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.

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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.

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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. 

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