Miscellaneous Car News

as they say in the classics..........


'yep'

 

Very cool video.

http://multimedia.f1-live.com/f1/en/videos/videos.php?num=2881

 

Honda announced recently that it’s to stop making the drophead, two-seater S2000. And since this has always been my favourite small sports car, I thought I’d borrow one and go for one last, tearful drive.

God, it was horrible. There wasn’t enough room for even small parts of me to get comfortable. The digital instruments looked like they had come straight from a Nik Kershaw video. The plastics would have looked shoddy on an Ethiopian’s wheelie bin. It was as sparsely equipped as an Amish barn. And the noise. It was hip-hop horrendous. Conversation was impossible. Thought was impossible. It was the kind of relentless drone that, after a while, can drive a man mad.

So how come I used to love this car so much? It’s not like I’m talking here about meeting up with an old girlfriend. The Honda has not become fat and frumpy. It isn’t pushing a pram or wearing tweed instead of miniskirts. It’s not now married to a golfer called Colin. It’s exactly the same now as it was in 2005. And 2005 is not that long ago.

Except of course, in automotive terms, 2005 is somewhere between the big bang and the Norman conquests. And what was acceptable then — heavy steering, no sat nav, religious persecution and dinosaurs — is not acceptable any more.

Cars are not getting faster or more economical. But in terms of refinement and comfort, they are a country mile better than the cars you could buy as recently as a week ago last Tuesday. (Unless you have a Peugeot.)

This is great for us but it’s a big problem for Britain’s small car makers. Because in the olden days (1994), when all cars exploded every few minutes, you could have a Lotus or a TVR or a Morgan and it wasn’t that much different.

Today, though, as the big car companies churn out cars that have no transmission whine and never break down — Peugeot excepted — the offerings from a small car company look as out of date as a ruff. This is because small car companies have no robots. There isn’t the money for relentless testing of every component in every corner of the world. The car must be designed on an Amstrad and put together by a man in a brown store-coat. And saying a car is hand-built is just another way of saying the glove box lid won’t shut properly.

Take the Lotus Elise. It squeaks. It rattles. It drones. It vibrates. It’s hard to get into and impossible to get out of. It’s badly equipped and hard to operate. All of this might have been acceptable 13 years ago when the Elise first came out and it might be acceptable today if it were the last word in zip and vigour.

But it isn’t. Compared with even a Golf, it feels old and slow and understeery. It’s a 20th-century car in a 21st-century world where last Friday is already last year. And the last new car Lotus made, the Europa, was even worse.

That’s why I wasn’t looking forward to driving the new Evora. I knew it would smell of glue, give me cramp and fall to pieces, because Lotus, up there in the turnips, simply doesn’t have the sort of bang on, bang up to date production line that makes modern mass-produced cars such engineering marvels (except Peugeots, obviously).

I was in for a bit of a shock. No. I was in for a lot of a shock. I was in for so much of a shock, in fact, I had to have a little lie down.

First of all, the bad news. Because it was designed on an Amstrad in someone’s mum’s bedroom, there are mistakes. All you can see in the windscreen is a reflection of the dashboard and all you can see on the ancillary dials is a reflection of whatever weather happens to be prevailing at the time.

What’s more, the buttons are all carefully placed to ensure you can neither see nor find them. And even if you do, they have plainly been labelled by someone who was mad, or four.

Then you have the Alpine sat nav cum multimedia interface wotsit in the dash. Why didn’t Lotus develop its own box of tricks instead of fitting one that’s designed for youths in Citroën Saxos? Simple. It didn’t have the resources.

And so, you get a system that speaks. And what it says is: “You are breaking the speed limit”, every time you go near the throttle. This is very annoying, but happily there is a solution. Because it speaks only once, at the moment you stray over the limit, you should accelerate as quickly as possible to beyond the speed limit and then stay there all day.

The other solution is to turn it off. Which is impossible. Because I’m 49. And a man. So I won’t look things up in instruction books. Or listen to my wife, who said she knew how. Because I know best.

As you can see, then, the Evora features many things to cause much wailing and gnashing of teeth. So the car would have to be very good or very cheap to make those problems worth tolerating. And here’s the thing. It’s both. The 3.5-litre Toyota V6 is not the most powerful engine in the world but it’s smooth — and refined — and the power it produces is delightfully seamless. There’s no sudden savagery. No “Oh my God, I’m going to crash now”. It’s brilliant.

So’s the packaging. Normally, a mid-engined four-seater car looks all wrong. The Ferrari Mondial springs to mind here. But the Evora is bang on. It really is a genuine surprise when you’ve studied the nicely proportioned exterior to find there are two seats in the back. And a dribble of legroom, too, provided the driver isn’t too tall.

And speaking of tall, the front is a revelation. I could get in easily. I could get out without crawling. Inside, I didn’t even need to have the seat fully back. Anyone up to 6ft 7in is going to fit in an Evora and that alone makes it special.

Especially when I tell you the boot, which is at the back, where it should be, is big enough for two sets of golf clubs.

So, the driving. Sadly, I didn’t have much chance to really push it — the weather was horrendous and time was tight — but I put in enough miles to know this car has great steering and handles well. Of course it does. It’s a Lotus. And because it’s a Lotus, it’ll crash and jar and lurch from pothole to speed bump.

Wrong. It simply glided over absolutely everything a torrential rainstorm and Britain’s B roads could throw at it. There is no other mid-engined supercar that has ever been so compliant. Or refined. Or quiet. It’s amazing. It doesn’t feel like it was made in a shed in Norfolk. It feels like it was made yesterday, by a machine.

The Evora, then, is not a car you buy because it’s a Lotus and you have always fancied one. It’s a car you buy because you want a comfortable, practical, mid-engined supercar and no one else makes such a thing. Not Ferrari. Not Lamborghini. Not anyone.

As I wafted from corner to corner, gradually forgetting about the smell of the glue they used to hold the chassis together, and the reflections, and the silly sat nav, I started guessing how much this car might cost. I reckoned on somewhere around £60,000. I was wrong. It’s less than 50.

And that’s what makes this the most modern car of them all. It’s the first to come to the market with a deflationary price tag.

The Clarksometer

Lotus Evora 2+2

Engine 3456cc, six cylinders

Power 276bhp @ 6400rpm

Torque 252 lb ft @ 4700rpm

Transmission Six-speed manual

Fuel 32.5mpg (combined cycle)

CO2 205g/km

Acceleration 0-60mph: 4.9sec

Top speed 162mph

Price £49,875

Road tax band K (£215 a year)

On sale Now

Clarkson's verdict

***

A revelation - no really


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6205379.ece

 

Bertone Mantide

Bertone's wildly styled Mantide is inching closer to production as the company's design director, Jason Castriota, hinted that Bertone is considering producing as many as 10 units.

Castriota also went on to say that the Mantide would sport a two million dollar price tag (about 1,500,000 euros) and "...there is considerable interest around the world as we have been contacted by potential clients in Asia, Europe and America."

The Corvette ZR1-based concept originally appeared at last month's Shanghai Motor Show as a one-off design study and features a highly controversial carbon fiber exterior with oddly shaped aerodynamic protrusions which reduce drag and improve downforce. Power is provided by the ZR1's 638 horsepower 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine which enables the lightweight Mantide to run from 0-62 mph in just 3.2 seconds and boast a top speed of 351 km/h (217 mph).



Source: nytimes via carscoop
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can someone explain please?

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/04/heat2power-sucks-on-exhaust-gases-for-extra-mileage/

 

Maserati GranTurismo MC Makes Debut - But No U.S. Plans Set Yet

LE CASTELLET, France — The Maserati GranTurismo MC made its official debut on Monday, with word from Maserati that the $180,900 vehicle will not be rolled out in the U.S.

"There are no set plans for the U.S. at this moment, but that doesn't mean there won't be," said Jeffrey Ehoodin, Maserati's U.S. spokesman. He added that the GranTurismo MC is "not street legal, but I hope there may be one in the future."

The GranTurismo MC will go on sale in Europe in October directly through Maserati Corse. The Italian marque noted that "the new model is an offshoot of the Maserati GranTurismo MC concept introduced last September in Monza and based on the Maserati GranTurismo S road version."

The automaker said in a statement that the Maserati GranTurismo MC is "produced for gentleman drivers who wish to race in the 2010 GT4 European Cup and the national series." When Inside Line asked Ehoodin if this was meant to discourage women from buying the car, he replied: "Women can be gentleman drivers, too. We have contessas and all that. We are Italian. That's just how we talk."

Details on the GranTurismo MC include a 4.7-liter V8 linked to a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Maserati did not disclose horsepower and torque numbers. The car features carbon fiber bodywork and a racing-type exhaust system with removable catalyzers.

Inside Line says: This one is solely for our European brethren (so to speak) at this point. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent


http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=145650
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Tuned Maseratis aren't a common sight, and it might come as even more of a surprise to know that there's a company dedicated to upgrading vehicles bearing the trident badge. Stetten, Germany-based Novitec is an Italian-car modifier with arms specializing in Ferrari, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and of course Maserati. The firm's "Novitec Tridente" group made its debut with a modified Quattroporte in 2007, and for 2009 it has revealed a sexier, supercharged GranTurismo S.

The supercharger plus upgrades to the ECU and exhaust system of the 4.7 liter V8 bring the power to 600bhp. A 160-horse increase over stock is foolhardy without comparable upgrades to the running gear, of course, so Novitec Tridente adds a KW/Novitec suspension and staggered NM3 five-spoke wheels measuring 20x9 up front and 21x12.5 at the rear.

The GranTurismo's appearance is tweaked with a body kit that includes a front spoiler, rear wing, skirt and rocker panel extensions. The aero kit is available in body color or visible carbon-fiber.

Source: gtspirit.com
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Most of us would be happy (ecstatic, really) to own the 2009 Mosler MT900 GTR XX. However, as is often the case with items that claim to be the best, somebody has come around to make it even better.

John Gocha (we hope that's not actually "Gotcha!") and his company, Intense Automotive Design, claim to have stripped and rebuilt a Mosler MT900 GTR XX. In doing so, they have created a one-of-a-kind hellion - if the car really does exist. Even if the car only exists on paper, the concept alone is magnificent.

Nicknamed "The Land Shark", this car weighs a full 250 kg (551 lbs) less than the already lightened GTR XX, coming in at 861 kg (1898 lbs) with its fuel tanks full. Yes, we said "tanks", as in plural. This car runs on a multi-fuel system using petrol, methanol, hydrogen, and ethanol. Gocha claims that the use of multiple fuels means he was able to register his car as a "hybrid" in California, meaning he gets to take this monster into the often wide-open carpool lanes of Los Angeles!

Here's where the story gets a little suspicious, and no offense to Gocha is meant by this. After all, Gocha has to realize that there will be skeptics when a relative unknown claims to have put something like this together. We all know that the GTR XX uses the GM LS7 engine which powers the Corvette. Gocha says his car utilizes an engine with a 381 cubic inch plant generating an unbelievable 2,500 horsepower, in part thanks to the twin turbos. We instantly thought that the engine he was using was the LSX from GM Performance Parts, which is capable of handling that kind of horsepower. However, the spec sheet says the block is from billet aluminum while the LSX is made of cast iron. He says his engine uses a 3.000" stroke and 4.500" bore, which would actually be a 382 cu. inch plant. His billet aluminum engine block and cylinder head has four injectors of varying sizes per cylinder, combined with racing fuel pumps capable of delivering six gallons (22.7 liters) per minute. Apparently, you can go really really fast in this car, just not for long. The engine also makes generous use of ceramic, titanium, and carbon to keep the weight down.

While the MT900 GTR normally goes from standstill to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds, Gocha claims his version gets there in just over 2.5 seconds. His car allegedly hits 150 mph in 6.7 seconds, and 250 mph in 17.5 seconds. The car is capable of a nine second quarter-mile, reaching 178 mph by the time it gets there. Even more astonishing is the sprint to stop time. This car allegedly goes from zero to 150mph and back to a dead stop in 8.7 seconds. That's even faster than the Ultima GTR 0-100-0 time of 9.4 seconds, which seems remarkable.

But also seems dubious.

Helping to achieve these unbelievable times is the car's aerodynamic body kit. As seen in these photos Gocha and co. have created a new front splitter, new dive planes, and a fully adjustable rear wing built from carbon fiber. Also added are new air intakes and outlets on the sides, and new intakes on the roof and upper body. They installed a full-length air ducting channel via the flat belly pan to get the best downward force possible.

Intense Automotive Design also claims to have developed an all-wheel-drive system of titanium and carbon fiber, matching the all-titanium suspension system. Carbon fiber Dymag wheels have a magnesium center, and uses titanium lug nuts to attach to the car. Front wheels measure 11.5x19", with bigger 14x20" rear wheels. With all that effort going in to weight savings, you wonder why an Alpine 7.1 Dolby Digital DVD system would be included. The In-Car PC and GPS also adds weight.

In the end, thanks to a 90 pound (40.8 kg) Trentek chassis, the extensive engine tuning, and body modifications, the car has an actual top speed of over 305 mph (491 km/h). In theory, the car could withstand 375 mph (603.5 km/h), while maintaining aerodynamics to 400 mph (643.7 km/h). Gocha says the car is scheduled for a few sprints during the 2009 Bonneville Speed Week, before it heads to the Nurburgring. Perhaps wishful thinking but Gocha also states IAD will try to score Michael Schumacher as the car's test driver.

Now, before you start casting stones, let us keep in mind another little twin-turbo Mosler that goes by the name of "Red Devil." Remember this car? Built by Nelson Racing Engineering for U.S. Mosler dealer Mike Vietro (aka Corvette Mike or Mosler Mike) it produces 1800hp (1635hp confirmed) and has performance specs within range of this suppossed Land Shark.

So, to John Gocha, if your car is really just a fantasy, by all means keep living the dream. But if you've built this thing for real, we need to see it to believe it. Scratch that; we need to drive it (or see it driven) to believe it.

Open the press release below for the full specs. It's highly recommended.

Source: IAD
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Watch this thing accelerate!!

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/Bugatti-Veyron-Hillclimb_681226.htm

 

Our spy photographers have managed to catch Maserati's upcoming 2010 GranTurismo Spyder undergoing testing before a possible unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Although this particular mule is heavily camouflaged, it's clear that the Spyder will adopt the same styling as Maserati's highly regarded coupe. What the camouflage is hiding is another matter. Until recently it was widely expected that the GranTurismo Spyder would sport a folding metal roof like the Ferrari California, but reports have surfaced indicating that the Spyder will instead stick with a traditional canvass roof in order to reduce weight.

Like the coupe, the 2010 GranTurismo Spyder will offer potential owners a choice of a 4.2-liter V8 with 405 hp or a 4.7-liter V8 with 433 hp.

Look for the new Maserati drop top to go on sale in March with a base price somewhere in the neighborhood of $130,000 USD.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090512.022/maserati-granturismo-spyder-spied
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