2010

Rabu, 09 Juni 2010

Panoz Abruzzi 'Spirit of Le Mans'

After the initial teaser image of the Panoz Abruzzi - which was published at the start of May 2010, Panoz has unleashed three more pictures which the reveal the car in greater detail, and from all angles, except inside and under the hood.

Panoz have yet to reveal the full details of the drivetrain, and so far the only facts are a 600 hp power output and a torque figure of 590 ft-lbs (800Nm). As you'd expect from such a car, all the power is sent to the rear wheels.

While Panoz have kept quiet about the Abruzzi's exact power source, they've previously relied on Ford-sourced engines for their other models. So there's a good chance they'll return to Ford for their latest model, especially as the Abruzzi just looks a bit like a tarted up and revised Panoz Esperante. Despite the swoops, curves and classic proportions, the Abruzzi has ended up looking a bit weird. It's different, I'll give it that, but its no beauty queen.

The rear wheel arches start off with a graceful arc which somehow turns into a sharp point that give the car the appearance of having a weighty and drooping rear overhang. And up front the double-decker spoiler is pretty cool looking, but at the same time it looks a bit amateurish.

There's no faulting the high-tech construction however, and all the Abruzzi's body panels are formed from lightweight carbon fiber. 81 Abruzzi's are scheduled to be built. The number corresponds to the number of Le Mans 24 Hour races which have been held since the first race in 1923. The Panoz Abruzzi has been approved for roads in Europe, the Middle East, South America and certain countries in Asia. Surprisingly North America, the company's home, is left out.

Kamis, 03 Juni 2010

Spy Shots: 2011 BMW 6-Series Convertible

If you are a BMW fan, you have some good news coming. Their 6-Series Coupe and Convertible will be revealed in 2011 and will not be radical like they are usually. The cars will look more sober and less controversial, and hence might appeal to a varied degree of people. The prototype was fitted with the usual and traditional canvas top.

However, that doesn’t mean BMW will keep the same design when the real one is launched. The convertible can seat 4 people and both the cars will come with 4 gasoline units and 6 cylinder turbo diesel which make things run very powerfully. The cars would come with an upgraded 3.0 litre petrol unit and also a 326HP 3.0 litre turbo charge. The car will in the end produce more than 500HP.

Looks like we have a winner here and it sure would be a pleasure to drive this car when we want to. There is no mention about the price ands being BMW, the price would definitely be close to the upper mark. The car is expected in early 2011 and it sure will attract a lot of attention. Both the models may look less controversial, but they also look rather funky.

On-track testing underway for Automotive X-Prize

The pick of the world's most fuel efficient vehicles are lining-up at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn this week for stage one of the $10 million Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE.

The field now stands at 36 vehicles from 28 teams, with automakers, universities, inventors and one high school vying to see how their 100 MPG (or energy equivalent) cars stack-up against the competition. Electric and gasoline powered machines make up the bulk of the list, but entrants also include biodiesel, E85, hydrogen and even one hybrid steam powered vehicle.

During the initial unscored "Shakedown Stage" (April 26-May 7) the vehicles will undergo official safety checks before hitting the track for final testing, giving teams the opportunity to iron-out any last minute bugs.

Things will really start to get interesting in stage 2 - the Knockout Qualifying Stage - which takes place on June 23 and 24 ahead of the finals in late July. Three weeks of Validation Testing will then take place at the Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago before winners are announced in September.

As well as being able to achieve more than 100mpg or energy equivalent (MPGe), the vehicles must be marketable and able to meet price, size, capability, safety and performance demands in the real world. Entrants are divided into two classes - Mainstream vehicles, which must carry four or more passengers, have four or more wheels, and offer a 200-mile range, and Alternative vehicles, which must carry two or more passengers and allow for a 100 mile range. Public days are scheduled for June 25 and July 23 along with an Open House event at MIS next month which is yet to be finalized.

Senin, 31 Mei 2010

Electric supercar circles Greater London twice on a single charge

UK students have driven an electric car around Greater London twice on a single charge. Using a specially modified electric Radical SRZERO supercar, the Racing Green Endurance (RGE) team from Imperial College completed two laps of the M25 motorway in the wee hours of Friday morning, covering a total distance of 250 miles (400km). The feat is a lead up to an attempt later this year at becoming the first EV to conquer the longest road on Earth - the Pan American Highway.

Built on a Radical Sportscars SR8 chassis and using two lightweight motors designed and built by an Imperial spinout company - EVO Electrics, the 1100 kg SRZERO boasts the specs to back up its "electric supercar" label: a top speed of 200kmh, 0-100 kmh in 7s, a full charge in 6 hours and a 200 mile / 400+ km range. The open-top SRZERO must have been quite a sight as its balaclava wearing drivers steered it around the ring road in the middle of the night. The first lap was completed at 55 mph using 42% of the total energy and ramped up to 60 mph the second time around.

In July the Imperial College team plans to take on the Pan American highway, aiming to cover more than 16,000 miles (26,000 km) through 14 countries from the northern tip of Alaska to the southern tip of South America. This epic trip is designed to both change public perception of electric cars and evaluate the capabilities of electric vehicles over long distances.

The Tesla roadster previously held the M25 record, having completed one lap of the M25 on a single charge. The Roadster also traveled 313 miles on a single charge last year on the empty roads of the Australian outback and is currently embarked on its own long range testing odyssey in which it will travel 22,000 miles through Europe, Asia and North America.

Sabtu, 29 Mei 2010

Congress to introduce bills to provide $11 billion for plug-in vehicle deployment

A pair of identical bills, the "Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Acts," are expected to be introduced in the U.S. Congress today that would provide up to $11 billion in additional funding to spur deployment of electric vehicles (EVs). The hope is to get up to 4 million EVs on the road by 2017, a very audacious goal. The money would primarily go to about five to eight regions that are considered electric-vehicle friendly, which presumably means places like California, New York and some other southern states with significant urban populations.

The funds would be earmarked for additional purchase subsidies for EVs as well as installation of charging infrastructure. The latter may prove to be the more important issue in the near term as limited-range EVs will be mostly used in urban areas where users often don't have a garage. The bills in the House of Representatives and Senate have both Democratic and Republican co-sponsors and may stand a better chance of passage following the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

SOURCE:greenautoblog

Concept Cars: Volkswagen Kai-Nalu

The Volkswagen Kai-Nalu is a concept vehicle which was created by Josep Ferriol, a Spanish designer and graduate of the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. The Kai-Nalu was created as part of his final year thesis.

The Volkswagen Kai-Nalu is a futuristic sports car concept that features a unique design which is composed of two distinctly different elements. Inspired by the waves of the Mediterranean sea as they smash into the shoreline and rocks near where Ferriol lives, the Kai-Nalu features a flowing glass upper section - which is designed to mimic the sea, and angular, jagged bodywork underneath - which represents the rocks of the coastline.

The mixture of the two differing shapes and textures is designed to present a dynamic and forceful appearance - much like the waves themselves. The Kai-Nalu's styling is quite controversial, and it isn't going to be to everyone's taste. However in a world where many sportscar and supercar concepts follow the same predictable formula, the Volkswagen Kai-Nalu is refreshingly bold and different.

Other highlights of the concept include highly stylized wheels which were inspired by the appearance of bicycle wheels. The VW logo in the center is balanced and mounted on a bearing so it always remains upright. The clear roof, windows, and upper bodywork also provides a glimpse of the vehicle's electric drivetrain, which features two seperate motors, one is mounted up front and the other at the rear to help balance out weight distribution.

Make              : Volkswagen
Model              : Kai-Nalu
Concept year     : 2010
Production year :-
Engine              : electric

Presenting the Futuristic & Self Repairing Audi A9 Concept Car Of The Future

Daniel Garcia, a Spanish designer has now come out with an all new concept for the Audi A9 that, not only makes the car give an futuristic allure to its looks, but is also capable of automatically repairing any damage that, the car takes. The A9 concept has been conceived to give a stark competition to some of the most luxurious sports cars in the world including Porsche Panamera and the Lamborghini Estoque.

The entire structure of the car that, consists of the windscreen and the roof is fabricated using the future aiming nano technology, that would also enable the car to automatically make repairs to itself. This unique nano technology will also enable the drivers to change the colors of the car and the opacity of the vehicle as per their choice, all with a single push of a button.

The entire paint scheme of the car will based on a electronic painting system. Furthermore, the Audi A9 concept is said to be propelled with a state of the art drivetrain system, that would create a symphony between the car’s internal combustion engine and the four in-wheel electric motors, thereby churning out great performance. This one a kind concept vehicle, presents the future of automobile technology as envisioned by Audi and if someday, the A9 concept does turn into reality, it would surely become one of the most sought after vehicles in the world.

Minggu, 11 April 2010

Illuminated Car Wheel Alloys

With the onset set of heavy sports utility vehicles and sports cars, there came an almost immediate response from the generation next, who envisioned their cars as more than engines on wheels, and set out on a glamorous crusade to make their vehicles visually more attractive than they already were. It began with wheel alloys, bumper redesigns, vinyl paint coatings and high end performance parts upgrade.

However, for those of you who just wish that their gorgeous alloy wheels that shimmer in the sunlight and sparkle in streetlights could be a bit more expressive, MotionLite has introduced an all new concept, that has been conjured up to deliver exactly what you had been hoping for. Presenting, the all new illuminated wheel alloys, that are sure to make head turn no matter where you are. The company associated with the car accessories has taken the car customization to a whole new level, with these gorgeous alloys.

The wheels of your cars will be outfitted with LED lights, that are mounted on top of a power telescoping six-inch arm in the wheel itself and the generated photons will display seven different colors on your rims. Also, this awesome system is remote controlled and universal, meaning that, any make or brand can be given this custom fitting.

The chicks dig this new high profile accessory and the guys crave for it. So, got get yours! The illuminated wheel allows are available for the price of $499.

PlayStation 2 Illuminated Rotating Dc Car Adapter
Lionel PRR Norfolk Southern Heritage Ca-4 Caboose
Power-Loc Illuminated Bumper Track
2 in 1 WIDE SCREEN MAGNIFIER W/ LED ILLUMINATION

Jumat, 09 April 2010

Global Celebrations Mark The Beginning Of The Year 2010

The beginning of the year 2010 was welcomed with open arms by people across the world, as millions immersed themselves in jubilant celebrations marking the onset of the new year that has brought with numerous special events across the spectrum of politics, science, sports technology etc. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France was decorated with gorgeous disco style lights to kick off the new year’s eve celebrations.

Times Square, New York which is widely known to be the center of one of the new year’s celebrations was packed to capacity with hundreds of thousands of revelers as about 3,000 pounds of confetti poured all over the venue to usher in the celebrations. Fireworks display began at 1800 hrs and the famous New Year Ball was lowered into place at the stroke of midnight.

In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said,

“The year that is ending has been difficult for everybody. No continent, no country, no sector has been spared. Even if the tests are unfinished, 2010 will be a year of renewal.”

The year 2009 witnessed one of the darkest hours in the global economy with a massive recession that left numerous jobless and created very unstable financial situation across the world. The new year brings the hope of turning around the badly bruised economy, but many world leaders have stated that, it would be a gradual process and will not be able to achieve in a short time.
Times Square, New York which is widely known to be the center of one of the new year’s celebrations was packed to capacity with hundreds of thousands of revelers as about 3,000 pounds of confetti poured all over the venue to usher in the celebrations. Fireworks display began at 1800 hrs and the famous New Year Ball was lowered into place at the stroke of midnight.

In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said,

“The year that is ending has been difficult for everybody. No continent, no country, no sector has been spared. Even if the tests are unfinished, 2010 will be a year of renewal.”

The year 2009 witnessed one of the darkest hours in the global economy with a massive recession that left numerous jobless and created very unstable financial situation across the world. The new year brings the hope of turning around the badly bruised economy, but many world leaders have stated that, it would be a gradual process and will not be able to achieve in a short time.

F1 Car Brawn BGP001 Gets A Mini (Role) Model

Formula One lovers will be smitten by the Brawn BGP001. Well, let us remind you that this was the very car to win six of the first seven races of the season 2009. Yep, Jenson Button was driving this very baby. So naturallY, this one is hot property and has a machinery and technology to match. Kudos to the team of expert model makers, Amalgam for re-creating the car.

In fact, folks even say tha Button got his worth in the form of this dream machine. We couldn’t agree more for this super car was the one that led both the driver and the consstructors to such fame. This team that rose from ashes is now keen on winning both titles.

If you haven’t guessed by now, we are talking a 1/8 scale replica of the car that gained so much fame. Everything is just the same – the narrow rear wing (which is drastically different from the rest), the Bridgestone tyres and the care given to the minutest detail. The current price tag of £2,950 has a 10 per cent discount going on. So, get this car model for £2,655.00.