Friday, 2 September 2011
Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Concept
Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Concept – input by the champ
You are looking at the Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel version, said to be designed by, and built for, the reigning Formula 1 world champion. It will make its debut in concept form at the upcoming Frankfurt show, and will be revealed by none other than Vettel himself, who is also Infiniti Global Brand Ambassador.
The Vettel-badged FX is the lightest, fastest and most aerodynamic FX yet, “reflecting the World Champion’s desire for a 300 km/h Crossover that he can drive on his home country’s derestricted Autobahn,” according to Infiniti.
Based on the recently facelifted range topping V8-powered FX50S Premium, the FX Sebastian Vettel features changes to engine, suspension and body, with key aerodynamic enhancements implemented with input from Red Bull Racing. The one-off model also has an interior personalised to Seb’s taste.
Volkswagen NILS – one for all, and all for one
Volkswagen NILS – one for all, and all for one
Volkswagen will be showing off NILS, a single-seat electric concept vehicle, in Frankfurt. The compact offering is 50 cm shorter than the Up! at 3.04m long, and is just 0.39m wide from wheel to wheel and a mere 1.2m tall.
The design has the same basic layout as a F1 car, with the driver in the middle, the engine at the back, and free-standing outboard wheels. The vehicle, which features an aluminium space frame, wing doors and free-standing wheels, has a range of 65 km and a top speed of 130 kph.
The 460 kg concept can accelerate to 100 kph in less than 11 seconds, and is powered by a reasonably small electric motor weighing 19 kg offering a nominal 15 kW (and short-term peak power of 25 kW), working with a one-speed transmission.
A 5.3 kWh lithium-ion battery supplies the juice, and can be charged either via a conventional 230V electrical outlet – with a maximum charging time of two hours – or at an electric vehicle charging station. The socket is located at the back underneath the rear lighting module, and all drive unit components are located compactly in an aluminium housing at the rear of NILS; drive is to the rear wheels.
The motor, battery and all other components are so compact that there is still space for a small, but practical, bootspace. The body-coloured area above the rear lighting module swings upward, revealing space suitable for items such as a case of drinks and a bag.
The car features a purely mechanical steering, with the low weight meaning power assistance is unnecessary, says VW. Suspension is double wishbones front and rear, and NILS sits on 17-inch alloys equipped with 115/80 (front) and 125/80 (rear) tyres optimised for low rolling resistance.
There’s ESP, electric traction by electric motor and battery regeneration as well as an automatic distance control system, which uses radar sensors to scan the space in front of the vehicle over a distance of about 200m and uses brake interventions to ensure that the distance to vehicles in traffic in front of the car doesn’t drop below a specified minimum value. Front Assist, which warns the driver of a potential collision, is integrated in the ADC system.
Aluminium features highly in the entire body – the body in white is produced from extruded aluminium, cast aluminium and sheet aluminium, while the roof frame together with the door mounts, a roll bar, the bootspace and the front bulkhead consist of high-strength sheet aluminium.
Elsewhere, extruded aluminium is used in the side sills, the transverse profiles and the front and rear car sections, and the use of the material continues on the front and rear side body. Parts that are made of high-strength plastic include the bumpers and the trim panels on the side sills. The door windows are made of lightweight, scratch-resistant, layered polycarbonate, while the front window is made of laminated safety glass.
Mod cons include a seven-inch TFT display which shows speed and energy flow, while another graphic display offers information on the driving range. The NILS also features the Portable Infotainment Device (PID) mobile multifunctional device as seen in the new up! Snapped into the A-pillar to the right of the instrument cluster, it offers via touchscreen functions related to navigation, radio, media, telephone and trip computer.
To save on weight and costs, certain functional elements and controls do without electrical assistance – the side mirrors, for example, are adjusted manually. The heating and ventilation system has full electronic control though, and there is seat heating. The headlights are bi-xenons, while the indicator lights and daytime running lights are white and yellow LEDs.
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Land Rover Defender DC100 Concept to debut at Frankfurt
Land Rover Defender DC100 Concept to debut at Frankfurt
Is the Land Rover Defender about to get a massive makeover? It sure looks like Land Rover has the intention, with this new Defender DC100 Concept set to make a public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
It’s not a bad idea really, after all, all the passenger car companies are having a field day with modern day retro-futuristic interpretations of their muscle car classics – we now have cool modern versions of cars like the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang. So why can’t Land Rover do the same?
“Replacing the iconic Defender is one of the biggest challenges in the automotive design world; it is a car that inspires people worldwide. This isn’t a production-ready concept but the beginning of a four-year journey to design a relevant Defender for the 21st century,” says Gerry McGovern, Director of Design, Land Rover.
A new Land Rover Defender is set to be launched in 2015. Revising its design is one thing, but what about its construction? WIll Land Rover replace the Defender’s ladder frame construction with a monocoque design?
Ford Evos Concept – four seater fastback C-segment car
Ford Evos Concept – four seater fastback C-segment car
This is the Ford Evos Concept, a four door four seater fastback concept car that will make its public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Ford says the Evos Concept is a showcase of Ford’s first truly global design language, which Ford says is an evolution of the existing kinetic design language found on existing global Ford products like the Fiesta and the new Focus.
The Evos Concept has the length of a C-segment car, but with the width of a CD car, so I suppose you could say it’s about as long as a Focus but as wide as a Mondeo. It’s got a 2,740mm wheelbase. I wonder if producing a fastback like this means Ford is interested to bring a car like the Ford Capri back into its line-up.
We’ve heard such rumors in the past. Other manufacturers have done similar things, resulting in cars like the Scirocco. Two years ago, Ford decided to randomly release a press release about the classic Ford Capri, complete with a long history and file photos.
Like all modern concept cars, things just wouldn’t seem to be complete without some kind of alternative fuel powertrain, so Ford has given the Ford Evos Concept a lithium-ion battery plug-in hybrid system, which Ford says is reflective of the system in the upcoming Ford C-MAX Energi, scheduled for introduction in the US in 2012 and Europe in 2013.
The system allows the vehicle’s electric motor and internal combustion engine to work together or separately to maximise efficiency, making this a full fledged hybrid system instead of just having a simple motor assist system.
Rolling in electric
Rolling in electric – We drive the battery powered Rolls-Royce 102EX a.k.a. Phantom Experimental Electric!
Oil is a finite resource, something we cannot enjoy forever, certainly not at the rate the world is burning today. Downsizing is the “in thing” of the auto industry today, which is producing smaller, more frugal combustion engines alongside hybrid powertrains. What then is the future of a brand like Rolls-Royce, renowned for mega luxury cars with equally big V12s?
Back in February 2010, Rolls-Royce announced the birth of its 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric. As its name suggests, the Phantom EE is a battery powered version of Goodwood’s flagship Phantom, built not to preview an upcoming production model, but to spark debate, and give us a glimpse of what could be the future.
Throughout 2011, the fully functioning and drivable Phantom EE will tour the world to give owners, VIPs, the media and enthusiasts the chance to experience an electric Rolls, gathering feedback for the company in the process. One fundamental question the Phantom EE poses is: Can an all-electric drivetrain deliver an authentic Rolls-Royce experience that customers expect, and an experience that befits the marque?
“After this program, Rolls-Royce will be in the position to make a more informed decision on its future,” Hal Serudin, Rolls-Royce Asia Pacific’s Corporate Communications Manager told us. Our neighbour Singapore, the nation with the highest concentration of millionaires in the world, was the first city on Rolls-Royce’s 102EX International Tour (China and USA are the next stops), and we were lucky to be among the first in the world to sample the electric Phantom, of which only one unit exists at present.
Lotus six-pack set for Frankfurt
Lotus six-pack set for Frankfurt, with three new models, two new options and a special limited edition on list
SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 AT 2:19 PM FILED UNDER CARS, INTERNATIONAL NEWS,LOTUS
Click to enlarge
Plenty of action from Group Lotus at Frankfurt later this month, with no less than six items on the agenda, of which the Evora GTE limited special edition seen above is one.
Touted by the company as the most powerful Lotus road car ever built, the GTE turns out 444 PS from its race-developed engine. It’s also 105 kg lighter than the base Evora, the weight reduction accomplished with liberal use of carbon fibre, with all the bodywork modifications including the front and rear bumpers, the rear wing and the doors utilising the stuff.
The car was originally designed as a special limited edition for the Asian market, but the company says that Evora GTE production will be expanded to meet demand and reach further markets. As Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar puts it, “The response to this model in China has been so incredible, within days we had sold out with 114 orders. In response we decided that the only logical step from a business perspective was to increase production and widen our reach.”
In addition to the Evora GTE, Frankfurt will also see the debut of three new models, with one of these being the Elise S, which replaces the Elise SC. The car features a new 1.8l supercharged engine offering 220 PS and improved throttle response, among other things.
No details about the other two cars, with only hints to suggest – one is said to be one of the quickest road cars Lotus has ever built and the other marks the return of Lotus to another adrenalin-filled motorsport discipline.
Elsewhere, the last two items on the list are new options – the 1.6l Elise gets a SPS (Serial Precision Shift) gearbox option, which utilises new lightweight robotised automated manual transmission technology to allow the driver to switch between manual and automatic driving modes via paddles fixed to the steering column.
The second new option is IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift), which will be found on the supercharged Evora S, offering the versatility of an automatic gearbox. The optional paddle shift mode allows the driver the full and uncompromised Evora S experience with the added bonus of switching to automatic mode. The S IPS will feature in the Evora model year 2012 line-up, which the company says features significant quality improvements following extensive development work and feedback.
Audi S6, S7, S8 gets new twin turbo 4.0L V8 TFSI engine
Audi S6, S7, S8 gets new twin turbo 4.0L V8 TFSI engine
SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 AT 4:17 PM FILED UNDER 2011 FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW, AUDI,CARS
Another big displacement normally aspirated engine bites the dust – this time it’s the normally aspirated 5.2 liter V10 FSI engine found in models like the Audi S6 and S8.
Audi will be replacing it with a new twin turbocharged 4.0 liter V8, making 420 PS and 550Nm of torque from as low as 1,400rpm all the way to 5,300rpm. This tune of the engine will be installed in the S6 and the S7. This engine is mated to a 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch transmission. The S6 and S7 also comes with adaptive air suspension to improve the cars’ versatility in providing both comfort and handling.
In the S8, the same 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 is tuned to produce more power – 520 PS and 650Nm of torque from between 1,700rpm to 5,500rpm. This should be an absolutely cracker to drive! In the S8, the engine is mated to a regular automatic transmission instead of a dual clutch, which should provide a smoother drive. The auto has a total of 8 gears.
Other than your usual direct injection and turbocharger technology, the new 4.0 liter V8 also has cylinder deactivation where four cylinders can be shut off under part load to conserve fuel. To keep the engine sounding good under the cylinder shut-off mode, Audi uses Active Noise Cancellation where four microphones integrated into the headlining record the noise in the cabin and cancels out any intrusive sound elements using an anti phase broadcast through the car’s speaker system.
I wonder if Audi will extend the use of this new engine to the Audi R8 as well. Will Audi put this new 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 into the Audi R8 V10′s engine bay?
These new range of Audi S cars will be exhibited to the public for the first time at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. This year’s Frankfurt show looks like it’s going to be seriously busy – it’s going to keep us on our toes for sure! Enjoy a small gallery after the jump.
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