Prodrive is a racing and engineering establishment based in Banbury, UK. It designs, constructs and races cars such as Subarus, Aston Martin, and BAR. It also does engineering consultation and design for car manufacturers. I’m sure most of you have heard of Prodrive from the Prodrive tuned Subaru Imprezas. Click here to read the rest of Prodrive P2 Concept
[ UPDATE : The New 2007 Mercedes Benz C-Class (W204) has been unveiled! Click here for details. ]
The Mercedes Benz C-class has always been designed something like a small version of the current generation S-class. So when Mercedes Benz released it’s new W221 S-class recently, we can somewhat imagine how the next C-class is going to look like.
The new Mercedes Benz C-class will be positioned as a true sports saloon, focusing on excellent handling characteristics and a general sporty drive instead of just a smaller alternative to the E-class.
There are also news that the new C-class will come with Mercedes Benz’s first batch of KDI EVT engines. The supercharged KDI EVT is Mercedes Benz’s first camless valvetrain engine, which means the valves are electronically controlled instead of using a camshaft, rocker arms and etc. More details on camless valvetrain engines here.
The new Mercedes Benz C-class should be unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.
[ UPDATE : The New 2007 Mercedes Benz C-Class (W204) has been unveiled! Click here for details. ]
Nissan has launched a facelift of it’s flagship sports car, the Nissan 350Z. It’s not just a facelift though, the new engine comes with some re-engineering that gives it a little more power and a nicer torque curve. Click here to read the rest of 2006 Nissan 350Z Facelift
I found this article on the National Economic Action Council’s website on why the oil prices have been increasing and why the government cannot continue subsidising our fuel, as well as why Petronas cannot take up responsibility to use it’s profits to subsidise fuel. What do you think? Article is after the jump. Click here to read the rest of Oil Prices And Subsidies (An Explanation)
The European Commission is threathening legal action against China for discrimination against European car companies, with their latest decision to revise tax tariffs for car parts which indirectly forces companies to source components from Chinese producers.
China has reclassified car parts as ‘fully finished cars’, something like CBU, which carries a 34% tax, double from the previous rate. Because parts are expensive to bring in now, in order to be economically competitive manufacturers have to source parts from Chinese producers to avoid the high tax.
The problem is foreign car manufacturers are not allowed to setup their own businesses in China. They must partner up with an existing Chinese company, forced to accept minority shareholding. Allowing a Chinese company access to all your designs would only result in one thing, vehicle piracy!
Related blog posts:
I’m officially in love… with this hot new concept from Mugen Power. This is their Mugen Honda Civic Dominator concept, to be shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2006. I wish I could be there, anyone want to buy me a ticket to Tokyo? Click here to read the rest of Mugen Honda Civic Dominator Concept
Let’s have a look at the designs Proton has registered with the UK Patent Office. I think it will give us an indicator on the SRM’s interior looks, of which no one has been able to get a good interior shot so far. Click here to read the rest of Proton’s Design Patents with the UK Patent Office
Hartge is a company that tunes BMW vehicles, much like AC Schitzer. They’ve come up with a tuning package for the BMW M6 that modifies the speed limiter, a new front bumper and grille, 20-inch sports rims, a lowered suspension, a three spoke leather steering wheel and carbon fibre trims for the interior.
With the speed limiter modification, the BMW M6 tuned by Hartge goes up to 320km/h.
The only downside is it’s ugly… really ugly. They’ve totally mutilated the grille. It looks like a boar’s snout now.
Dr. M has spoken up again on the issue of his brainchild Proton’s recent two quarterly losses in a row.
“I am surprised that a company which was doing well suddenly reports losses (RM158 million pre-tax loss). It is difficult to believe that it was because they purchased (motorcycle manufacturer) Agusta. If Agusta had debts, then the purchase price would have been lower. Why did Proton buy it for a higher price? There must be a mystery here and we have to get to the bottom of it. But as I have said before, be prepared for more bad news from Proton.”
I’m not sure if Dr. M really knows what goes on in the directors meeting room at Proton, and he himself has said as an Advisor he is usually only consulted after making management decisions and not before. So we don’t really know if his statements carry any weight. Let’s wait and see.
Source: Bernama
Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian was the person who orchestrated Chrysler’s sale to DaimlerBenz a decade ago. Now he’s trying to do it again with troubled GM, but this time he’s trying to sell it to a Japanese company instead.
NY Post reports a Japanese buyer could be a giant like Toyota or Honda but nothing is comfirmed yet. 88-year old Kerkorian made USD3 billion with the Chrysler sale in the early 90s. Now he has to convince an Asian buyer to take the ailing American automobile manufacturer off his hands. Can he do it? This would be interesting.
