Mercedes Benz C250 CDI BlueEfficiency
Posted on September 28th, 2008
Positioned between the C220 CDI and C320 CDI, the C250 CDI Merc is a four cylinder turbodiesel engine, hence the CDI, that produces 204 horsepower and 500Nm of torque. With the added twin turbochargers, the engine has almost the same power found on the V6 turbodiesel found on the C320 CDI but manages to be more efficient with a combined 5.2 liters per 100km.
The special Prime Edition limited run can be ordered in obsidian black, palladium silver or iridium silver. There is also a special diamond white metallic paint available as a special order. But Mercedes Benz will be selling only 5,000 units of these OM651-powered C-Class.
Source: Paul Tan
Tags: benz, blueefficiency, c-class, c220, c250, c320, c350, cdi, diesel, merc, mercedes
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Suzuki updates their WagonR and WagonR Stingray
Posted on September 27th, 2008
Suzuki, a long time manufacturer of kei-cars in Japan has recently revealed an updated model of their best selling model, the WagonR. Freshing it up with a little touch on the exterior the car now actually sits on a new platform where the overall vehicle stability has been further improved for better road holding, hence, it is quite evident that the car has a longer wheelbase. Suzuki also said that the NVH has also been improved.
Mechanically concerned, the WagonR still has the same 660cc Turbocharged engine mated with 4 or 5 speed automatic gearbox or CVT.
Pictures:
WagonR
WagonR Stingray
Source: NihonCar
Tags: kei, keicar, Suzuki, wagonr
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Posted on September 21st, 2008
Porsche Panamera on left
FIRST OFFICIAL PHOTOS of the Porsche Panamera Gran Turismo appeared on the internet - a teaser picture of the new car’s nose.
The Panamera benifits from its 60 years of Porsche experience lineage, but Porsche plans to take it further by adding more practicality. The Panamera combines this sporting character and dynamic driving quality with superior comfort and interior accommodation for four adults.
More photos will be posted in the future. The real car will be unveiled in the Geneva Motor Show this March of 2009.
Tags: Gran Turismo, GT, Panamera, Porsche
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Tesla plans for all-electric Luxury Sedan in California
Posted on September 21st, 2008
Tesla Motors plans to invest $250 million facility in California to manufacture a zero-emission luxury sedan. Beginning summer of 2009, the 89-acre site will be put into construction and employ approximately 1,000 workers when it is already fully-functional. Tesla President and CEO Ze’ev Drori also announced their relocation of its headquarters to San Jose, California, just 20 miles from the current headquarters in San Carlos.
MODEL S
Tesla’s Model S is another all-electric vehicle but in a luxury sedan form. It will carry five passengers, zero-emission, and a base price of 60,000 USD. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that enables the car to run 240 miles in a single charge. Like the Tesla Roadster, the Model S will also boast exceptional performance to compete against its gasoline-fed competitors. Tesla expects to produce this car by late 2010.
Tags: electric, Electric Cars, ev, model s, roadster, tesla
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Saab unveils new 9-X Air Concept
Posted on September 20th, 2008
Saab has just released a picture of their latest future car, the 9-X Air Concept which will be unveiled this October at the famous Paris Motor Show. The 9-X is the future of Saab hairdresser/dryer line.
The Saab 9-X has a unique prominent air pillars which curves upwards to mount the flat-folding roof. Anthony Lo, Director of Advanced Design at General Motors Europe said of the car: “Like her sister the 9-X BioHybrid, this car is all about efficiency in design and performance. It offers important benefits in weight-saving and packaging as well as giving us the freedom to take convertible design forward.”
Tags: concept, convertible, Saab
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BMW confirms 200 mile urban electric car
Posted on September 15th, 2008
Autocar.uk has reported BMW’s plan to produce an urban electric car for the European and American market that was initially revealed in their April issue. Now, the CEO Norbert Reithofer has confirmed it will push through.
“It’ll be a car with a completely new look, with two engines available. One will be a very efficient combustion engine and the other will be a purely electric model,” Reithofer told the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit.
The electric-powered small car will meet Californian regulations in which fuel cell or battery-powered vehicle must have a range of over 200 miles by 2012. It’s frugal but clean diesel-powered sibling for the European market is still being predicted to be the best seller.
Also, BMW is still undecided to which the car will be badged since their plans of launching another brand that will represent its ‘green’ qualities. The launch of the new brand is also rumored to carry the Isetta models.
Tags: BMW, diesel, electric, isetta, urban
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Audi’s Coast to Coast driving
Posted on September 15th, 2008
Audi has a lot of plans to market their new clean diesels to be available in US early next year. Part of their plan is by demonstrating its frugality by hosting a cross-state mileage marathon with a fleet of 23 TDI-powered Audi’s being driven by motor journalist around the world as they try to beat each others skills and knowledge about driving habits for fuel efficiency. Of course, the highest mile achieved on a single tank will win the marathon.
The marathon will start in New York and will end in Los Angeles. It is a two-week event (October 5-20) that will cover a total of 4,800 miles participated by 184 participants. They will driving Audi’s Q7, Q5, A4 equipped with a 3.0L V6 TDI and the A3 with a 2.0L inline-4 TDI engine similar to Volkswagne Jetta TDI.
The event will also mark the debut of Audi’s new baby SUV, the Q5. The Q7 on the other hand will be sold in the US with a 3.0L V6 TDI engine early next year, and by mid-next year will be followed by the Q5 with a 3.2L gasoline-fed V6.
The Q7 met the strictest requirements allowing it to pass all 50 American states. The new exhaust aftertreatment system also made it pass the EURO-VI emission requirements.
Tags: a3, a4, audi, diesel, q5, q7
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Mini Cooper Crossover Concept revealed
Posted on September 15th, 2008
A picture above will be the look of Mini’s new SUV for 2010. A proof that BMW is interested in building another SUV (despite of the slow sales) that has strong credentials to the sporty Mini Cooper. It will debut next month at Paris Motor Show.
It is six inches wider and taller than a Mini Clubman, so don’t expect to be mini like a ‘Mini’. It has passed its 4 meter barrier at 4050mm long and 1830mm wide and 1598mm tall. BMW also decided to produce the Mini 4×4 in their Magna Steyr’s Austrian factory.
Exterior comments. No more of that ambulance doors which the Clubman has, instead, the Mini Crossover has one big door hinged on the the right side beside the tail lamp. The grille is more massive and the headlamps is more expressive.
The close-to-production vehicle will be shown next years’ Frankfurt Motor Show and will start selling by 2010 with prices at around £18,000.
Click to enlarge pictures.
Tags: clubman, cooper, Mini, s
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2010? Mitsubishi Legnum Rendering
Posted on September 9th, 2008
Some talented lad over at ‘Galantfans’ forum decided to make some very nice rendering of what he thinks will be the future of Mitsubishi’s Legnum or simply a Galant/Lancer Wagon (for some countries). He even manage to add a VR4 badge which makes this picture very exciting.
According to the source, they think it was ‘chopped off’ from an estate version of a VW Passat, while the front remained unchanged (except for the added VR4 badge), the alloy wheels also looked chopped from a BMW M5 and a taste of an Audi RS4, as evidenced by that bold wheel arches. It seems pretty nice, a nice addition to the Lancer line-up since the sedan has poor baggage space.
Please check out there forum here.
Source: Galantforums via Carscoop
Tags: 4wd, evo, galant, lancer, legnum, Mitsubishi, rally, shark, sharkie, vr4, wagon, x
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Mitsubishi reveals Dakar 2009 details
Posted on September 9th, 2008
After receiving the news from Mitsubishi reporting that their ‘Racing Lancer’ will be unveiled this coming Paris Motor Show, the company has finally shed some words of their participation for the 2009 Dakar Rally.
The race will be played by four ‘Racing Lancers’ powered by Mitsubishi’s latest V6 Diesel that produces 206kW and 650 nM of torque mated with a 5 speed sequential gearbox. Of course, behind the wheel will be AutomobileScoop writers’ fan Stephane Peterhansel (France), Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan), Luc Alphand (France), and Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (Spain).
The ‘Racing Lancer’ and its drivers will be followed by two T4 6×6 support trucks together that will carry its mechanics, tires, and spare parts to supply in an event of a problem. Two new Pajero/Montero Sport will also take part in support for the team.
Even though this coming Dakar will no longer take part in Africa, the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team will face a new territory in South America securing its first-ever victory on a diesel-fed vehicle for its 13th success.
The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, is in partenership with Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich.
Source: Mitsubishi
Press Release
Tokyo, September 8, 2008 — Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and its motor sport unit, the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, in association with its partners Repsol, Valeo and BFGoodrich - will enter the new, turbodiesel ‘Racing Lancer’ in next year’s Dakar Rally which will take competitors through Argentina and Chile from Saturday January 3 until Sunday January 18, 2009.
The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team is poised to kick off its first full season using turbocharged diesel power with a four-car entry on the 2009 Dakar. The team’s bid will be spearheaded by its latest cross-country rally car, the new Racing Lancer.
The four-car driver line-up is the same as that which has represented the team on this annual cross-country rally since 2005, namely Stephane Peterhansel (France), Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan), Luc Alphand (France), and Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (Spain).
The 31st Dakar Rally will see the event switch to fresh territory in South America where Mitsubishi’s foursome will be looking to secure not only its first-ever victory with a diesel powered car, but also the company’s 13th success - including a run of seven successive wins since 2001- at this event.
The Racing Lancer will be officially unveiled on Thursday October 2 at the 2008 Paris Motor Show (Paris Expo, Paris, France) which opens to the public from Saturday, October 4 until Sunday, October 19. It will be displayed alongside the ‘Lancer Sportback’ upon which it is based and which is due to go on sale across Europe this autumn.
- The 2009 Dakar
Following deterioration in the security situation in West Africa, which has traditionally served as backdrop to the Dakar, the event organisers have chosen to switch to the South American continent for next year’s event.The 2009 rally is due to start in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires on Saturday, January 3 before striking south to the South Atlantic resort of Puerto Madrine. The route will then head west over the dusty trails up and over the Andes Mountains.
Competitors will benefit from a rest day in the historic Chilean Pacific port of Valparaiso on Saturday January 10, with competition resuming the following day, taking them north to the Atacama Desert, then back across the Andes and into Argentina again. After a stopover in Argentina’s second-biggest city, Cordoba, the 9,000km loop will end with the official finish in Buenos Aires on Sunday January 18.
Although precise details of the itinerary have yet to be released, the total stage distance is expected to amount to approximately 6,000km, with non-paved surfaces - including sand - accounting for 90 per cent of this figure.
The maximum number of entries has been set at 560, including 275 motorbikes and quads, 200 cars and 85 trucks.
- Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team
The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team is directed by Dominique Serieys (France), himself a previous Dakar winner with the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero as a co-driver in 1993. The technical side of the operation is directed Thierry Viardot (France) with the support of engineers from Mitsubishi Motors.Efficient organisation can make the difference between victory and defeat on the Dakar. The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team’s logistical operation - which includes looking after the movements and needs of the team’s 15 vehicles and 65 staff members - is the responsibility of David Serieys (France).
Two T4 6×6 vehicles carrying mechanics, tires, and spare parts plus equipment will follow the same itinerary as the competitors, ready to intervene should one of the four Racing Lancers encounter a problem. In addition to the race trucks, the team’s fleet consists of 8 SUVs for the transport of personnel and management staff, 5 T5 trucks also carrying tires, spare parts and equipment. These vehicles follow via an alternative route.
Two of these SUVs will be cross-country ‘Pajero Sport’ models, which is due to go on sale, this autumn, across the ASEAN nations, the Middle East, Central America, Oceania, and Russia.
The Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team’s line-up for the 2009 Dakar is Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France), Hiroshi Masuoka/Pascal Maimon (Japan/France), Stephane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) and Joan ‘Nani’ Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain).
Luc Alphand took up motor sport following a glittering career in Alpine skiing which saw him win the 1997 World Cup. He made his Dakar debut in 1998 and joined Mitsubishi in 2004, winning the event outright two years later in 2006 with Pajero/Montero Evolution.
Hiroshi Masuoka took wins in the Production class on the 1990 and 1994 Dakar events before making the move up to the discipline’s premier category in 2000. He took successive outright wins on the event with the Pajero and the Pajero/Montero Evolution in 2002 and 2003.
After securing six Dakar wins on motorbikes, Stephane Peterhansel switched to four-wheelers in 1999 and joined Mitsubishi in 2002. Driving the Pajero/Montero Evolution, he added three further Dakar successes to his record in 2004, 2005 and 2007, earning himself the nickname ‘Monsieur Dakar’.
Like Peterhansel, Joan ‘Nani’ Roma came to four-wheel competition after a successful career on motorbikes. He was the European Enduro Champion in 1994 and first contested the Dakar in 1996. After winning the motorbike category outright in 2004, he switched to four wheels the following year, competing in a Mitsubishi. A year later, he took part in the 2006 Dakar as part of the works squad and finished third in his Pajero/Montero Evolution.
- The new Mitsubishi ‘Racing Lancer’
The motor sport department of Mitsubishi Motors and MMSP both contributed to the development of the Racing Lancer which complies with the Group T1 regulations of the FIA (motor sport’s international governing body: Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) introduced in 2002. The firm’s latest cross-country rally car, which has been designed to take onboard the new super production regulations when they come into force in 2010, has benefited extensively from the experience acquired with the Pajero/Montero Evolution.The development of the turbo-diesel engine began in April 2006 before being grafted into a Pajero/Montero Evolution for testing purposes in June 2007. Development of the body began in August 2007 and the first Racing Lancer was completed in June 2008. This car was put through its paces during one-week test sessions in Spain and Morocco, as well as over typical cross-country rally terrain in France. Based on the data collected during these tests, further sessions were organized in Morocco at the end of August/early September plus another two weeks in October prior to the Racing Lancer’s debut on the sixth round of the FIA Cross-Country Baja International Cup, the Baja Portalegre (Thursday, October 30 to Sunday, November 2).
The Racing Lancer is based on a new multi-tubular steel frame. The team has taken particular care to minimize weight, while the additional space freed up by the longer wheelbase - a decision based on the regulations due to come into force in 2010 - has enabled the gas tank to be positioned lower in the car and has consequently brought down the centre of gravity. Handling has also been improved thanks to the new location of the spare tires which ensures enhanced control of the moment of inertia.
Mitsubishi Motors’s design department was responsible for the body styling which uses carbon panels based on the design of the Lancer Sportback. The design was finalized after validation of the new car’s aerodynamic performance in a wind tunnel.
The powerful 3-liter V6 diesel engine features a two-stage turbocharger which positions a small and large turbine configuration on each side of engine, working with both the small and large turbine according to engine revolution and load.
Peak torque is 66.3kgfm (650Nm), while maximum power currently stands at 280PS (206kW), although this figure is expected to increase as development work continues. The cooling system of the intercooler is positioned at the rear of the car and is fed by the characteristic roof-mounted air scoop.
The V6 engine is fed through a manual Ricardo five-speed sequential gearbox engineered to cope with the high torque delivered by the powerplant. The Racing Lancer’s permanent four-wheel drive transmission features the same self-locking differential as that used for Pajero/Montero Evolution.
Both the front and rear suspension systems feature extensively revised geometry and are both based on a double wishbone layout with coil springs, anti-roll bars and uprated BOS dampers which can be adjusted through a broader range. The car runs on BFGoodrich’s new low-energy 245/80-16 cross-country rally tires and OZ aluminum alloy wheels (16×7JJ). The vented 16-inch brake discs are coupled with six-piston Brembo calipers.
- Specifications: Racing Lancer
OVERALL LENGTH 4475mm OVERALL WIDTH 1990mm WHEELBASE 2900mm FRONT/ REAR TRACK 1750mm/1750mm OVERALL WEIGHT 1900kg ENGINE MODEL 6-cylinder Turbodiesel 24-Valve
with dry-sump oil systemFUEL SYSTEM Common rail high pressure injection DISPLACEMENT 2997cc MAXIMUM OUTPUT 206kw (280 PS), 650Nm (66.3 kgfm) FUEL TANK CAPACITY undecided TRANSMISSION 5-speed ‘Ricardo’-type, sequential shift gearbox
and mechanical gear selection4WD system full time, mechanical center diff lock Front diff ‘Ricardo’ self-locking differential Rear diff ‘Ricardo’ self-locking differential SUSPENSION Front Independent, double wishbones, coil spring Rear Independent, double wishbones, coil spring
and anti-roll bar systemDAMPERS ‘BOS’ fully-adjustable damping WHEEL STROKE 250 mm front and rear STEERING Power-assisted rack and pinion BRAKES ‘BREMBO’ Front and rear Ventilated discs with
6-piston calipersWHEELS ‘OZ’ aluminum (7JJ x 16) TIRES BF Goodrich (245/80 - 16) OTHERS Aeronautic steel multi-tubular frame, Honeycomb body
floor and carbon fiber body- Measures in favour of the environment
Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart will be taking a range of measures to reduce its environmental impact for the 2009 Dakar.The competing Racing Lancers will feature advanced diesel technology, including high pressure injection and low compression ratios. The cars will run on a fuel mix that includes biodiesel*1, a carbon-neutral*2 alternative fuel, while green plastic*3 has been employed for several components including high frequency consumption parts as front bumper corners, mud guards, etc.
Repsol sees the arrival of diesel power for the Racing Lancer as an ideal opportunity to bring its latest research developments into efficient fuels in general and non-food sourced biodiesel in particular to the table. The Spanish-based oil and gas firm’s efforts in this field contributed to its recent nomination as a ‘Gold Class’ company in the Sustainability Yearbook 2008 compiled by Pricewaterhouse Coopers and Sustainable Asset Management (SAM), an independent company tasked with conducting the annual assessments for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
Valeo green technologies’ experience of automotive systems and electronics proved invaluable during the development of the ‘Racing Lancer’s’ cooling system which uses the UltimateCoolingTM architecture. Valeo’s input also concerned the LED daytime running lights, rear lights and roof-mounted stop light which are more efficient since producing less heat, consume significantly less energy - and therefore less fuel - and are longer lasting.
MMSP will benefit from the latest BFGoodrich-developed ”All Terrain” tire (245/80-16) which boasts both versatility and durability. It is ideal for the sort of mixed, hostile terrain and long competitive distances found in cross-country rallying in general and on the 2009 Dakar in particular. The BFGoodrich’s ”All Terrain” ’s characteristics and new dimension ensure low rolling resistance, as well as a more comfortable ride. It also stronger with a view to shrugging off the risk of punctures.
*1 Biodiesel: an alternative fuel made using vegetable matter (non-food vegetable matter in this case). *2 Carbon neutral: total carbon dioxide emissions across the full lifecycle are offset by carbon dioxide absorbed during the production process. In the case of biofuel, vegetable matter absorbs CO2 through photosynthesis as it grows. *3 Green plastic: carbon-neutral vegetable-based resins employed instead of oil-based resins.
Tags: 2009, 4wd, alphand, automobilescoop, carlos, dakar, diesel, joan, lancer, luc, masuoka, Mitsubishi, pajero, peterhansel, racinglancer, rally, roma, sainz, stephane, toureg, v6
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