Archive for January, 2009
Aston Martin to put up a good fight in Le Mans
Looking at the Gulf badge wrapped around the new Aston Martin Le Mans car, you can’t help but think about Steve McQueen winning Le Mans (1971) with the Porsche Gulf. Though the body can be deceiving, the internal mechanics and outer aerodynamics of these machines have changed since 1971 and Aston Martin wants in. They have announced plans to overtake Audi’s TDi (Diesel) machines at Le Mans this year. This comes after celebrating their 50th anniversary of an outright win at Le Mans.
“2009 is a hugely significant year for Aston Martin at Le Mans and the challenge of reclaiming victory in this famous race for Aston Martin and Great Britain was simply too great to ignore, “According to Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards, “However, we do not underestimate the task. While we have won the GT1 class for the last two years, competing against the proven speed and endurance of the diesel-powered cars with all their years of winning the prototype class will be a massive undertaking. Nonetheless, I see this as a great opportunity to showcase the ingenuity of British engineering talent.”
What David Richards is trying to emphasize is what simple science dictates, that diesel cars can run longer on 40 gallons of diesel compared to a petrol engine on the same amount of petrol, meaning less time spent refueling. His optimism though, is fueled by the fact that new regulations in place have restricted power in diesel cars losing 10% of their power as opposed to their petrol counterparts’ facing a 3% restriction.
The car will be powered by a powerful V12 petrol engine and the sexy body work is handcrafted for aerodynamic superiority. New regulations dictate that KERS-like technology can be used in the cars, but will not be classified till 2010. With motor sports facing a bleak future, it’s quite the opposite as out of the 55 places allowed in the race, 88 legitimate entries have been made, and 50% were for the top prototype categories LM P1 and LM P2.
If you’re bored of Formula 1 and its overpaid drivers, then switch on to Le Mans were drivers are highly trained and understand the meaning of team work. The 24 hour Le Mans endurance race is held in a tiny town called Le Mans [ləmɑ̃] on the 13th – 14th June. Another option is the Le Mans Series which is a contested Championship separate from the 24 hour endurance,that starts on the 5th of April and is held around tracks across Europe the first being Cataluña in Spain. Other Championship includes the American Le Mans Series.
Kia launches the new Cerato Forte for the Singaporean market!
Kia is definitely heading the right direction in terms of vehicle design with the Kia Soul and the recently previewed Soul’ster concept, and now this upward trend continues with the new Kia Cerato Forte which has been launched for local market.
Two trim options are available including the EX and the SX, as well as two engine and transmission options. It measures 4530mm long, 1775mm wide and 1460mm high with a wheel base of 2650mm, making it slightly longer than the Hyundai Avante by 30 mm. It is also lower in terms of height by about 30mm which helps give it a sportier stance. Wheelbase is similar with the other Korean car. The Forte is also 30 mm longer, 40 mm wider and 10 mm lower than its predecessor.
Continue reading for the full report and to view an image/video gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Ssangyong suppliers face massive bankruptcies
About 1,000 parts-suppliers for Korea’s fifth largest auto maker; Ssangyong are now facing massive bankruptcies as the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, which utilized the services of the Financial Services Commission decided not to offer financial aid to the suppliers, leaving these companies to seek help from their respective creditors.
The government is concerned that by offering financial assistance to Ssangyong’s suppliers, it could be seen as providing special favors which in return can cause protests from other struggling businesses in the country.
Ssangyong which had difficulties keeping up with payments to its suppliers is currently under bankruptcy protection via a court receivership. It was revealed that by next month, the courts will decide whether to place the auto maker under a debt workout program or simply liquidate it.
Ssangyong has however issued bills that mature within two to six months to its suppliers which has proved to be useless to the suppliers since the claim cannot be processed at the moment due to the court receivership. Recently, the Korean auto maker announced that it will resume production at its Pyeongtaek and Changwon factories in Korea on Monday.
Production Mini Crossover to hit the Frankfurt Motor Show!
Just like other auto makers, the “CUV” term has also been applied on the Mini, which is this case called the Mini Crossover. The concept version of the Mini with a higher ground clearance was previewed at the Paris Motor Show and since then BMW has decided to continue with its plans to get the crossover into production, and now, according to Inside Line, you can expect the CUV to be launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year.
Only details available now apart from the increased ground clearance is an optional 4WD system equipped with a low range transfer box. I don’t know about you but if have one, I don’t think I will ever take it to forest trails. However, expect BMW to let lose of the unconventional rear door and continue with a standard tail gate for the production model. BMW has also assured that just like the affordable Mini One Clubman, this crossover version will still feature handling dynamics of the typical Mini, even with it sitting a little higher.
Sayonara to the S2000 with the final Honda S2000 Ultimate Edition
After 10 glorious years, the little car with a high revving engine, low stance and near perfect handling will be put to rest as Honda announced that production of the Honda S2000 worldwide will be terminated by June this year. The Japanese auto manufacturer also revealed that there will not be a replacement model for the S2000, after shelving plans to produce the new Honda NSX and halting its Formula 1 project, which till now is still up for sale.
To pay tribute to the S2000, Honda revealed that it will launch a final S2000 Ultimate Edition at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show next month and that this last variant will be offered till June this year. This new model will still feature the same high revving 240HP 2.0 liter engine and transmission as the standard S2000 but it will be treated to a special Grand Prix White body colour which represents Honda’s 1964 Formula 1 car, a gorgeous red interior, color-matched stitching as well as numbered door sill plaques.
Continue reading to view an image of the interior. Read the rest of this entry.
Convertible Mini gets a wash through an automatic car wash – Video!
The weekend is here, so to help kick start it with a laugh, here is a “step-by-step” guide on how NOT to wash your convertible Mini! I feel bad for the car, but this video is a must see!
Continue reading to watch the hilarious video! Read the rest of this entry.
BMW Z10 EfficientDynamics Concept
The ‘copper’ coloured sports car you see above was first rumored to be a small, 2 seater roadster with BMW’s EffecientDynamics carrying the eDrive badge. The concept which is expected to feature a kidney grille design from the CS Concept, will be treated to a very composed and aggressive front end and instead of a typical windscreen, the concept will feature a speedster styled screen which will continue on the roof and rear.
On the inside, the concept will be treated to an individual cabin layout where the aluminium metal skin will join the dashboard to separate the driver and passenger. It was first designated as the BMW Z Vision concept. Recently, questions have emerged regarding its future; whether it will be a high end super car, or a more affordable performance car?
According to insider information, the new concept, now renamed as the BMW Z10 EfficientDynamics which will be based on 1 Series platform is expected to be powered by a ‘greener’ high-pressure turbocharged direct-injection inline 6 kicking 400 hp coupled with a 7 speed dual-clutch transmission and to carry other EffecientDynamic functions such as engine start-stop, an integrated generator and even a brake energy regeneration system modified to store energy in a lithium-ion battery pack.
The insider information also revealed that the production version will be built on a limited production run and to be priced about 80,000 Pounds. Also expect the concept to be previewed later this year in Frankfurt or Tokyo.
McLaren’s upcoming P11 supercar: Spyshot & Video!
What you see above is a spyshot image of the upcoming McLaren P11 super car which is suppose to be the legendary McLaren F1’s smaller sibling, courtesy of Car Mag UK. The McLaren P11 which is set to take on cars such as Ferrari’s F430 will carry a more affordable price tag compared to the F1 and is expected to be produced between a low to mid production volume.
The spyshot was taken in Sweden, where the P11 was escorted by a number of rented Volvo back up vehicles, which I am sure was to prevent spyshots such as this to be taken in the first place. An official launch is expected in 2010 for the V8 powered super car, meanwhile enjoy a 5-second long spy video of the McLaren P11.
Continue reading to watch the video. Read the rest of this entry.
