Mazda will be developing a new crossover CUV called the Mazda CX-5 based on the recent Mazda Hakaze Concept. Mazda says the CX-5 will be engineered to provide the fun driving experience of an MX-5 combined with the practicality of the CX-7 SUV. It will be a targa, which means roof panels are removable to create a semi-open top cabin. The 5-door small SUV will also have it’s rear doors installed RX-8 suicide-style.
Lumma Designs took an E60 BMW M5 and transformed it into this orange monster, the Lumma CLR 500 RS. Trimmed with orange on both the exterior and the interior, the CLR 500 RS undergoes modifications in the engine bay as well. The M5’s ECU is tweaked, and the speed limiter is removed, lifting the standard E60 M5’s 507hp output to 560hp. Top speed is now 327km/h.
The orange-painted exterior gets an aggressive bodykit which includes a diffuser rear bumper with twin tailpipes integrated into them. The trunk lid is made of carbon-Kevlar fiber, and now features a tiny little spoiler in it’s design. Giving the car the overall ready to pounce look is a wide bodykit, and an H&R suspension that is 40mm lower.
On the interior, the leather is now two-tone: black and orange of course. Kind of like a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone.
More photos after the jump. Click here to read the rest of Lumma CLR 500 RS: 560hp BMW M5
We’ll be able to see a host of new locally assembled models from Naza this year, that will expand it’s current 6-model line-up to a 10-model line-up, beginning with a new SUV in May 2007. The Sorento has already been CKD-ed, so this new SUV is most likely the current Kia Sportage (shown above) being sold by Naza.
Naza’s current model line-up is a somewhat multi-national mix: four Korean cars (Suria, Citra, Sorento and Ria), a French car (206 Bestari) and a Chinese car (Sutera). It’s plant in Gurun is running at full capacity with double shifts because of strong demand. January saw 3,000 Naza cars sold, but this dropped to 1,000 in February for the same reasons as the overall industry drop.
The other 3 models to be launched other than the possible Sportage was said to be a locally assembled MPV, and two locally assembled saloons. Looking at the current model range and the range of Kia models to rebadge, I would say the MPV could either be a new Carens (Citra) or Carnival (Ria), while the two saloons could be two of these: Rio sedan, new Spectra (also known as Cerato) as well as the lovely new Kia Optima.
Photos of these possible models after the jump.
Source Click here to read the rest of Naza to unveil 4 new models in 2007
February 2007 automobile sales dropped once again, falling 14.1% to 31,284, of which 28,430 units are passenger cars while the remaining are commercial vehicles. MAA blames this on a short working month, rumours of lower duties on car prices, no new models among the basic segment, and stringent credit approval.
Overall sales for the year are down, with 66,331 cars sold so far compared to 77,646 for the same period of time in 2006. Production for February 2007 also dropped from 47,647 in February 2006 to only 25,686 units!
MAA expects sales will pick up in the second half of the year, which could possibly happen as one of the most awaited bread-and-butter basic segment cars will be launched, the Perodua Kancil Replacement Model.
Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s managing director Datuk Azman Mohktar said Proton could possibly fall into a local strategic partner’s hands, instead of a foreign one like Volkswagen. However, talks with Volkswagen still goes on.
What does this mean? Is this a hint of things to come when 31st March 2007 drops by? Will something be announced or will the deadline be extended?
Here is the advertisement clip for Volkswagen’s latest addition to the R-family. Joining the Golf R32 is the Volkswagen Passat R36, with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, a 6-speed DSG twin clutch gearbox and a 3.6 liter high compression direct injection V6 making 300 horsepower. The Passat R36 goes from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds for the sedan and 5.8 seconds for the heavier Variant stationwagon.
Video after the jump. Click here to read the rest of Volkswagen Passat R36 Advertisement
I’ve tried out BMW’s 2.0 liter inline-4 turbodiesel engine used in the BMW 320d and have had good experiences with it, despite the noticable turbo lag. BMW has upped the ante once again with it’s second twin-turbodiesel engine after the 3.0 liter twin turbodiesel used in the 535d and 335d.
The previous 3.0 liter twinturbo was a record in production car turbodiesel application, making 91 horsepower per liter and ridiculously huge amounts of torque. This new 2.0 liter twinturbo inline-4 surpasses that, making roughly 100hp per liter - it’s power figures are 204 horsepower and 400Nm of torque! For comparison’s sake, it’s single-turbo sibling in the 320d I tested makes 163hp at 4,000rpm and 340Nm of torque between 2,000rpm to 2,750rpm.
The 400Nm figure is as much torque as what the new M3’s 4.0 liter V8 makes. All 400 Newton meters kick in at a low 2,000rpm, but that’s not the best part. Half of that, which is 200 Newton meters, is available from just 1,200rpm! That’s only slightly above idle!
The twin turbocharging system is a sequential one, instead of parallel like the 335i’s N54 Bi-Turbo. In this sequential system, a smaller turbo takes care of the low revs while a bigger one boosts power towards the redline. Despite all that power, fuel consumption is just 4.9 liters of diesel per 100 km.
Opel currently unofficially holds the record of the highest horsepower per displacement for a turbodiesel. It’s OPC division developed 1.9 liter ECOTEC CDTI twin-turbo makes 112hp per liter, for a total of 212hp and 400Nm of torque, which kicks in lower at only 1,400rpm. However, since it’s announcement in early 2004, it has not been used in any production car yet.
One more photo and a torque curve graph after the jump. Click here to read the rest of New BMW 204hp, 400Nm twin turbodiesel inline-4
Due to increased level of traffic for the past week or so, some of you have been having problems with your experience with this site. Sometimes you get the message saying the comment post failed even though in reality it went through, causing many double comment posts. This is because posting takes too long, and the server thinks it has failed. Obviously something taking too long is a bad thing.
To enhance your user experience, I have taken the liberty to upgrade the hosting for this site to a dedicated server. Previously it was hosted on a shared server, which is akin to taking up a few units in a condo building. A dedicated server is having the whole condo to yourself. I will continuously try to improve this blog’s performance to keep up with the traffic levels. Do let me know if you encounter any problems.
Click here to read the rest of Shell V-Power Ferrari F1 Advertisement
This aurally orgasmic advertisement for Shell V-Power was created to celebrate 60 years of collaboration between Shell and Ferrari in Formula 1. The advertisement shows generations of F1 cars running at high speeds through cities from Rome to Rio, and finally London. The advertisement looks like one of the most expensive TV commercials ever made, and took a month to shoot. Check out the video after the jump.
BMW’s new and upcoming E92 BMW M3 marks the shift to V8 power after 15 years of six-cylinder power. The E46 M3’s 3.2 liter straight-six was a legend, and is still being used by the current Z4 M Coupe and Roadster. The engine clinched the Engine of the Year award multiple times. It made 343hp in it’s latest edition. But in it’s main application in the M3, it’s time for it to bow and leave the stage and make way for it’s successor, the new BMW M V8 engine.
This new engine displaces 3,999cc and makes 420hp at 8,300rpm, It is a screamer, revving all the way to a redline of 8,400rpm. Torque peaks at 3,900rpm with 400 newton meters, with 340Nm available from as low as 2,000rpm. The new 4.0 liter V8 is also amazingly lighter than the 3.2 liter inline-6 it replaces, weighing in at a mere 202kg, 15kg lighter than the inline-6, despite an additional 2 cylinders and all the extra valvetrain parts for a 90 degree V-design.
The valvetrain uses double-VANOS variable camshaft control now with a new low pressure design, and intake is via eight individual throttle butterflies for the best in engine response time. And of course, in line with BMW’s new Efficient Dynamics plan, it has Brake Energy Regeneration, usually not found in non-hybrid cars.
While it all looks impressive, I was expecting more torque than this, however it’s very commendable that BMW managed to make most of the torque available from a relatively low RPM, despite the very wide rev range that peaks at 8,300rpm. I wonder why BMW decided not to fit the engine with direct injection.
Somehow I feel the M3 is not going to be as exciting as I thought it would be. Sure, it’s an M3, and I would love the chance to drive it if somehow circumstances let me. But just not that much. I reckon a 335i M Sport tuned up to the regions of 370hp and ALOT more torque than the 400Nm this V8 makes as well sounds like the better deal. Just give it a Hartge LSD for it to keep up with the M3 with that wonderful M differential around the corners. But of course that’s all aftermarket and in the end, it still wouldn’t be an M3. It would just be a tricked out 335i. And later, a tricked out M3 will come along and smoke it.
Please head on to the BMW M3 V8 Engine Photo gallery for a collection of high resolution photos as well as an image showing the torque curve of this new engine.
A full technical press release is after the jump.
Related Posts:
BMW M3 Concept at Geneva 2007
BMW M3 testing at the Nurburgring track
Click here to read the rest of The New BMW M3 V8 Engine Specifications
