Automotive
Rhino Off-Road RTV set for mass production
May 11, 2007 We’ve written about Rhino Off-Road Industries several times now, basically because it’s a new class of off-road vehicle with the abilities of a mountain goat. For those who are similarly enamoured with the beast’s abilities, here’s some great news – the Rhino is destined for mass production. The company has shipped a fully outfitted Rhino Off-Road RTV-XT2 vehicle to its production partners in China, marking a key step in the process of mass production of the vehicle for distribution worldwide. For a rather extreme demonstration of what the Rhino is capable of in rock-crawling competition, see this video (WMV download).
Toyota/Lexus dominate U.K. J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Awards
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May 10, 2007 The Toyota Prius has earned many plaudits worldwide since its launch in 2004 but it’s unlikely to ever have a better 24 hours than those that have just passed. Yesterday, the hybrid family car won its fourth consecutive International Engine of the Year Award for the engine with the best fuel economy, and today it finished equal top of the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction study. The independent study of thousands of UK motorists driving vehicles registered between September 2005 and August 2006 saw the Prius place equal first, alongside the Lexus IS, another Toyota group model. Given that the award is open to cars of any price, the latest accolade demonstrates the high esteem in which it is held by the most demanding of judges – owners. It was a good day for Toyota in general, as the company’s premium Lexus brand took out its seventh consecutive Gold Award for customer satisfaction, ranking top in three of the four key measures – vehicle quality/reliability, service satisfaction and vehicle appeal. Lexus has now claimed the coveted Gold Award every year since it became eligible for consideration. Read More
BMW dominates the 2007 “Engine Oscars”
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May 9, 2007 BMW’s 3-litre twin turbo engine was today crowned International Engine of the Year 2007 at the ninth annual International Engine of the Year Awards, which were presented at Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany. In an award independently judged by a jury of 62 motoring journalists from 30 countries, BMW has always fared well, but this year it has excelled itself, taking the prestigious crown for the third consecutive year and taking seven of the 12 awards on offer with its 2.5-litre inline six and 5-litre V10 also winning gongs. Of the remaining awards, Volkswagen’s 1.4-litre turbocharged and supercharged TSI unit triumphed for a second year in the 1-litre to 1.4-litre class, with its larger sibling, the 2-litre turbo developed by Audi and housed in the Golf GTi and Audi A3, topping the 1.8-litre to 2-litre category. Toyota meanwhile saw its 1.5-litre hybrid that powers the Prius named Best Fuel Economy engine and its 1-litre 3-cylinder from the Aygo and Yaris take the honours in the Sub 1-litre category. Porsche won its first IEOY award taking the 3-litre to 4-litre category for its 3.6-litre Turbo. Read More
The 1955 Dodge La Femme
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May 8, 2007 It’s the earliest example of automotive marketing to women we have seen (correspondence here please) – it’s the 1955 Dodge La Femme complete with a Sapphire White and Heather Rose color scheme. Half a century later, women buy half of all new cars, yet it was a very bold and ultimately unsuccessful (only 2500 were made) marketing initiative aimed at was thought to be a promising new niche market. The La Femme was basically a Dodge Custom Royal Lancer with a feminine paint palette and a special gold “La Femme” script on the fenders. The vehicle’s interior was graced with special tapestry upholstery bearing pink rosebuds on a pale pink background and pale pink vinyl trim. A rectangular purse matching the car’s interior was a standard La Femme feature, stowed in a special compartment built into the back of the passenger seat. Each purse came complete with matching compact lipstick and cigarette cases, a lighter and purse. Also standard was a raincoat, rain bonnet and umbrella in the rosebud pattern that was stored in a compartment behind the driver’s seat. Hey, this would sell in droves today!!
New 911 Turbo Cabriolet
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May 7, 2007 Porsche today continued its two decade tradition of soft top 911 turbos when it released details of a new 911 Turbo Cabriolet which will go on sale on September 8. The US$172,000 2+2 convertible is powered by a biturbo 3.6 liter engine with Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) producing 480 bhp (353 kW). Porsche’s new optional “Sport Chrono Turbo Package” includes an overboost function, enabling the standard Cabriolet’s 620 Nm torque figure to be pushed to 680 Nm intermittently. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) gives the Turbo Cabriolet diverse driving modes while offering an extremely high level of driving safety. Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and the all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) systems also optimise grip and performance. Read More
New Freightliner – the first Class 8 truck designed in the windtunnel
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May 7, 2007 With fuel economy becoming a crucial factor in freight transportation, it was only a matter of time before our biggest road users began using the windtunnel to optimise performance and Freightliner’s new Cascadia is the first Class 8 truck designed this way. The result is a 3 percent improvement in fuel economy over previous models. When developing the Cascadia, Freightliner studied the needs of drivers and how they operate their vehicles. This feedback was the basis for design features like a wider cab with automotive styling, ergonomic controls, and extensive lighting and storage space to make the cab more comfortable and livable. The Cascadia will be available for order next week, with trucks rolling off production lines in August.
ZF develops 8-speed automatic transmission for passenger cars
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May 4, 2007 Driveline specialist ZF has designed a new automatic transmission generation for passenger cars combining seemingly contradictory goals. Presented for the first time at the 28th International Vienna Motor Symposium, the 8-speed auto allows for fuel savings of six percent compared with the company’s already optimized 6-speed automatic transmission. This is achieved by a completely new transmission concept featuring four planetary gear sets and five shift elements. The automatic 8-speed transmission transmits more power in comparison to the previous model, but still gets by with the same installation space and does not require more components. The transmission is also designed for hybridization as either a micro hybrid with a crankshaft starter generator or a full parallel hybrid. Read More
Roush’s limited edition 600RE
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May 2, 2007 Ford’s GT may have finished its production run, but that hasn’t stopped several companies from using the very limited supply of GTs as the basis for something even more exciting. First there was the EDO Ford GT, and now there’s to be a limited run of ten GTs built by Roush, a name that has become synonymous with the Ford GT. Roush’s limited edition 600RE is based on the GT and boasts a number of features including more power and torque and a full styling treatment both inside and out. No details of the power have been given, though given the GT starts with 550 bhp and EDO’s GT comes with 610 horsepower, we figure the 600RE model designation suggests 600 horsies and hence a top speed around 340 km/h. No price has been quoted yet either – that might be harder to guess, and it's a game that cannot be played by those who are feint of chequebook. Read More
No prisoners: the 725 horsepower Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake
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May 1, 2007 Shelby and Ford have joined forces again to produce a mega-muscle car with one simple goal: "to blow the doors off most anything on the planet." They're claiming up to 725 horsepower from the Super Snake, which is over a hundred more ponies than the top-of-the line Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorino, and probably almost enough power for a trip down to the shops. This car, friends, is an absolute bad-ass. Read More
Modec begins production of its Zero-Emissions commercial vehicles
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May 1, 2007 In the UK, pioneering zero emission vehicle manufacturer Modec officially opened its Coventry factory doors in March. The company's battery powered Modec vehicle provides the world’s first high performance, emission free alternative to traditional diesel delivery fleets and has been heralded as the future of urban commercial transport. This vehicle could be a great step towards reducing pollution in congested major cities. Read More
Rhino pitches its RTV to US emergency response services.
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April 30, 2007 We've written before about the remarkable rockhopping Rhino RTV and its amazing rough terrain abilities. Now it seems Rhino are teaming up with Arizona Emergency Products, Inc in an effort to sell the vehicles to U.S. based government organizations involved in emergency response - including police, fire and Homeland Security agencies such as the Border Patrol, the Forest Service and the FBI. Read More
Mitsubishi releases Lancer Evolution X high-performance 4WD sedan
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April 26 , 2007 Mitsubishi's rally-inspired, high-performance 4WD sedan will carry the name "LANCER EVOLUTION X". The development concept for the all-new Lancer Evolution X2 specifies a "new-generation high-performance 4WD global sedan that allows all levels of driver to enjoy the car's speed and handling with ease and in safety". The new model features Mitsubishi's S-AWC3 (Super All Wheel Control ) traction and handling system, that integrates the control of drive torque and braking management with the four-wheel drive system to help realize highly responsive and intuitive handling in addition to outstanding vehicle attitude stability. Read More
Spring Wednesdays: the new Friday for car crashes?
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April 26, 2007 While this isn't directly a story on technical innovation, we thought it was an interesting reflection on how improved measurement of human behaviour can turn up odd and fascinating trends. According to analysis of data from 30,000 automotive accidents in 2006, UK accident management company Accident Exchange has discovered that although Friday is the biggest weekday for crashes throughout the rest of the year, Wednesdays take over in spring. Read More
Audi Cross Coupe quattro - compact performance SUV concept
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April 26, 2007 One of the stars of the Shanghai Motor Show is a new Audi Cross Coupé quattro concept that defines a new segment in the field of crossover vehicles. The Audi Cross Coupé quattro combines the design and dynamism of a compact premium sports car with the spaciousness and versatility of a four-seat sport utility vehicle (SUV). Innovative technical solutions show new ways of achieving efficiency, driving pleasure and comfort, on all roads, under all conditions.
200 Grand Prix cars for GPLIVE
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April 26, 2007 Over 200 Grand Prix cars spanning a century of motor racing are set to grace UK’s Donington Park for the GPlive event on the weekend of May 18, 19 and 20, 2007. The cars will range from Edwardian monsters to the latest Formula One machinery and will include cars driven by over a dozen Formula One World Champions. Read More
Pimp my Roller – automotive jewellery for the Rolls Royce Phantom
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April 24, 2007 Personalising one’s ride, be it a a V8 muscle car or an elegant roller, appears to be a growing trend, so just in case you have a Rolls Royce Phantom or similar ilk auto in the garage and feel the need to show your individuality, there’s the STRUT Collection – a premier brand of high quality triple-chromed grilles, wheels, and automotive jewelery designed for luxury automobiles and SUVs. STRUT recently introduced the new Knightsbridge Collection with its new architectural grille design for the Phantom. The distinctive grille design embodies the classic lines of the original Rolls grille with finely detailed, handcrafted, and highly polished bracelet style links giving a designer jewelery appearance crowned with the STRUT signature crest. Accessories include side vents, exhaust tips and a rear STRUT shield. All STRUT automotive jewelery collections are handcrafted from 316L stainless steel, then triple-chromed for superior durability and lustre that will withstand even the harshest outdoor elements. The price of giving jewelery to your automotive mistress is GBP 25,000. Read More
E-Flex Hydrogen Fuel Cell continues move toward electric drive automobiles
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April 21, 2007 The number of significant announcements coming out of the Shanghai Motor Show underlines the growing importance of the Chinese Auto market on the world stage, and fittingly, given that the Chinese Government seems far more committed to sustainable personal transport than its American equivalent, the star of the show in technological terms was the next iteration of the General Motors’ E-Flex electric architecture, configured with the company’s newest, most efficient hydrogen fuel cell system to date. This second variant of the E-Flex system uses GM's new fifth-generation fuel cell propulsion technology and a lithium-ion battery to provide up to 300 miles (483 km) of electric driving. The fuel cell E-Flex is a true Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and operates all-electric from both hydrogen fuel cell-generated electricity and grid electricity. It is plug-in capable, adding up to 20 additional miles (34 km) each time it is charged, further reducing trips to the refueling station. Read More
KTM to mass produce 700kg 300 bhp US$55K X-Bow
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April 20, 2007 We wrote extensively and quite enthusiastically about KTM's 700kg 300 bhp carbon fibre X-BOW roadster in February, so we now have the pleasure of announcing that the public's extremely positive reaction has seen the green light given for series production. Originally, KTM’s intention was to have Dallara produce a pilot series of 100 units, but with firm orders for 600 cars coming in the last two months, production will now be handled by Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik beginning early 2008, with the first customer deliveries in February. The aim is to reach an annual production of 1000 units as soon as possible. Plans still call for the production of the first 100 units as an exclusive special series. No mention was made in the announcement of any changes to the price, although with series production, the cost of manufacture will drop - a modest EUR 40,000 (US$55,000) is still the last price mentioned, which makes the vehicle a remarkable bargain when equated to bang-per-buck. Read More
Very original XK120 Jaguar
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April 21, 2007 Duncan Hamilton was one of Britain's foremost racing drivers and his racing autobiography 'Touch Wood!' became a classic publication. The larger-than-life Hamilton drove Formula One and Two Grand Prix cars for Lago-Talbot, Maserati, HWM and Gordini, and “works” sports cars for Jaguar and Ferrari. His company, which sells elite sports cars (the company has sold more than 60 genuine F1 cars plus thousands of roadgoing exoticars of the highest ilk) has been in operation for over 50 years, and operates to an equally elite clientele. This week the company has a very original Jaguar XK120 Roadster for sale – the XK120 debuted as a concept and test bed car at the 1948 London Motor Show as a test bed and show vehicle to highlight the new Jaguar XK engine. The car caused a sensation, which persuaded William Lyons to put it into production as a standard model. The first 240 cars manufactured had hand built aluminum bodies on an ash frame before moving to mass production in order to meet the demand – the production version had a steel pressed body with alloy doors, bonnet, and trunk skin. The car on offer is as original today as when it the sixth steel body XK120 off the production line, and comes with a full history. See inside for some great period imagery of the XK120 and siblings.
Household heating takes pole position on the electricity grid
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April 19, 2007 British motorsport specialist Prodrive appears set for a foray into the home power market. Prodrive works for numerous companies at the highest levels of motorsport in many categories, and the focussed engineering technology required for Formula 1 is helping to create the next generation of household heating and power. Powerdrive is working with Disenco Energy to bring its micro combined heat and power (mCHP) unit to the domestic market. Micro CHPs are not only more efficient than current domestic boilers, but they also generate electricity, which, when not being used by a household, could be sold back to the national grid. The Disenco mCHP generates 15 kW of heat and 3 kW of electricity. It is also more than 90 percent efficient converting 70-80 percent of the available energy in natural gas for central heating and between 10 and 25 per cent into electricity. This can reduce an average home’s carbon emissions by between two and six tonnes per year, while saving up to 30 per cent on the household fuel bill too. Read More
Bardou-Jacquet’s must-see Shell Ferrari Commercial
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April19, 2007 It’s Ferrari’s 60th birthday this year, and we’re pleased to report the company to be in extraordinarily good health. One of the most recognised brands on the planet, Ferrari’s name is synonymous with automotive performance, technological innovation, elegant form, and excellence in seemingly everything. On the racetrack, Ferrari has participated in every event in Formula one history, having won 23% of these races, with more race wins, fastest laps, pole positions and championships than any other marque. Formula One is the world’s most expensive sport by a fair margin – fielding a vaguely competitive car costs half a billion dollars a year, and several teams have spent a billion dollars in a year and still been embarrassed by the speed of Ferrari. Formula One is also the world’s most watched sporting event and the resultant brand recognition is enormous. Ferrari does not advertise but its marketing department is fittingly innovative in showcasing and developing the brand in many ways with the recent examples including a Ferrari theme park for grown ups in Abu Dhabi, the worldwide Tour of Ferrari, and dressing up a series of the world’s showcase buildings, including the world’s tallest building, Taipei's 508 metre 101 Tower. The anniversary celebrations have also spawned one of the world’s most outstanding adverts, not from Ferrari, but from its long-standing Formula One fuel partner Shell. Costing US$3.9 million, the two minute longform commercial involves a cavalcade of Ferrari’s most famous race cars driving flat-out through the streets Rome, Monaco, Rio, New York and Hong Kong and is yet another example of Antione Bardou-Jacquet’s astonishing talent. He was previously best known for the Honda “Cog” commercial. The commercial can be seen here – warn the neighbours, then turn up the speakers very loud for a wonderful experience. Read More
Nissan to test Intelligent Transport System in Japan using cell phones
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April 18, 2007 We’ve written before about Intelligent Transportation Systems in general and in particular, Nissan’s ongoing development and trials of Intelligent Transportation Systems in Japan, but a new development is the use of cell phone technology to help reduce accidents involving pedestrians. Nissan is researching the pedestrian-related communication involving the transmitting of pedestrian position data to vehicles via the Global Positioning System (GPS). Nissan's advanced ITS employs the next 3G cellular communications system, just launched in Japan, where the GPS function is used as the basis to provide location information of the cellular phone. In this system, location data transmitted from the pedestrian's cellular phone and vehicle is fed to the ITS to allow the system to determine the corresponding positions between the pedestrian and the vehicle. A pedestrian alert will appear onboard the vehicle to warn the driver, helping to reduce road accidents particularly in a blind-spot situation. Read More
All-New 700 bhp RUF CTR3 Supercar unveiled
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April 16, 2007 German sports car manufacturer RUF Automobile opened its new factory at the Bahrain International Circuit on Friday, taking the opportunity to launch of its all-new flagship model, the RUF CTR3 supercar, at the same time. In becoming the first sports car manufacturer to build a factory in the Middle East, RUF has certainly raised the bar for other manufacturers targeting the region. The factory, designed by the team led by Hermann Tilke, creator of the Bahrain International Circuit, features an eight-storey 34-metre tall glass tower topped with the same iconic Arabic tent roof style as the circuit's grandstands and Sakhir Tower. The tower is flanked by the preassembly and assembly wings, and visiting customers will receive their newly-built RUF model in the VIP lounge on the top floor when the completed car arrives on a spectacular lift. The facility will be the main production facility for the all-new EUR380,000 700 bhp CTR3 – a 3.8-litre twin- turbocharged horizontally-opposed six cylinder car with a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 375km/h. 26 year-old Ben Soderberg burst into an elite group of supercar designers with the arrival of the RUF CTR3. There’s also a Q&A with the CTR3 Designer. Read More
Proton unveils prototype Hybrid Car Developed In Collaboration With Lotus
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April 16, 2007 Malaysia’s National auto manufacturer Proton has unveiled its first Hybrid prototype, designed in collaboration with Lotus Engineering. It is just over two decades since the company bolted together its first cars from Mitsubishi parts imported from Japan, but as the company has grown in strength, it has acquired considerable engineering design, development and manufacturing expertise, pulling off a major coup with its acquisition of Lotus in 1996. The 'EVE Hybrid' (Efficient, Viable, Environmental) research and development project was a collaboration of Proton and Lotus and EVE sports some impressive vital statistics. EVE has a 1.6litre petrol engine, which uses a 'micro-hybrid' start-stop system, a full parallel hybrid drive and a continuously variable transmission to achieve fuel economy of 5.6 litres/100km. maximum torque of whopping 233Nm at 1500rpm and maximum power of 105kW at 5500rpm enabling the car to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.0 seconds with a top speed of 188.8 km/h. Read More
Nissan and NEC form new company to mass produce lithium-ion batteries for the global automotive community
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April 16, 2007 The evolution towards cleaner powertrains will see the proliferation of a wider mix of electric-powered vehicles including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and electric vehicles. Accordingly, it is significant that Nissan Motor Company, NEC Corporation, and its subsidiary, NEC TOKIN, have signed an agreement to establish a joint-venture company – Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC) – to focus on lithium-ion battery business for wide-scale automotive application by 2009.The establishment of AESC demonstrates that both Nissan and NEC firmly believe that lithium-ion battery technology will become an important energy-source in achieving a sustainable mobile society. Both companies are confident that there will be a ready and growing market for lithium-ion batteries in the next decade and beyond. Read More
FIA World Touring Car Championship to run on Bio-Fuel in 2009
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April 13, 2007 In one of the first developments of its kind the FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC) is set to run on bio-fuel from 2009 after the FIA World Motor Sport Council gave unanimous support for the initiative. The FIA WTCC, one of the FIA’s three World Championships alongside Formula One and the World Rally Championship (WRC), is now in its third season having gained increased popularity worldwide. Bio-ethanol fuel will be introduced to the FIA WTCC alongside unleaded petrol and diesel in 2008, before a switch to an exclusive bio-fuel powered championship in 2009. Read More
International Truck partners with Conquest Motorhomes to enter RV Market
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April 12, 2007 With more than $14 billion in retail sales and more than 370,000 annual unit shipments last year, the United States RV industry represented a large and virtually untapped market for International Truck and Engine Corporation – until now. International has announced it is partnering with Conquest Motorhomes, one of the RV industry’s leading manufacturers, to make International the exclusive cab and chassis provider for all of its Class C diesel motorhomes. The Super Nova model from Gulf Stream Coach (pictured) will now use the International DuraStar chassis. Read More
Ford releases Chip Foose-designed, 450bhp F150 for fall of 2007
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April 14, 2007 In another of the lifestyle branding partnerships that are becoming so common, Ford has announced the release of its F150 pickup as styled by Chip Foose, star of TV's "Overhaulin" and custom vehicle builder for "Gone in 60 Seconds." Read More
Mercedes-AMG shows two new models at the New York International Auto Show 2007
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April 11, 2007 Mercedes delivered two new performance cars at the New York Auto Show, replacing the dream car of many with new variants along what is now a 40 year-old theme. The new top-of-the-line CL 65 AMG has a V12 bi-turbo engine delivering 450 kW and 1000 Newton meters of torque, and for those who don’t find the price tag exclusive enough, there’s a limited run 40 units to be known as the "40th Anniversary Edition" with exclusive AMG Alubeam paintwork, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of AMG, the high-performance brand of the Mercedes Car Group (MCG). The new CLK 63 AMG Black Series represents a transition from motor sport into pure culture. The fast V8 coupe is visually and technologically closely related to the Official F1 Safety Car. With its sophisticated cooling and new AMG threaded sport suspension, this two-seater, with 373 kW, is predestined for hard campaigning on the racing circuit. Read More
Mazda's clever multifunction rearview mirror
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April 18, 2007 Mazda has announced a "first of its kind" in the North American market in the form of this rearview mirror-mounted Back Up Camera with Auto-Dimming Mirror Display. The display will be available on CX-9 models not factory-equipped with DVD navigation systems – giving drivers the ability to see the display screen and the rearview mirror simultaneously. The system, houses an LCD display behind the "transflexive" mirror surface, so the mirror can display a panoramic rear-vision reversing view, or dim automatically in response to bright headlights. Read More
Rolls-Royce presents the Phantom Armoured, for the man with a price on his head and a taste for absolute luxury.
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April 18, 2007 Discretion was once the key in the luxury armoured vehicle market, but with competitors like Range Rover and Jaguar making inroads into the market, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has taken the crass step of revealing to the press that an armoured version of the Phantom will be launched, offering "substantial security benefits for those customers that require the highest levels of personal protection."
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The re-birth of an icon - the new BMW M3 Coupe
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April 7, 2007 BMW has announced details of the new BMW M3 Coupe, a model that 21 years ago created an entirely new segment for super-high-performance compact cars. In the past two decades and three previous generations, the M3 has proved a success on road and track. Originally powered by BMW’s first 16-valve four-cylinder engine and subsequently by 3.0-litre and 3.2-litre powerplants, BMW M3 engines took top category honours on a record six successive occasions in the Engine of the Year awards. Racing derivatives have also won more Touring Car titles than any other car as well as numerous Endurance races. Read More
Wide-angle driver visibility and safety innovations distinguish Volvo BeeVan Truck Concept
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April 10, 2007 Unparalleled driver visibility and innovative design ideas are combined with advanced safety technologies for Class 8 trucks in a one-quarter-scale model truck concept from Volvo Trucks North America. The concept was shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, and is part of the Michelin Challenge Design competition. Read More
Chevrolet’s innovative Beat, Groove or Trax concepts and an equally innovative market research initiative
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April 4, 2007 Three Chevrolet minicar global concepts designed to appeal to young car buyers in urban markets will be revealed later today at the New York Auto Show; the Chevrolet Beat, Groove and Trax concepts. In an innovative move, Chevrolet will take the market-testing notion one step further than normal by asking the public to pick their favorite at a web site designed specifically for the purpose. The results will help Chevrolet determine U.S. market interest in the minicar segment, and which design/capability package resonates best with potential buyers. Read More
All-New Subaru Impreza debuts at the New York International Auto Show
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April 4, 2007 Subaru will unveil its all new Subaru Impreza at the New York International Auto Show press launch tonight, with the third-generation of the car which started the pocket-rocket phenomenon slated to hit the market mid-year. The new Impreza may look similar to its predecessors but it is entirely new with a redesigned chassis, body construction and drivetrain, as well as substantially improved overall performance. Read More
