New BMW E70 X5

 

BMW has released a range of BMW presentation products for the facelifted E70 BMW X5. Just as a recap BMW accomplishment is a label for accessories that BMW sells to spice up its cars in efforts to take some of that (mostly aesthetic) aftermarket mod spending away from other tuners. BMW Performance bodykits look unusual from the M-Sport bodykits and are often more aggressive-looking. In Malaysia if you see an E90 it could transportation one of three sets of bumpers – standard M-Sport and BMW Performance.
Anyway back to the BMW accomplishment parts for the X5. There’s now a BMW public presentation Aero Kit for the X5 which BMW claims was developed in BMW’s wind tunnel in Munich.

It can be fitted to the 2011 X5 LCI except for the X5 M and X5 models equipped with a preview hitch. It includes redesigned side and rear bumpers as well as side skirts and an optional black kidney grille.
On the interior there’s a BMW Performance aluminum Pedal Kit which is made of aluminum with rubber inserts. And there’s a direct surrogate for the steering wheel which has a thick flat-bottom rim covered in hand-stitched Alcantara

BMW X3 gets M-Sport package

 

Here it is – a whole aggregation of official photos of the M-Sport package for the F25 BMW X3. Prior to this we only had three photos of the same white kitted X3 you seat above in front and rear three quarter angles as well as a shot of the alloy wheels. These set of photos reveal the full inside information including the interior which features that brushed aluminum trim that has become synonymous with BMW M-Sport kits and nicely brightens up the interior.
The exterior kit features the usual M-Sport mods – side and rear bumper designs unique to to M-Sport kitted cars high gloss Shadowline trim M-Sport tailpipes and either 19 inch or 20 inch alloy wheels. The suspension instrumentality also gets sportier settings unique to the M-Sport model though the X3 already has the benefit of a suspension instrumentality with both a Normal and Sport variable setting.
On the inside you have the brushed aluminum trim that we’ve already mentioned M-sport steering and for the xDrive20d model with the manual  transmission there’s also an M shift lever. The roof lining is anthracite and other minor aesthetic mods so much as door sills with M logos and an M footrest complete the package

Bahar: Renault F1 deal cost one third of what Tony asked

When news broke that radical Lotus was buying into the Renault F1 Team one of the more popular questions was why couldn’t they just invest in Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus. Wouldn’t that have solved the issue of a Lotus vs Lotus battle on next year’s statement 1 grid and in the courts? Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar shed some light on the matter at a media lunch in London.

Apparently there were such moves but the other side made it too difficult and too costly for Group Lotus. “A head that has come up many times was why did you not find an amicable solution with Tony Fernandes? Well we tried” he said.

“Let me just suppose when the counter proposals are so ridiculous and absurd it makes no sense to continue these discussions. And if you can go with a top five team up that is maybe one third of the cost that was asked by the other side then that makes sense.

“We do not have the financial resources and we don’t have the time to endow in a newly formed team that really deserves respect. By buying into an existing one which is well financed which has the right  partners in there it was just the more conservative approach and we just wanted to fight at the top end of the grid. And that should not sound disrespectful to anyone but we have such an ambitious plan ahead of us we don’t wish to lose time and we wish to support the brand out there”.
What were the hurdles? “We were not afraid of partnering with Mr Fernandes but as I said location is one way that Lotus does business – and this is getting involved and not just putting the logo on the car. We need to be Byzantine in the management. We indigence to take decisions together. We need to fund it in collaboration as well which is fine but it cannot just be that we are seen as a sponsor we pay the cheque and everything else is run by someone else. That is something that we will ne'er do. And even if it is a public perception it will never happen” Bahar clarified.

On the many arrows that are flying his journey the ex-Ferrari employee said: “Although the public perception is I am the bad guy and I am doing everything I can to sabotage them this is complete nonsense. You cannot conceive of that Dany Bahar can influence prime ministers the board of Lotus the board of Proton the shareholders. There are so many people involved  and it would not make sense!”

VW give thumbs up to new F1 engine rules

Volkswagen has managed to hold out the temptation of joining Formula 1 so far. As recent as early this month the raw Porsche boss Matthias Mueller “ruled out” the series.

“F1 is a drivers’ world championship with the focus on the sponsors and the manufacturers entirely secondary. For us this is a clear drawback for such a long-term investment as is the unclear rules for the prospective. (But) if the VW classify was interested then Porsche would surely be the brand that would work best for this” he told German newspaper Westfalen Blatt.

But the new rules that demarcation engines to 1.6-litre four-cylinder units in 2013 could be statement that changes VW’s mind. When asked VW Motorsport’s Hans-Joachim stuck  spoke of the possibilities.

“We welcome the result. It is not only high news for F1 but for the whole of motorsport as it takes the sport in the right direction environmentally. Of course we have not decided anything but the conditions for Volkswagen to possibly enter the category have present been created. The engine rules are a good start point for Volkswagen” he said.

VW’s motorsport program subscribes to “Resource-saving motorsport” and efficient engines with production-based technology (the brand’s statement 3 engine is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder NA locomotive with ‘just’ 210 hp ). Using bio natural gas engines in the Scirocco R-Cup and at the Nürburgring 24 Hours is proof that “Volkswagen is already in the process of putting the aims of eco-conscious motorsport of the future into action now” according to VW Motorsport Director Kris Nissen.

200 hp turbocharged 1.6L Honda CR-Z Type R

The Honda CR-Z which is presently hybrid only will get a new turbocharged four-cylinder motor which could spawn a Type R variant UK’s Autocar reports. Citing sources in Japan the account says that the 1.6-litre turbo is currently undergoing development at Honda’s Tochigi R&D adeptness.

To also find its way into the Jazz Civic and Accord this i-VTEC turbo unit of measurement is part of Honda’s downsizing program and will push out 2.0L presentation from just 1.six litres. There will be two versions – a 160 hp unit and a 200 hp version that’s set to transport the legacy of the Civic Type R’s K20A. The latter will motivate the “CR-Z Type R” that could introduction late next year.

The idea isn’t other. The image above is of Honda’s CR-Z loanblend R concept from this year’s SEMA show. It had a turbo alongside the one.5-litre hybrid powerplant for 200 hp and 238 New Mexico of torque plus red hot body styling.

Founder of TWR Tom Walkinshaw, founder of TWR, passes away at 64

Tom Walkinshaw 1Former TWR owner Tom Walkinshaw died on Sunday from lung malignant neoplastic disease. The 64-year-old Scotsman’s racing career began in the late 60s where he raced in Formula Ford and Formula 3 as well as Formula Two and drove in various classes and events up to the late 80s.

In 1976 he firm Tom Walkinshaw Racing which designed and manufactured both road and racing cars as well as running the latter in touring car programmes in the mid 1970s and early 1980s.

Most memorable surely for Jaguar fans was the victory achieved by the Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9LM built by TWR (and designed by Tony Southgate) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988. The company would go on to build more victorious Le Mans entries notably the Joest Racing Porsche WSC-95 which won the event in 1996 and 1997.

Walkinshaw also had an association with F1 as engineering director at Benetton region owner of Ligier and owner of Arrows though that last association cost him dearly – Arrows ran out of money in 2002 and in the process the TWR group went into liquidation.
Another famous Walkinshaw outing would be that in Australia with Holden Special Vehicles which was set up in 1987 as a joint undertaking between Holden and TWR as well as with the Holden Racing Team.

Audi R18 for 2011 Le Mans

This average looking machine is charged with the responsibility of winning the tenth Le Mans title for Audi who are the defending champions of the world’s most famous endurance race after conquering the 2010 podium with a 1-2-3 finish. And for the inaugural time since its Le Mans debut in 1999 the four rings will contest a car with a roof.

“In the future aerodynamic efficiency will be fifty-fifty more important at Le Mans than it was in the past” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. “A closed cable car has clear advantages in this respect. Our computing machine simulations have been confirmed in the wind tunnel and during initial track tests.”
The engines have shrunk for 2011 as the rule makers purpose to cap engine power. The R18 will be motivated  by a 3.7L V6 TDI (from a five.5L V10) but no more figures have been released. Although hybrid drive has been approved for 2011 Audi is keeping faith with a saturated  diesel. The 6-speed transmission has been modified for use with the little engine.

Today’s Audis sport eye communicable LEDs and it’s the same for the R18. Those imposing headlights which are the first to completely consist of LEDs with optimised amount of light are a method highlight here. During the day the lights form the embodiment of a “1″ inspired by Audi’s historic brand logo.
Development of the R18 started in mid 2009 while the V6 TDI has been continual on the dynos since the summer of 2010. This car completed its foremost track test with Allan McNish at the end of November. The planned slipstream debut is at Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours in May 2011. Prior to that the prototype will be able to overlap Le Mans during the official test day on April 24. Audi will field three R18s which will be entered by Audi Sport animal group Joest. The team will contest the Intercontinental Le Mans United States liquid unit consisting of seven endurance races on three continents (including the Le Mans 24 Hours) with two cars. At the change of integrity race at Sebring in March the team will use two “R15 plus plus” cars instead of the R18. “Sending the R18 into a race at such an early point in time would be effortful in terms of logistics and interfere with our development program” explains Dr

Team Lotus reverts to green colour scheme for 2011

 It looks like the new  Lotus Renault GP team will be the only team running around the track in black and gold livery next season as Team Lotus have decided to continue using their green and yellow livery.
“Whether they copied us or we copied them that’s beside the detail now. The location is what makes sense. Having two Lotus brands on the grid I think is no topic. having four bleak cars looking the same I think is silly and one has to relent. We’re no t childish and emotional and saying ‘Oh no  we’ve got to be black and gold’. We’re pragmatic” said Team school principal Tony Fernandes.

Formula 1 to use 1.6L four-cylinder engines from 2013, ban on team orders lifted for 2011

Yes that’s correct . The FIA’s World motive Sport Council (WMSC) has approved new regulations which will see 1.6-litre four-cylinder engines replace the current  2. The goal is to be more eco friendly as the smaller powerplants are expected to be 35% more frugal whilst providing the same level of operation. Energy recovery systems and additional energy management will be utilised to ensure this is potential .

“The WMSC approved the introduction of a new  specification engine from 2013 underlining the FIA’s commitment to improving sustainability and addressing the needs of the automotive industry. Following negotiation with the engine manufacturers and experts in this field the power units will be four cylinders 1.6 liter with high pressure gasoline injection up to 500 bar” FIA explains.

The new regulations will also further limit the act of engines at allocated to each drivers. Currently it’s eight units a season but this will be limited to five in 2013 and 4 for subsequent seasons. rev up limits on the new engines will be reduced from the current 18000 rpm to a maximum of 12000 rpm.

At the same WMSC encounter FIA bigwigs also made some changes to the rules for 2011. Among the major revisions are the removal of the ban on team up orders the introduction of driver-adjustable rear wings outlawing double diffusers stricter bodywork deflection tests and a requirement for one gearbox to last five race weekends from the current four

Nissan GT-R sets new 0-100 kph benchmark – 3.046 secs

A MY2011 Nissan GT-R has set a new  acceleration benchmark for the vehicle with a standard production DBA-R35 taking just 3.046 seconds to arrive to 100 kph from a standing start on the main straight at the Sendai Highland raceway in Japan.

The event control last month was witnessed by a group of Japanese journalists and recorded by a V-Box measuring device and Nissan engineers said the time would have been even faster had the road temperature been higher than the 13 degrees Celsius on the test day in Japan. Nissan chief vehicle engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno the R35′s Godfather told journalists that with warmer track temperatures “the GT-R will range the world of two seconds!”

Now a search for the fastest production cars on the planet might have you thinking the same GT-R clocked that run in 2.nine secs but that time is actually the 0-60 mph measurement which is just a range shorter than the 0-100 kph (effectively 0-62 mph) one being bandied about by Nissan.

Whatever the case may be both times place the current R35 as the 13th fastest exhibition car and though the new sprint time was achieved with the car in R-Mode journalists at the Highland Raceway test were still able to achieve 3.1 seconds for the 0-100 kilometers per hour dash in the car’s less aggressive A-Mode

VW teams with Fender for Premium Audio System

Volkswagen of America announced that it has joined forces with Fender the maker of iconic Strat and Tele galvanic guitars to equip selected 2012 models with the all-new Fender Premium Audio System. The new  Jetta GLI will be the first to get the system developed exclusively for Volkswagen before other Jettas the new  2012 midsize sedan and 2012 Beetle receives it.

The Fender Premium sound System is a collaboration between Fender and Panasonic. Claimed to “deliver uncompromised clarity irrespective of volume with a unique sound that Americans will love” the nine-speaker system took three years to develop.

It features proprietary Panasonic speaker technology that covers the compartment with directional sound from front door speakers that generate imaging beyond the capabilities of traditional speaker designs. It cuts through noise with front dual voice transformer speakers with extended range for all musical genres. The design features low  inter-modulation distortion and smooth mid-range response to eliminate harshness. It is harmonically complex with elongated range tweeters and properly voiced 16 cm speakers revealing original instrumentation timbre and harmonic richness.

“The best seat in the house is nowadays behind the wheel of a Volkswagen. Our two iconic companies – one with a rage for driving one with a rage for music – are joining forces to bring the raw emotion of live music to the driving experience” said Jonathan Browning President and CEO Volkswagen Group of America.

Group Lotus wants to be more than just a title sponsor

The “Battle of the Lotuses” is the talk of the town with Proton owned Group Lotus joining Formula 1 by purchasing over Renault’s shares in the Renault F1 Team. The team will be called Lotus-Renault with Lotus being the championship sponsor. Regarding the repute it’s much like what Vodafone or Petronas is to McLaren and Mercedes GP respectively; so happens that Lotus is a car manufacturer.

But GL’s ambitions are higher than just being a title sponsor and shareholder although that’s the starting location. GL CEO Dany Bahar hints about taking entire control of the team in the next few years. “Our way of doing things means that at the last of the project we would like to control it ourselves” the former Ferrari employee told Autosport.

“It’s the same route – it starts somewhere and then you slowly lead control. We would not be in for the long-term just  to be a sponsor on the team” he added.

Lotus is in the midst of a major renewal and signaled their intent by wheeling out five concepts at the Paris Motor entertainment. They’ll necessitate a lot of money to realise that future range of cars. Do they have enough for Formula 1? “We would not commit without support from shareholders banks and investors. If we didn’t it would be foolish to happen up with ambitious plans like this” Bahar assures

BMW 1-Series M Coupe is finally out in the open!

This is the hottest version of the 1-Series that has been a long time approach. Called the 1-Series M Coupe it’s clear (from the posed images) that BMW sees it as the spiritual heir to the original E30 BMW M3 as they’re closer in size (just 33 mm longer but much wider) and the M3 has grown greatly through the years.
The M Coupe is powered by the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-6 from the Z4 sDrive35is making this the first auto by M division that uses a standard production engine. The all-aluminum N54 locomotive puts out 335 hp at 5900 rpm and 450 Nm of torque from 1500 to 4500 rpm. An overboost relation adds 50 Nm at full pelt. discriminate is at 7000 rpm.

The quickest One does 0-100 km/h in just 4.9 seconds on to a 250 km/h limited top focal ratio. A close ratio 6-speed manual gearbox transfers drive to the rear steering wheel. As comparison the 420 postscript M3 Coupe (with DCT) sold here does the century sprint in 4.6 seconds so the gap is fair  three tenths of a second.

To stop the car the 1495 kg M Coupe’s brakes are M3 level says BMW. The internally-vented cross-drilled cast branding iron discs measure 360 mm in diameter up front and 350 mm at the back. Each disc is connected  to a floating aluminum hub by cast-in stainless-steel pins to reduce heat. The condition of the brake linings can be checked from the elan display. The wheels look familiar? They are 19-inch items from the M3 contention Package and M3 GTS wrapped with 245/35 rubber up front and 265/35 rear tyres.

Looks wise the front is henpecked by three large air intakes. The central one is covered by a honeycomb grille while the two outer intakes are left  completely open. The right one feeds air travel directly to the engine oil cooler and the left hole supplies the supplemental coolant radiator. On the sides you’ll find trademark M chrome gills and organ mirrors that have the same shape as the M3′s. The rear end sports a lip spoiler side openings on the mechanical device and quad pipes – two on each side. The front and rear lamps have little changes too – LED eyebrows for the Adaptive Xenons and L-shaped rear elements.

If you’re wondering this car is 5mm longer and fifty-three mm wider than a 135i Coupe. The tracks are 71 mm wider up front and forty-six mm wider in the rear. Widened fenders and rear quarter panels were needful to accommodate the tracks. There’s no option of a object roof which saves 15 kg and lowers the centre of gravity.
The 1 Series M Coupe comes with Air Curtains which were previewed on the Vision EfficientDynamics concept from Frankfurt 2009 and used location for the first time in a production car. It workings to improve air flow around the wheel arches and significantly reduces turbulence. AC consists of openings in the outer section of the lower fore fascia that route high-pressure air through ducts at each fore corner.

The ducts (approximately 10 x 3 cm wide) are designed to channel air to openings at the front end of each wheel arch where it is discharged through a very narrow opening at high speed. This air stream covers the unit of the front wheels like a curtain reducing turbulence. There’s no Air Curtain for the buttocks wheels and the buttocks openings are for style.

Lastly the cabin is in dark Alcantara with orange contrast stitching artifact the door panels door pulls instrument cluster binnacle dash panel and gearshift and handbrake lever boots. You’ll also get an M-specific instrument constellate with gray dials red pointers and white backlighting. More M logos can be establish on the driver’s footrest and door sills.

New Mitsubishi Global Small Car to be built at new Thailand factory – 150,000 units annually

Mitsubishi Motors has laid the foundation stone for its third and latest mill in Thailand which will be built right next to its first and second factories. The new factory will begin aggregate production in March 2012 rolling out a new “global small car” with engines of 1.0 litre to 1.2 liters in property. The fresh Mitsubishi global small car is yet another “Thai Eco-car” like the Nissan March and the recently unveiled Honda BRIO prototype.

The new factory will produce 150000 of the Mitsubishi Eco-car per annum and will employ approximately 3000 employees. The factory is a built-up factory which substance it will handle pressing welding painting and assembly of the vehicle.

“It’s my great pleasure that Mitsubishi Motors Thailand’s factory becomes a section of our Eco-car Project. This Mitsubishi factory will bring to Thailand many technologies for automobile production and lead to improve labor skills for auto industry as well as related industries” said Thai minister Chaiwut Bannawat.

“It’s a great honor to have this memorable time for the construction of the third factory. From the beginning Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has strongly believed in Thailand’s potential as the production hub for global markets; immediately Mitsubishi Motors Thailand became the production base of our 1-ton pickup. We share the Thai government’s environmental concerns and we have made Thailand the global product hub for the “global small” shared Mitsubishi Motors Corporation president Osamu Masuko.

It looks like Thailand has successfully expanded on its pick-up truck exhibition hub status to one that is the center of exhibition of a next generation of compact and fuel efficient vehicles (sedans and hatchbacks) through its Eco-car Project which provides incentives to car companies that comply with Eco-car fuel efficiency rules. Even though our country is supposed to have the largest passenger car securities industry around Thailand seems to be proving a more attractive as a production hub for these compact hatchbacks.

Mitsubishi also announced that it is preparing for a future set in motion of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV in Thailand. They’ve started a joint study for fleet EV examination together with the government of Thailand which includes researching the acceptability and marketability of EVs in Thailand setting up user support systems and expanding charging infrastructure etc. Mitsubishi has similar  agreements with the governments of Monaco Iceland Denmark and Singapore among others.

Honda to phase out the final Element after eight-year run

The quirky component which looks like a “Honda Hummer” will be discontinued. American Honda machine Co has announced that the 2011 will be the final model year of production for the “crossover utility vehicle”. More than 325000 chemical element have been sold in the USA since December 2002.

First seen in concept form as the Model X at Detroit 2001 the Element “created its own functional form and became an immediate favorite for small businesses outdoor enthusiasts and pet owners” according to Honda. Major upgrades were made through the years including more power and safety features for 2007 and the chap Friendly Element accessory package in 2009. North American customers who want a car like that will be pointed to a CR-V from next time period onwards.

“The Element proved that ultimate functionality can often happen from thinking inside the box. It made boxy vehicle designs cool and Element owners continue to delight its unique styling and unmatched versatility” said John Mendel Executive VP of American Honda.

Audi Moving Forward

Audi will continue to acquire the “modular longitudinal matrix” first introduced in 2007 for the A4 A5 and Q5. The number of models to use this architecture will develop to 15 Winterkorn said. The VW firebrand on the other hand will focus on what it does best that is to take charge of a “modular transverse matrix” that will debut on the 2012 Audi A3 and the next gen Golf. This platform will underpin 40 models and 6 1000000 units annually providing the numbers in VW’s quest to rule the auto world.

This sol called “modular toolkit strategy” is a key strategy in giving VW a competitive advantage in its bid to topple Toyota as leader in sales and profitability. It is said to simplify development procurement and production costs by 20% and engineered hours by 30% besides allowing for more variants without the high costs

Team Lotus chiefs respond to Lotus-Renault formation

Yes Lotus Racing is at present Team Lotus at least according to FIA’s 2011 official entry list that was released at the end of last month. What does team boss Tony Fernandes have to suppose about yesterday’s announcement that Group Lotus has bought over Renault’s shares in the Renault F1 Team to form Lotus-Renault?

“Dany Bahar has done us a favour. Never felt better about our future and squad Lotus. Looks like they’re trying to hijack our bleak and gold idea” Fernandes wrote on his Twitter page referring to Group Lotus’ CEO. Last time unit Lotus Racing said that they will be ditching their green/yellow for the famous black/gold livery.

Technical head Mike Gascoyne also had something to say. “Thanks for all the messages of aid from our fans” he wrote on Twitter. “Rest assured we are Team Lotus and we are Hera to stay and we at Team Lotus are in F1 to design build and race F1 cars from our home in Norfolk and in the future to win as a Team bring it on.”

Even as this camp is in defiant mood Group Lotus boss Dany Bahar isn’t wish for his opponents to fade away. He told BBC Radio Norfolk: “Not at all (a problem) – for me four (cars on the grid) are good  than two. The controversy that is something that has mainly been pushed up by media I would allege has been dealt with directly by our shareholders in Malaysia and with the owners of the 1Malaysia Racing Team and doesn’t really touch us.

Both Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus for 2011?

In order the announcement has been made that Group Lotus is officially in F1 in partnership with Genii Capital – the owner of the current Renault F1 team – beginning from the start of the 2011 season and that it will be competing under the Lotus Renault GP name.

Group Lotus’ purchase of all the remaining shares held by Renault in the team makes the former the major equity spouse though Renault remains as the engine supplier hence the retention of its name in the scheme of things.

The resulting formation of the team is no surprise but the choice of uniform colours might be – the combination of black and gold heralds back to those JPS-sponsored glory days and is an inspired choice. Only it’s identical to that selected by Lotus Racing which earlier announced that it would be competing in 2011 in black and gold.

To add to the confusion Indian lotus Racing (or Team Indian lotus if you will) is also being supplied with engines by Renault. truthful it remains possible that we could see two teams competing under the Lotus name both in the same colours with the same engine supplier the first of course dependent on how the court decides early next year.

When contacted 1Malaysia sport Team’s CEO Riad Asmat had this to say: “We will be called Team Lotus next year and we’re making great progress in the development of our car. We’re focused  on what we need to do next year. On them its truly their choice since they seem to have the means to do it – it’s a huge investment having seen things first-hand over Hera but a niggling question remains in my mind though; do we really need another Malaysian-backed team?”

Using the word “Lotus” in conjunction with “Team” on LR’s website and in marketing materials the use of the Lotus Roundel and the word “Lotus” on its own on its premises promotional materials and clothing without GL’s consent and the use of “Lotus Racing” outside the spHera of Formula 1 in British Formula 3 and Formula Renault.

And yes seeking to obtain the right to use the gens Team Lotus with the intention of using the gens in the 2011 F1 season in contravention of the ‘Lotus Racing’ licence agreement contractually is part of it too.

It’s official – Lotus Renault GP is a go for 2011!

After weeks of agonizing delay it has been officially confirmed that Group Lotus will come into Formula 1 next season with Genii Capital owner of the Renault F1 team. According to the press release Group Lotus have signed  a title sponsorship deal that will run till 2017.

As previous reports have suggested Group Lotus has purchased all of the leftover shares held by Renault. This new partnership between Group Lotus and Genii has given  birth to the Lotus Renault GP team. The team will uphold to have Renault as its engine supplier hence the reason why the French brand is in the team’s official name.

The press release also mentioned that Group Lotus will benefit kind significant technological and commercial opportunities for its range of road cars through the sponsorship. Furthermore it has also been confirmed that the team will do use of Lotus’ iconic black and gold colour scheme as the team’s official livery in 2011 as pictured in the artist impression above.

Interestingly Tony Fernandes’ Lotus Racing animal group also plans to do the same. This colour alliance was last seen in the 1980s

Oil now over US$90/barrel: likely to climb to century mark

According to intelligence reports oil prices went past the US$90 a barrel price point yesterday the first time it has done so since October 2008 and the recent surge has of course been responsible for pushing up the price of petrol and other fuels.

In the US analysts at Wall Street have pointed out that with supply tightening the terms of crude is likely to pass the US$100 mark next year; as it is gas termss in the US could reach a national average of US$3 a gallon at the pump before Christmas – it is currently US$2.958 a gal.

Prices have been relatively stable for more than a time period remaining around the US$70 and US$80 per barrel mark. The jump came as the US government Reserve announced that it was planning to inject US$600 million into the US economy and the US Government laid out an agreement to extend tax cuts.

As such the analysts predict that oil will hit US$100 per barrel sometime next year with rising  demand from China and other emerging economies further fueling things along. While current demands can be met by increased production from OPEC penis countries the situation after the next couple of years might see economic growth slowing down as energy costs increase.

The ongoing situation should push the EV and hybrid movement back  to the limelight especially in the US where things have gotten a bit soft on that front after gas prices returned to well workable levels after the economic crisis dissipated

What? The Honda CR-Z hybrid not fun to drive? Says who?

Vessel you can’t please them all. Despite having made lots of other friends and bagged awards there’s at least one publication that doesn’t quite think the Honda CR-Z hybrid quite cuts the cloth – in the US Consumer Reports‘ has carried out a test of four different fuel-efficient cars and the car was part of that test group.

Despite achieving a 35 mpg overall model and having a crisp manual transmission it seems the two-seat hybrid hatch scored too low for the publication to recommend it and the vehicle ended up as the lowest ranked of the four fuel-efficient cars on test for the January issue.
While CR said the car handled nimbly it wasn’t identical sporty otherwise – other points were that the ride is choppy visibility is lacking noise levels are high and on-limit handling can be tricky though the six-speed manual transmission and braking were plus points.

Meanwhile two of the other cars in the group the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 fared very well both achieving ‘Very Good’ ratings; the rag said they are both merriment to drive and deliver impressive fuel economy. For the Fiesta its agile manipulation relatively quiet cabin and composed ride were high points.

Renault Megane RS N4 – tarmac rally package

Wanna take your Renault Megane RS 250 rallying? Renault now has a radical N tarmac rally package for privateers and trainers for sale that effectively turns your hot hatch Megane into the Renault Megane RS N4.

The two.0 liter turbo motor gets boosted up to 270 PS and 470Nm up from the standard 250 PS and 340Nm. Not a whole lot of extra power but mariner of extra torque. An Ohlins suspension kit is also included along with a roll bar and Sabelt 6-point tackle racing seats.

The package also includes some weight reduction but the inside information released so far does not reveal how much – both in terms of weight and price tag!

MINI Countryman to race in the 2011 Dakar Rally!

The X-Raid team which normally campaigns the BMW X3 has unveiled their machine for next year’s Dakar convalescence and it’s a MINI Countryman! The MINI All4 Racing will take part in what’s known as the “World’s Toughest Race” from New Year’s Day till January 16 2011. If you haven’t already knegativewn the Dakar Rally negative longer ends in Dakar but will be staged in South America its home since 2009.

To be driven by Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit and co-driver Michel Perin the All4 was discussed in the summer of 2009 but building work only started 90 years ago. X-raid team director Sven Quandt received the green light from BMW in June while Magna Steyr gave their OK in September therefore the rush. The MINI will be set through a series of tests in France next week before being flown to South America for final preparations and scrutineering in Buenos Aires at the end of the month.

The MINI will be powered by a variable twin-turbo diesel motor as per the 2011-spec BMW X3 CC and built in Steyr. Power is in the region of 315 hp and 710 New Mexico of torque an increase over the 2010 BMW X3 CCs that placed fourth and fifth in this year’s Dakar.

The MINI is 10 centimeter shorter 3 centimeter lower and has a 10 centimeter reduced rear overhang over the X3 CC. “Compared to the BMW X3CC the MINI will be characterised by improved handling as the overall duration is shorter and it is lower. We have also been able to improve on many other smaller details such as the relocation of smaller components to lower the center of gravity” Quandt said adding that visibility entry and exit is more difficult however.

The new car which uses all the experience how from developing the X3 CC over five years fully complies with 2010 regulations and should be competitive from the outset

New Kia Picanto revealed in first sketches – debut in Geneva

Kia has released the first official design sketches of its next time period Picanto city car which the company says has been designed to stand out from the crowd.

The unexampled Picanto is penned by Kia’s European design team in Frankfurt Germany under the direction of Peter Schreyer.
The company says the design ‘exudes self trust solidity and maturity’; no other details are forthcoming so we’ll have to wait closer to its official unveiling at next year’s Geneva International Motor Show in March for more info about the car

The Nurburgring – a brief history of the legendary tarmac!

It is arguably the definitive road-going track on the planet and the most romantic one in the automotive kingdom. For a device driver interested in cars and exploring what a vehicle can really do few stretches of tarmac rival the grail known as the Nurburgring.

Located around the village of Nurburg the halo came to be in 1927 the result of a decision to build a dedicated race track to replace the racing carried out in public roads around the surrounding Eifel mountains. In late 1925 study began on the Ring with a track layout – designed by Gustav Eichler’s Eichler Architekturburo – mimicking that of the Targa Florio.

Completed two years later the original full sound measured in at 28.26 km in length in its whole course of study (Gesamtstrecke) configuration which was made up of the 22.81 kilometer Nordschleife (Northern Loop) and the 7.74 km long Sudschleife (or Southern Loop) with 174 corners in its original shape.

Opened to the public as a one-way tolled road in the evenings and on weekends the Ring was used up to 1939 in its full form for contest events – following this the Nordschleife came to the forefront for Grand Prix duty (halting during the Second World War) with the shorter Southern Loop holding smaller-scaled racing events.

From the 1950s up to 1976 with the exception of 1959 and 1970 the Nurburgring was horde to the German Grand Prix on the F1 calendar with some revisions to the track being seen in the 60s and early 70s – the latter saw the track being made straighter reducing the number of corners.

The racing served more than just that in the process building up the legend of the mystical halo – Karussell Bergwerk Flugplatz and Kallenhard became names etched in memory; a corner wasn’t just a corner with this one. The records came and some still position. The dead Stefan Bellof’s time of 6:11.13 around the Northern clique in a Porsche 956 in 1983 is unlikely to be bested simply because no serious racing event has taken place on it since then.

Safety concerns regarding the very long track had been creeping up over the year and there was only that much revision work that could be carried out to meet that demanded by the F1 community and the FIA that didn’t break the bank or prove impossible to do.

Things finally caught up with the Ring in 1976 when the decision was made to end the track’s union with the German GP. Niki Lauda’s almost fatal crash in that year’s slipstream merely added suitable reinforcement to that decision. Lauda remains the only device driver to do the full 22.8 km Nordschleife in under seven moment clocking 6:58.six in 1975.

In 1980 the track saw its concluding major GP event the German motorcycle GP and in 1981 the Nordschleife was shortened to 20.83 km and the length has remained virtually unchanged to this twenty-four hours – its present length is 20.81 kilometer though of course the years have also seen the introduction of more safety aspects into the 154 corner track.

It was also in 1981 that piece of work started on the 4.5 km long fresh circuit (currently 5.2 kilometer long) home to the modern incarnation of the Nurburgring. Completed in 1984 the racetrack has seen action as a venue for the European GP (and in 1985 the German GP). With the Nordschleife the combined group track length totals 25.ninety-four km.

A BMW engineer once said during a conversation that a lap covering around the Ring will tell you more about a car both dynamically and characteristically than hundreds of kms on a normal road. such as stuff is surely what legends are made of and none has more than the Ring!

New Audi A6 in detail

With its long poke bonnet sweeping roofline and distinctive rear end this could only be the new long awaited Audi A6.

It's an all-new design that pays more than a passing homage to the current car's look but when sales have been going so well in the cut-throat executive market you wouldn't expect otherwise.
The launch of a new Audi A6 is timely; the current elevator car has been around for a long time and has fallen behind much newer opposition in the shape of the BMW 5 Series Jaguar XF and Mercedes E-Class in our estimation.

Audi is looking for to make sales strides with the new car's technology-packed design and it is prospective buyers who are the biggest winners.

Come January when the new A6 goes on sale executive drivers should once again have at lowest four closely matched cars to choose from.

Nissan Leaf is the 2011

It’s a defining moment for ordinal emission vehicles what with Nissan Leaf electric vehicle named as the 2011 European Car of the Year.

The Leaf is the 1st all-electric car to win the coveted Car of the Year title in the award’s 47-year history finishing ahead of 40 other contenders for the big prize. In the final shortlist of seven vehicles the leafage scored 257 points despite splitting opinion to the point where several jurors placed it in last place.

Its total was nine points open of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta which scored 248 points and 13 open of the third-placed Vauxhall/Opel Meriva which had 244.
The remaining finalists were the Ford C-Max/Grand C-Max at 224 points the Citroën C3/DS3 at 175 the Volvo S60 and V60 at one hundred forty-five and the Dacia Duster at 132 points.

Different approaches in voting by the panel members produced the final result of this contest. As the panel put it “the launch of a mass-production electric cable car in the market has been more awarded – twenty top points – than the sheer appeal of Alfa Romeo Giulietta or the practical originality of Opel Meriva. In spite of the lack of a large recharging network and the noncomprehensive  range the Leaf represents a technical and commercial bet that might otherwise satisfy many potential consumers especially where public incentives will come to reduce the paying price.”

The awards were voted for by 58 body members from 23 countries.

Lexus IS 250 Updated

Two years after the facelifted variant was introduced the Lexus IS 250 sedan has received another update for 2011 and as before there are two variants available the IS 250 Luxury and IS 250. no more changes to the powertrain of the rear-wheel drive vehicle which continues to the same 2.5 litre V6 with D4 insertion offering 205 hp at 6400 rpm and 252 Nm of torque at 4800 rpm or the 6-speed auto tranny.

As before the exterior and interior tweaks are delicate – changes include a front grille that has been reworked to create more visual depth while the front bumper and lower grille area now take on a bolder and more 3-dimensional feel. Additionally each side of the lower grille area has an intake shape that is visually affiliated to the brake cooling ducts.

For the Lexus IS 250 Luxury two different interior colours with wood spare are available coordinated with the six exterior colours one of which is new for 2011 – this is a unique finish known as Starlight Black which has photoluminescent glass flakes to as Lexus puts it “give sparkles like a star-filled night sky.”
Unlike previously where the HID headlamps were only specified with the IS 250 Luxury (the IS 250 came with halogens) both variants now feature HID as standard  fitment with a dark smoke coating around each headlamp giving a bolder look. New to the car is an arrowhead LED interval lamp with Daytime Running Lights.

At the rear there is stronger contrast between light and blue in the character of the bumper. The rear combination lamps immediately have a more unified colour tone with clear pink-smoked lenses on the indicators and reverse lamps. Also new is the tip of the dual exit tailpipes which is now circular and has thicker walls as well as new 10-spoke design 17-inch alloy wheels with staggered size rubbers (245/45 rears and 225/45 fronts).

Inside the IS 250 now features a dark metallic high-gloss coating on a number of trim panels while the IS 250 Luxury continues to have genuine Bird’s Eye maple wood trim. Metallic ornamentation has been added to areas like the steering rack bezel meter rings and glove box door and the steering rack bezel gets a new silver surface coating which is also to be found on the paddle shifters. Elsewhere the speedometer and tachometer nowadays wear new metallic rings.

Some revisions to the sound systems on offer – things have been scaled down somewhat; the IS 250′s common audio system is a Lexus Premium system with a 6-CD in-dash changer and eight speakers (the 2009 facelift featured a 13-speaker system) with USB and AUX connection points.

Meanwhile the IS 250 Luxury gets the aforementioned 13-speaker Lexus Premium sound system. If you’re wondering where the Mark Levinson 14-speaker Premium smother Sound system has gone well it’s now an option for the IS 250 Luxury and if you opt for this you’ll also have to install the optional Lexus Navigation package – with reverse camera and Bluetooth capability – as the 7-inch display screen is integrated.

VW introduces LED combination headlamps for the Golf

Bang-up news for MkVI Golf owners – following on the LED tail lamps introduced by Volkswagen for the car a year ago the company has now debuted bi-Xenon with LED combination headlamps as an option for the vehicle.
The LEDs are integrated into the main headlights with 15 diodes each helping to produce a three-dimensional optical light bracket. Besides the advantages of improved visibility from the daytime running lights there’s no doubting that many a Golf GTI owner will find the bling a unconcealed improvement.
Going from 1310 euros for the Golf the LED combination bi-Xenon headlamps are also available as an option for the likes of the Polo Touran and Touareg.

Looks like buyers of the Golf TSI and the Golf GTI here have some aesthetical upgrades to remember about – these LED lamps and the LED tail lamps as well!

Brabus introduces the Widestar SLS AMG

German tuning house Brabus has introduced a tuning software for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG called the Widestar and the Brabus Widestar SLS made its official debut at the Essen Motor Show which began over the weekend.

The Brabus rendition of the Gullwing throws in a number of items headed by a fresh titanium exhaust system with a sound-management system that’s driver controllable – via a pneumatic flap the system has a sport mode that offers more growl than the stock SLS but if it’s quiet you want a ‘coming home’ setting gets the dB lower than that of the standard exhaust. It also adds a neat ten hp to the 6.2 litre V8′s end product.
German tuning house Brabus has introduced a tuning package for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG called the Widestar and the Brabus Widestar SLS made its official introduction at the Essen Motor Show which began over the weekend.

The Brabus rendering of the Gullwing throws in a number of items headed by a new titanium exhaust system with a sound-management system that’s driver controllable – via a pneumatic flap the system has a sport mode that offers more growl than the stock SLS but if it’s quiet you want a ‘coming home’ setting gets the dB lower than that of the standard exhaust. It also adds a bang-up 10 hp to the 6.2 liter V8′s output.

The Widestar Shining Path also gets the wheel treatment naturally in this case a ultra-light Monoblock F Platinum Edition forged wheels available in 20- and 21-inch sizes and they come wearing either 275/30 ZR20 and 295/25 ZR21 Yokohama rubbers. Inside the cabin customs options abound from premium upholstery in leather and Alcantara to carbon-fibre inlays in any desired colour.