BMW I3 WALLPARERS

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Chevrolet Ugur Sahin’s Sexy Corvette

Dutch industrial designers Ugur Sahin Design have taken the wraps off the romantically named Soleil Anandi, a gorgeous-looking coupe / concept based on the group’s Z03 Concept of 2007. This latest effort takes the taut lines of the Z03 Concept and refines them in a spectacular – and apparently production-ready – fashion.

With its forward raked and blacked out rump, sculptured flanks and shark-like nose, the Anandi incorporates Corvette styling cues both past and present. Think of it as a modern day interpretation of the Stingray of the 1960s. And what a better place to present it than in Monaco which has a reputation for offering the most exclusive and exotic goods and services to the uber-rich.
Ugur Sahin’s coach-built creation will make its public debut at the 2011 Top Marques Show in Monaco on April 14 before going into limited production. As is to be expected, there’s no word on price or production numbers at this stage, though Carscoop hopes to keep its readers in the loop.

GALLERY

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

MINI-E: Showing Off on Earth Day

During the past 22 months with #250 I've had a lot of opportunities to talk about the MINI-E to friends, strangers, the press and even display the car at "Green" events. I try to bring the car to all the events that ask me to come, as I really think I am obligated to do what I can to help promote electric cars since I was one of the lucky few that was selected to be in the MINI-E program. Unfortunately some are just too far away or on days that I just cannot miss work. I actually like bringing the car to these events and talking to people there. They have all kinds of questions about EV's and I definitely have a audience that is interested in electric vehicles and would be the target market for EV manufacturers.

With Earth Day celebrations approaching, I have been asked to bring the car to places that I just cannot go, like Massachusetts and even Maryland. While it may be physically possible for me to find places to charge along the way, it would just take too much time to make the trip reasonable. So if anyone is organizing an Earth Day event in North or Central New Jersey or even New York City and would like a MINI-E there on display, send me a message and perhaps I can bring #250 along and show her off!

#250 at a Green Transportation Expo in Florham Park, NJ last fall

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Mercedes S 350

Mercedes-Benz has announced that the S 350 BlueTEC will be offered from now on with a standard ECO start/stop function. As a result, average fuel economy is rated at 6.2 liters/100 km (37.93 mpg US), down 9 percent from an already impressive –for the size and type of car- 6.8 liters/100 km (34.59 mpg US).
The 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine develops 258 horsepower and 620 Nm of torque (457.3 lb-ft). This unit already complies with the Euro 6 emissions standard that goes into effect from 2014 onwards, thanks to BlueTEC technology with AdBlue exhaust treatment. The start/stop system helps improving the efficiency of the S-Class even further, with CO2 emissions dropping from 177 to 164 grams per kilometer.
The ECO start/stop technology switches the engine off when the vehicle comes to a halt and starts it again as soon as the driver takes his foot off the brake pedal. Even with the engine stopped, all of the car's functions and comfort systems continue to operate thanks to the intelligent control system.
Mercedes has managed to make the V6 diesel engine more fuel-efficient through the use of TWAS (twin-wire-arc-sprayed) coating technology. Pioneered by AMG on the 6.3-liter V8 petrol engine, this solution has now been applied to the diesel engine in the S 350 BlueTEC, with interesting results: this technology alone contributes to a 3 percent lower fuel consumption, while also reducing the engine weight by 4.3 kilograms.
The price of the updated S 350 BlueTEC model remains unchanged at €76,517 or $110,445 at current exchange rates, including 19% VAT in Germany..

Gallery

Ford Crafts 2011

Continuing a tradition that dates back to the 1970’s with the creation of the GT40-based Supervan 1, Ford has lifted the wraps off the next evolution of its SportVan bloodline, the one-off Transit SuperSportVan (SSV). Revealed on Tuesday at the Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC in the UK, the SSV combines the smallest body available in the Transit lineup with the biggest diesel in the range.
Ford’s flagship 3.2-litre inline-five turbo diesel engine was shoehorned into a short wheelbase Transit, for maximum power-to-weight ratio. The 3.2 TDCi unit, normally found in bigger Transit models like the 4.25 tonnes Transit Jumbo, delivers 200-horsepower and a maximum torque of 470Nm (346.7 lb-ft) at 1700-2500 rpm. The inline-five is hooked up to a six-speed gearbox.
In comparison, the standard Transit SportVan is based on the popular 260, short wheelbase model with front wheel drive, a 140HP 2.2-litre TDCi diesel engine and a six-speed transmission.
Aside from the powertrain changes, the Transit SSV features several exterior upgrades such as the Le Mans-style bonnet stripes, twin exhausts, deep-dish white alloy wheels wrapped around low profile 235/45 tires, front and rear lower spoilers, side skirts and extended wheel arches.
Steve Clary, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, had this to say about the SSV: "[The] Transit has a strong reputation for its robustness and practicality. We wanted to add some contemporary fun and also showcase our engineers’ skill and enthusiasm. SuperSportVan demonstrates just how far you can go with a white Transit van by mixing and matching regular technology in a different way."
Ford was quick to point out that the Transit SSV is a one-off study and that is has no plans to present a production version.

2012 Cadillac SRX

Less than two years after the market introduction of the new Cadillac SRX in North America in the summer of 2009, and General Motors has gone ahead and improved its premium crossover for the 2012 model year with a more powerful six-cylinder engine and additional equipment features.
The highlight for the 2012 Cadillac SRX is of course the new 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 engine with 300HP and 260 lb.-ft. (353 Nm) of torque, which replaces the current 3.0-liter direct-injected V6 engine with 265HP and 223 lb.-ft (302 Nm).
In addition to the higher output, GM says the new engine has a wider rpm range for its maximum torque while it also adds FlexFuel capability, meaning it can use either gasoline, E85 ethanol or any combination of the two. Performance figures and fuel economy ratings have not yet been finalized.
Other improvements on the 2012 model year SRX include standard Bluetooth phone connectivity on all models, a heated steering wheel on the luxury, performance and premium trim levels and door lock switches on the driver and passenger door panels. In addition, the 2012 SRX gains a new machined-face finish on the 20-inch wheels, which are standard on performance and premium trim levels.
The new SRX, which will be offered in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, will arrive at Cadillac dealerships in late summer with pricing to be announced closer to the start of production.