Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
We’ve seen static hi-res photos of the new F20 BMW 1-Series hatch, but how does the car look in motion? BMW has released two new videos of the new F20 hatch in motion, featuring the winners of a casting competition that BMW had quite some time ago.
BMW had this campaign called One Origin Two Originals that called for a pair of siblings that had completely different personalities. And here you have them – “Sportline” Adam and “Urbanline” Freddie Lund.
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Opel/Vauxhall has released details on the Astra GTC ahead of the model’s world debut at the Frankfurt show in September. The GTC is a three-door variant of the C-segment Astra, but isn’t the same car with two doors lopped off – the only bits carried over from the five-door hatch are the door handles, wing mirror housing and roof aerial. This approach is also used by VW for the Scirocco and the Renault for the Megane Coupe – cars the GTC will rival.
The Astra GTC started life as the GTC Paris Concept from Paris 2010, and retains much of the showcar’s looks. However, it must be said that the showcar appeared incredibly realistic from the start, and its production future was never in doubt.
Prominent design cues include the Opel signature blade (started with the Insignia) and another line that sprouts from the door handles. The front and rear lights have “wing shaped” elements. All of these were also on the Paris Concept.
Opel is keen to highlight the GTC’s front High Performance Strut (HiPerStrut) suspension, similar to than on the Insignia OPC. Compared to the standard Astra’s McPherson strut, HiPerStrut reduces kingpin inclination and offset and has a shorter spindle length. This improves grip and reduces torque steer, offering GTC drivers the “sporty, crisp feel they expect, with enhanced precision and feedback.” In addition, HiPerStut reduces tyre flops, which allows the car to accommodate bigger wheels.
The rear suspension combines a torsion beam with a Watt’s link, something unique to Opel. Compared to the five-door, ride height is lowered by 15 mm. The GTC also has wider tracks, +40 mm in front and +30 mm in the rear. Opel’s adaptive FlexRide chassis control system with Standard, Tour and Sport modes is also available.
At launch, the Poland built Astra GTC can be had with a choice of four powertrains – one diesel and three petrol. The upgraded 2.0 CDTI has 165 hp/380 Nm and does 0-100 km/h in 8.9 seconds. Top speed is 210 km/h. Paired with a six-speed manual and start/stop, combined fuel consumption “does not exceed” 4.9 litres per 100 km.
Two of the petrols are 1.4 turbos with 120 hp and 140 hp. Both have 200 Nm of torque. There’s also a 180 hp 1.6 turbo that can reach 220 km/h. Not enough? There will be a high-performance OPC variant in 2012.
Gallery after the jump.
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Seems that the datasheet listing the properties of petroleum diesel and B5 biodiesel from last week’s launch of the B5 biodiesel programme in Putrajaya wasn’t quite up to date. With regards to certain aspects, specifically that of the sulphur content, Paul noticed the numbers didn’t quite add up, so having asked around, we’ve managed some answers.
Apparently, the column listing the properties of the total sulphur content for both in a photo recapture I took was from a booklet published by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board in August 2009 (third edition). The datasheet listed the sulphur content of B5 as 0.26% and Malaysian petroleum diesel as 0.28%, essentially 2,600 and 2,800 ppm, which met the MS123:1993 0.50% maximum sulphur content requirement which was still in effect at the time of printing.
According to Puah Chiew Wei, research officer in the engineering & processing research division at the MPOB, the current sulphur content of 100% pure palm biodiesel is <10 ppm (<0.001%) which meets the stringent requirements of MS2008:2008 and EN14214:2008.
Malaysian petroleum diesel currently has a sulphur content of 300 to 400 ppm (0.03 to 0.04%). Puah adds that the low sulphur palm biodiesel thus contributes to reduction of sulphur content in B5, and as such, B5 meets the requirement of maximum sulphur content of 0.05% as stipulated under MS123:2005.
Apparently again, the booklet wasn’t officially distributed at the launch, but it was inserted into the press kit bag anyway by someone who saw fit to do so – time to print an updated booklet, perhaps?
If you’ve been curious as to what the Chevrolet Colorado show truck looks like in the metal, then here’s your chance to get up close and personal with the concept if you happen to live in the Klang Valley – the vehicle is on display in 1 Utama from today until this Sunday.
The hand-built Colorado – which made its debut in March at the Bangkok Motor Show – is part of the Chevrolet Transformers 3 Roadshow, which is being held at the Oval in the new wing of the complex until June 12. Certainly, it’s quite a meaty-looking machine, though it’s kinda dwarfed by the 22-foot tall Optimus Prime display that towers over the exhibition.
The extended-cab pickup, which sits on 20-inch wheels, is joined by the yellow Camaro SS seen at last year’s KLIMS, still doing its best to replicate Bumblebee in its untransformed state, as well as the Cruze Special Edition, among others.
China’s electric cars are going places. The nation’s EV pioneer BYD has signed a deal with Rotterdam city in the Netherlands to deliver a fleet of e6 electric cars to the city that’s home to the largest port in Europe.
The Municipality of Rotterdam has intentions to purchase a range of electric cars for its test fleet of 75 vehicles, and the e6 will be part of this fleet, although the privately owned Chinese automaker (as opposed to state owned) did not reveal how many units it will deliver. Last year, BYD delivered a fleet of 50 e6 cars to a taxi company in its home city of Shenzhen.
The e6 is a five-seat crossover/MPV style vehicle with a claimed range of over 300 km. In its most powerful form, the e6 has a 215 hp front motor plus a 54 hp rear motor. Powered by BYD’s own Fe battery, the e6 does 0-100 km/h in 10 seconds and has a top speed of 140 km/h. Read more about it here.
Yesterday, we posted some views from Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar, who revealed that Lotus is developing its own engines for future cars. The Proton owned sportscar firm uses Toyota engines in its present range, but is pursuing self development after an Internet survey with 10,000 responses pointed in that direction.
Now, Autocar UK reveals that work on the new engines started late last year, and the first prototype V8 will fire up next month. Their sources claim max power of around 550-570 horses, and that Lotus engineers are targeting Ferrari’s V8 as benchmark. The naturally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 in the Ferrari 458 Italia makes 570 horses at a hair raising 9,000 rpm and 540 Nm of torque.
There are also plans to carve out a four-cylinder unit from the V8, but should this not work out, Toyota is the fallback. Dany Bahar said that the Elan has been delayed from its five-year plan due to its too close positioning with the flagship Esprit, and the funds from this will be used to develop the modular engine family.
Among other issues the survey brought up was the Eterne – does Lotus need a four-door Panamera fighter in its range? Not essential perhaps, but Bahar explains that because of the modular component concept of the future range, the Eterne is essentially a four-door version of the Elite (a big GT coupe) and won’t require much additional cost. Both cars will share over 75% components, so it’s no harm trying, so to speak.
The FIA’s decision to reinstate the Bahrain GP is receiving plenty of criticism and apprehension from the teams and drivers. Some are worried about the safety situation, others are concerned about the issue of human rights. Faced with protests, the government has been reported to use heavy handed tactics to break up protests, injuring and killing protesters.
Red Bull’s Mark Webber was one of the first to voice his concerns. “When people in a country are being hurt, the issues are bigger than sport. Let’s hope the right decision is made,” he tweeted on the eve of FIA’s meeting to decide the outcome.
“In my personal opinion, the sport should have taken a much firmer stance earlier this year rather than constantly delaying its decision in hope of being able to re-schedule it in 2011. It would have sent a very clear message about F1′s position on something as fundamental as human rights and how it deals with moral issues,” he added on his website.
“As a competitor I do not feel at all comfortable going there to compete in an event when, despite reassurances to the contrary, it seems inevitable that it will cause more tension for the people of that country. I don’t understand why my sport wishes to place itself in a position to be a catalyst for that,” the Aussie said.
Rubens Barrichello, head of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, focused on safety. “I would like to make it clear that I love the track and the event itself. Therefore, I want to be sure that we will be safe there. In the GPDA meetings, all of the drivers showed concern and demanded safety to race in Bahrain. For us, the drivers, what really matters is safety. The rest is not important.”
Like Webber, ex-FIA president Max Mosley warns that by racing in Bahrain, F1 is supporting the violence. “Surely the line has to be drawn when a sporting event is not mere entertainment in a less-than-perfect country, but is being used by an oppressive regime to camouflage its actions,” Mosley wrote in the his Daily Telegraph column. “If a sport accepts this role, it becomes a tool of government. If F1 allows itself to be used in this way in Bahrain, it will share the regime’s guilt as surely as if it went out and helped brutalise unarmed protesters,” he warned.
It’s not quite the official debut, but BMW has effectively introduced its upcoming MINI Coupé by means of a preview. The car, which was showcased in its concept form at the Los Angeles Auto Show back in 2009, will roll in as the first two-seater in the brand’s model range – the company says that it will promise unrivalled handling agility and the best performance figures of any model in the MINI line-up.
The design, which is also the first “three-box” MINI, features a flat, coupe silhouette with a GT-style rear end. Sitting 29 mm lower than the MINI, the Coupé features include a distinctive “helmet roof” with an integral roof spoiler and an active rear spoiler which deploys automatically at 80 kph to optimise airflow at higher speeds, as well as a high-opening tailgate and large luggage area with through-loading facility into the passenger compartment.
At point of launch, the 3.728 metre-long car will be available in Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants, joined by a diesel version. Effectively, the Coupé forms will wear the 1.6 litre petrol engines seen in the current MINI range, with no revisions to the output.
As such, the Cooper’s NA four-cylinder fully variable valve management block delivers 122 hp at 6,000 rpm and 160 Nm at 4,250 rpm, and performance specs include a 0–100 kph time of 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 204 kph.
Meanwhile, the Cooper S Coupé’s twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection mill has 184 hp at 5,500 rpm and 240 Nm at 1,600–5,000 rpm (260 Nm overboost) for output numbers, as well as a 6.9 seconds 0-100 kph sprint time towards a 230 kph top speed.
As for the JCW version, the 211 hp at 6,000 rpm and 260 Nm at 1,850–5,600 rpm (280 Nm overboost at 1,700–4,500 rpm) propels the car to the century in 6.4 seconds and takes it to 240 kph tops.
The fourth model in the lineup will be the Cooper SD Coupé, which features a 2.0 litre common-rail injection turbodiesel mill that bags 143 hp at 4,000 rpm and 305 Nm at 1,750–2,700 rpm, a 7.9 seconds 0-100 kph time and a 216 kph top speed.
The car will come with a six-speed manual gearbox fitted as standard, with a six-speed Steptronic automatic tranny optional for the Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper SD versions.
Other standard issues items are electric power steering and DSC, with Dynamic Traction Control with EDLC (Electronic Differential Lock Control) on the options list (the latter two comes standard on the John Cooper Works Coupé, of course).
The Cooper will come wearing 15-inch alloy wheels as standard, with the Cooper S and Cooper SD versions getting 16-inch wheels. As for the JCW Coupe, that one will come specified with 17-inch, weight-optimised alloy wheels in JCW Cross Spoke Challenge styling.
A very large gallery of hi-res photos await you after the jump.
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Renault Sport, the sporting arm of Renault, has released a teaser video for what seems to be a hotter version of the Megane RS 250 Cup, which we absolutely adore in this office. The video asks us to look forward to June 17 for the reveal.
In this 1 minute 27 second clip, the boys from Dieppe are shown preparing a red Megane RS (with those sexy 19-inch spider wheels that are ill suited for our roads) for a run on the most challenging circuit in the world – the Nürburgring. The Megane is then seen blasting past the famous section of the ‘Ring where the tarmac is full of graffiti, seemingly digging into it with only three wheels!
Two men are named – Philippe Merimee, Suspension Setting Systems Manager and Laurent Hurgon, Development Driver – but perhaps the more significant cameo is that of the Megane R26.R, the hottest variant of the previous gen Megane. That limited edition stripped out version of the already excellent R26 established a new lap record for a FWD car at the ‘Ring with a time of 8m17s back in 2008.
If they use the same formula on the more powerful new Megane RS (250 hp/340 Nm vs 230 hp/310 Nm), that time is bound to be topped by the upcoming king hot hatch. By how much? We’ll know on June 17.
The new 2012 BMW 1-Series with the codename F20 has been unveiled. The 1-er is now both longer and wider, and rides on a longer wheelbase as well, which should hopefully translate into better interior space.
Wheelbase has grown by 30mm so it now stands at 2,690mm, which is just 10mm shorter than the current generation Honda Civic sold in Malaysia, because of the car’s short overhangs and aft of front axle engine placement, most of the wheelbase is actually in the area between the wheel and the door.
The car is also wider by 17mm. Front track has been increased by 51mm and the rear track by 72mm. Ride height remains unchanged at 1,421mm. The rear seats have 21mm more legroom, while the luggage area is 30 litre larger, now standing at 360 litres before the rear seats are folded down. The car remains rear wheel drive.
There are a few engine variants announced at launch time, though I suspect the F20 1-Series will not be limited to these engines only. There are two petrols, both powered by 1.6 litre inline-4 twin scroll turbocharged engines with Valvetronic, Double VANOS and direct injection. The 116i makes 136hp at 4,400rpm, with a peak torque of 220Nm between 1,350rpm to 4,300rpm. The more powerful 118i makes 170hp at 4,800rpm and peak torque of 250Nm between 1,500 to 4,500rpm.
The remaining three engine options are all based on a 2.0 litre inline-4 diesel engine. The baseline is the 116d, making 116hp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque between 1,750 to 2,500rpm. The mid-range is the 118d making 143hp at 4,000rpm and 320Nm of torque between 1,750rpm to 2,500rpm.
The most powerful engine in the range so far is the 120d’s engine, which has similar specs to the 2.0L diesel engine in the 320d, 520d, X1, X3, etc. It makes a full 184 horsepower at 4,000rpm and a peak torque of 380Nm between 1,750rpm and 2,750rpm. This is the most powerful F20 1-er so far, and also accelerates to 100km/h the fastest in just 7.2 seconds. I’m pretty sure a petrol 128i with the new N20B20 2.0L turbo 4 cylinder will take the most powerful F20 crown later though. And looking at what BMW can extract from the MINI Cooper JCW’s 1.6 litre lump (200+ horses), there’s probably the opportunity for a 123i with a more highly strung 1.6L turbo as well.
All engines come by default with a 6-speed manual, but there is an optional 8-speed automatic transmission. Both manual and auto transmissions have Automatic Start/Stop as standard. There’s also a switch near the gear lever that you can use to activate an ECO PRO mode, which supposedly tunes various parameters to allow better fuel efficiency – this probably means more efficient throttle mapping and quicker upshifts.
BMW has launched the car with two different trim levels – the Sport Line and the Urban Line. This is something unusual, since we’re used to BMWs being either standard, M Sport or further customizable with BMW Individual.
The Sport Line (the red car you see here) and Urban Line (the blue car) has different front and rear bumpers, and the Sport Line gets some additional red stripes on the interior and even on its key fob. Even the front grille is different, with the Urban Line getting a chrome grille with silver-coloured slats (like the one on the F10 550i), while the Sport Line gets a chrome grille with black slats.
BMW has also allowed buyers to tick some more upmarket options on the spec sheet when ordering, such as high-beam assistance, parking assistance, a reverse camera, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Warning, BMW ConnectedDrive, and etc.
Look after the jump for an extensive photo gallery of the F20.
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