which is covered in photovoltaic solar cells to help recharge its batteries.

The word is that you would have to pay for about US$2,700 for the standard IG and it will be made available in China and Russia. This will leave the Nano to flourish on its own in its native market, at least for now. The Nano goes for between US$2,700 to US$3,800.

An eco-friendly electric IG has been said to be in the works as well, with a range of 149 kilometers on just pure electric after a single charge.

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Ferrari removes disputed bar code from its cars

May 10, 2010 at 3:09 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Ferrari, Formula 1, Motorsports

Did you notice something different about the Ferraris at the Spanish GP? The Scuderia has removed the “bar code” design from Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa’s F10 race cars, after some noisy doctors claimed that the design is subliminal advertising from Marlboro (tobacco advertising in sports is not allowed in the EU). Philip Morris’ Marlboro is the only remaining tobacco brand in Formula 1 and is the title sponsor of the sport’s most famous team.

Ferrari denied the accusations and have grudgingly removed the offending design. The result is a white bordered empty box on the F10′s engine cover, which is rather ugly. Why didn’t they just remove the entire thing? Is it to prove a point? Your guess is as good as ours!

“Together with Philip Morris International we have decided to modify the livery of our cars starting with the Barcelona Grand Prix. This decision was taken in order to remove all speculation concerning the so-called “bar code” which was never intended to be a reference to a tobacco brand. By this we want to put an end to this ridiculous story and concentrate on more important things than on such groundless allegations,” an official Ferrari statement read.

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Chevrolet Volt MPV5 – mixing style with eco-credentials

May 10, 2010 at 3:03 pm By Jacob Alexander Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, Concept Cars

Chevrolet has recently released the Volt MPV5 concept that will keep the eco-concious driver appeased. The concept, which is based on the Volt platform, was previewed at the Beijing Motor Show and will feature the same Voltec propulsion system seen in the Chevy Volt. This would be the 16-kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack that powers the electric drive unit and a 1.4-litre engine generator that extends the battery power if and when juice runs out. It’s likely a reskinned hybrid Orlando, sharing the same wheelbase figures.

The MPV5 will be able to run solely on electric power for 51.5 km where as the range extender petrol engine extends this said range to 482 km, providing you with a certain amount of peace of mind. Drive goes through the two front tyres.

The exterior, while looking smooth and stylish, has functional elements such as a closed grille and aero-optimised lower air dam, which improves fuel efficiency. Other aerodynamic touches are a full-underbody belly pan, along with rocker claddings, creased tail lamps and specially designed blades on the rear quarter.

Apart from that, the Sonic Blue Metallic paint, dual skylight panels and 19-inch Volt-like sporty rims give it a powerful futuristic look. The MPV5 measures 4,585 mm long, 1,871 mm wide and 1,612 mm tall, and is meant to fit five passengers comfortably.

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Optional “picnic set” for the MINI Countryman

May 10, 2010 at 11:58 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

The new MINI Countryman is targeted to those who love the outdoors, as its name suggests, and this cute picnic set called the MINI Countryman Getaway Package should be a desirable option. I can really see myself using this when passing by a spectacular view, or when needing some fresh air and a coffee break.

The set, which includes two folding wooden chairs with canvas surfaces (in Racing Check or Union Jack) can be stowed away in the Countryman’s dual-layer load compartment floor, which is separated from the regular storage space by a lid. Pockets can be attached to the sides of the seats using press studs, while a carry bag makes them easy to transport. The seats can also be converted into tables with the help of a wooden board!

Another feature of the Getaway Package is the MINI Five-In-One Cover – a poncho, sleeping bag, awning, picnic blanket and bed cover in one. The loops and ties on the four corners help to make the most of the cover’s various functions, and the bag for the cover doubles up as a handy cushion.

Other “outdoor” Countryman accessories include stylised Wellington boots, the MINI Parka, and t-shirts for him and her. More merchandise to make more money, but we all love to wear our brand on our sleeves, don’t we? Images after the jump.
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