Cars
The next generation Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet is due to be released at next month’s Detroit Motor Show, and will go on sale in the UK in spring.
The new Cabrio will utilise the latest addition to the ‘air’ family, the AirCap – a six-inch deflector that pushes air over the top of the cabin and away from the heads of the occupants, allowing the E-Class cabrio to roll with the roof down, even in cold climates.
Mercedes say it took 3000 hours for their engineers to develop the AirCap, which consists of 211 different parts and 44 different materials and has been tested through 10,000 cycles.
The E-Cabrio will launch with the choice of three diesel and four petrol engines, ranging from the 125kW E220 CDI at the bottom end to the 286kW E500 at the top.
by Alex Newman December 30, 2009
Tags: car news, Mercedes E-class
Cars
You’d have to be really ridiculously rich to buy your own custom-built Ferrari. And Edward Walson, son of John Walson, the man who invented cable television, is just that, and has done just that.
Last year, Walson Jnr approached Ferrari’s Special Projects Programme – established after Pininfarina created James Glickenhaus’s P4/5 and Ferrari realised it could create an in-house division to grab a slice of the ultra-lucrative one-off market – to develop a car to his very exact specifications and very large wallet.
And the result? The Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta, a coachbuilt 599 convertible modelled on the gold Ferrari from the 1968 short film Toby Dammit.
The Aperta took 14 months to build, with much of the work going into strengthening the chassis to deal with the loss of the roof. Still, the Aperta is just 20kg heavier than a stock 599, thanks to extensive use of expensive carbon fibre.
Walson opted to leave the 599’s 6.0-litre V12 unchanged.
by Alex Newman December 23, 2009
Tags: car news, ferrari, Ferrari P540, Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta, P540
Cars
The Nissan Cube, a mini MPV manufactured by Japanese carmaker Nissan, is slowly making its way out of the streets of Japan and onto the streets of the world – and, next year, it’s the UK’s turn.
The Cube is presented as a “unique solution for 21st century drivers”. From the ground up, the innovative Cube places function ahead of form, which gives the car an interior occupant space Nissan refer to as the ‘Jacuzzi Curve’ layout, which is ideal for “relaxing, travelling and socialising”.
The curve-themed interior design is characterised by the subtle wavy shaping of the instrument panel, door panels, seat shapes, and the iconic ‘Water Drop’ that can be seen in the cupholders and the climate control design. They are inspired by nature and the calming way that ripples move outward from a drop in water.
A large triple-layered glass roof is fitted as standard, giving a light and airy atmosphere throughout the cabin. As well as the traditional blind to prevent heat build-up on sunny days, there is a shoji shade, inspired by traditional Japanese shades made of rice paper which can be drawn across the sunroof, allowing light to enter whilst at the same time minimising heat build-up.
Measuring only 3.98 metres in length, the Cube is offered in two model grades with pricing from £14,000. Each version can be customised by the owner, with Nissan offering a large range of accessories and “tattoos”.
“We’re excited to finally bring the ultra-cool Cube to the UK,” said Nissan’s UK Managing Director, Mr Paul Willcox.
“Here we have a car that will not only meet the functional requirements of a huge range of new car buyers, but also capture their imagination. It’s very well equipped, built to the highest quality standards and above all else, the Cube is different!”
Since going on sale in Japan in 1998, Nissan have sold over one million examples of the Cube. Due to become available in the UK in 2010, the Cube will be offered with a choice of 1.6-litre petrol or 1.5-litre diesel engines mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed CVT (automatic) transmission. Fuel economy figures are said to be as low as 5.4L/100km for the petrol model, with the diesel’s figures to be announced closer to that model’s launch in May 2010.
by Alex Newman December 13, 2009
Tags: car news, Nissan Cube
Cars
Honda launched its new P-NUT, a futuristic city concept car, at the Los Angeles auto show this week.
The Japanese carmakers say the P-NUT, which is short for Personal-Neo Urban Transport, explores what a city car could look like in 10 to 15 years time, and features a McLaren F1-style three-seater layout with the driver front-and-centre, flanked by a pair of passengers sitting slightly behind.
Designed by British designer Andy Foster in Honda’s LA design studio, P-NUT’s goal is to provide optimal interior space in a compact package, which it delivers thanks to its rear-engine and rear-wheel drive.
Honda’s director of advanced design, Dave Marek, said the funky-looking three-seater is just a concept. He was charged with looking at car design 15 years down the road, when perhaps a three-seater would be something the public would warm up to.
by Alex Newman December 9, 2009
Tags: car news, concept cars, Honda, Honda P-NUT, LA auto show
Cars
Next year marks Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo’s centenary, and to help celebrate this milestone.
Sales will begin on the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta (replacing Alfa’s 147) next spring, with five turbo-charged engines available from launch. All comply with Euro 5 emissions legislation and fuel-saving stop-start systems are fitted as standard. There are three petrol options (1.4 litres with either 140 or 170bhp, or 1,742cc/235bhp) and two diesels (1.6/105bhp and 2.0/170bhp).
Built on an all-new platform, all Giuliettas will feature a barrage of sophisticated electronic safety systems. These include Alfa DNA (which allows drivers to customise the car’s handling characteristics to suit their own preferences and/or prevailing road conditions), VDC (vehicle dynamic control), DST (dynamic steering torque) and an electronic differential. Despite all the widgets, Alfa has left some space for luggage and describes the 350-litre boot capacity as “capacious”.
With its new Giulietta, Alfa Romeo promises a car that blends everyday comfort with a sporting manner.
by Alex Newman December 7, 2009
Tags: Alfa Giulietta, Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Giulietta, car news
Cars
The new BMW-5 Series has been revealed. A consistent class-leader since it was introduced back in 1972, the sixth-generation of the BMW ‘5’ promises to be every bit as revolutionary as its predecessors.
In its latest offering, BMW has taken everything from the current 7-Series and tucked it all in a slightly more compact package – except it doesn’t get the V12 engine.
The big seller in the new BMW-5 Series is likely to be its 2.0-litre turbodiesel, with 184bhp, 56.5mpg and a CO2 figure of 132g/km. But even the 535i petrol is efficient enough for a combined average of 33.2mpg, and emissions are just 199g/km of CO2.
There are also a load of options on offer, including an eight-speed auto box, a fancy hard drive-based multimedia set-up with integrated iDrive, and an electronic chassis that includes anti-roll and four-wheel-adaptive steering.
All of these features add up to a heavy machine, and even with the lighter body, the overall weight of the new BMW-5 Series is significantly up over the old model. However, BMW’s chassis engineers say the Five will handle better than the 7-Series thanks to better programming.
by Lana Galea November 27, 2009
Tags: BMW, BMW 5-Series, car news, Cars
Cars
Weighing in at just 850kg, the new Japanese sports car, the Suzusho Supasse, has just been launched at the Tokyo Motor Show 2009.
The Supasse is the closest thing on the road equal to the likes of competitive racing cars found on such circuits as Le-Mans. It boasts a 2.3-litre turbo engine with 265bph – a development of the engine used in the Mazda3 MPS - but dispenses with ABS and EBD to tip the scales at just 850kg. As a result, it covers zero to 60mph (97kph) in six seconds, and hits 160mph (258kph) flat-out.
Company boss Tosho Suzuki revealed the car’s badge was conceived by his partner. She declared the two-seater great at overtaking – hence the name ‘Supasse’.
The Suzusho Supasse goes on sale in Japan next summer, priced at 9million Yen (£60,000). But Suzuki said selling the gull-winged sports car globally was unlikely for the foreseeable future.
by Alex Newman October 31, 2009
Tags: car, car news, Cars, Suzuki, Suzusho Supasse, Tokyo Motor Show 2009
Cars
What do you get when Japanese car-makers Toyota and Subaru join forces to create a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe? The all-new Toyota FT-86 – which is set to make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month.
Inspired by the Corolla-based AE86 sports coupe of the 80s, the FT-86 Concept was designed by Toyota’s ED2 global design studio in France. It is powered by a 2.0-litre boxer engine supplied by Subaru, which produces 146bhp, but depending on demand, Toyota is also considering a super-charged version with more power.
When designing the FT-86, the car-makers were after a low centre of gravity and aerodynamics. Hence the FT-86 has a 2+2 seating configuration and measures 416cm in length, 176cm in width, and 126cm in height, with a wheelbase of 257cm.
The FT-86 is labelled a concept, but is expected to reach the road in 2011 alongside a Subaru-badged version. Toyota and Subaru are aiming to keep the cost as low as possible to attract younger drivers to the brand. The coupes should weigh in well under L20,000 when they go on sale in the UK.
by Alex Newman October 6, 2009
Tags: car news, Cars, FT-86, Toyota, Toyota FT-86 Concept
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