Automotive
Holy Golf!
May 7, 2005 Good fortune it seems, comes in many different ways. When a young German, Benjamin Halbe, bought a second-hand 1999 Volkswagen Golf six months ago, the car’s former owners were not even a consideration. The car had clearly been well cared for and was in excellent condition. But when one of the former owners, one Josef Ratzinger, became Pope Benedict XVI with a billion Catholic followers, the young German decided to put the car up for auction on EBay Germany. His 9500 euro investment returned a handsome dividend earlier this week when the auction closed at 188,938 euros (US$245,000). The publicity associated with the vehicle being auctioned focussed massive attention on the auction, and helped the auction page get viewed a massive 8.4 million times. Such was the congestion at the eBay server as the minutes ticked down towards the end of the auction that news sources in Germany now suggest that the auction price might have gone much higher had several bidders been able to get through to place much higher bids. The winning bid was reportedly placed about one minute prior to the end of the auction at 7.30pm Berlin time on Ascension day, May 5. Read More
Volvo YCC Concept Car wins major design award
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May 6, 2005 The Volvo Cars' YCC team has received the Torsten och Wanja Soderbergs Pris (Torsten and Wanja Soderbergs Prize), one of Scandinavia's most prestigious design awards. The YCC is a Volvo concept car with unique features designed exclusively by women and it impressed the judging jury. "For their solutions for storage, accessibility, vision and the possibility to personalize the interior, the group has in a convincing way shown possible solutions for future cars," wrote the jury. Read More
World 100,000 mile record: 140 mph for 30 days averaging 40 mpg
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May 3, 2005 With so much competition for global car sales, it helps to launch a car into the market with a significant impetus and there’s no greater testimony to the speed or reliability of a car, or boost to the desirability of a car than a world record. Accordingly, Mercedes Benz used such a feat to launch its new V6 CDI diesel engine. It had three cars picked at random off the production line, sealed, taken to a track in Texas and run continuously for 100,000 miles. Each E 320 CDI car ran flawlessly for 30 days while averaging 224 kmh (140mph) and 40 miles per gallon while satisfying all Californian CARB emission standards and stopping for a regular service - each car was serviced ten times during the run. The 26-strong team of mechanics changed the engine oil, air and diesel filters during each service stop. That should make the showroom punters take notice! Read on for the full story. Read More
BMW dominates French round of World Touring Car Championship
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May 1, 2005 The prediction that BMW would dominate at French round of the World Touring Car Championship at the weekend (1 May 2005) at Magny Cours was born out by a total German domination in both races. In race one Jorg Muller lead the BMWs home after a spectacular start that saw Andy Priaulx overtaking Alfa Romeo's Augusto Farfus and Rickard Rydell before entering the first corner. The 2004 FIA ETCC title holder did not surrender this advantage and crossed the line in second place 2.882 seconds behind the winner. Rydell represented SEAT Sport on the podium by finishing third in his SEAT Toledo Cupra after an exciting duel with Gabriele Tarquini's Alfa Romeo. Antonio Garcia, Dirk Muller, Jordi Gene and Farfus filled the other point positions, while Peter Terting made a daring move on the very last corner of the race to overtake Fabrizio Giovanardi, enabling the German rookie to claim ninth place.
WRC Rd 5 - Loeb takes the lead
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May 1, 2005 Sebastien Loeb dominated the Italian round of the World Rally Championship at the weekend (29 April - 1 May), guiding his Citroen Xsara to victory over Petter Solberg by nearly a minute and in the process taking over the lead in the World Rally Championship from the Subaru driver. Loeb's domination of the rally of Sardinia - he lead from stage three to the end of the event and scored twice as many stage wins as his nearest rival - was achieved through the reliability of his Citroen Xsara, an excellent choice of tyres and a skilful and well paced drive from the Frenchman. Team mate Francois Duval managed to score manufacturers points despite a first-day roll off the track into the bush that left his Xsara on its side and minus a rear wheel. Following repairs and a re-start, he went on to finish in 11th place. Read More
Radical airless tyre has half the rolling resistance and is cheaper to make
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April 30, 2005 Michelin’s radical new Tweel announced in January this year looks set to be the next big thing in tyre technology but recent news from Amerityre on a very similar technology suggests there will be strong competition in the airless tyre market, as more than one manufacturer is close to market. Amerityre has successfully completed high-speed testing of its experimental non-pneumatic or “zero-pressure” polyurethane tyre in testing for FMVSS 129 compliance, the safety standard governing the testing of non-pneumatic car tyres. The advantages of the polyurethane tyre are many according to Amerityre including much cooler running temperatures (less wear), much lower rolling resistance (amounting to a reported 10% decrease in fuel consumption) and the ability to produce a complete tyre inside a few minutes significantly simplifying and reducing the cost of the manufacturing process. Read More
The world's first mass-produced mass-produced petrol-engined automobile
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April 26 2005 When we saw this 1904 Oldsmobile pop up in the catalogue for the next Shannons Motor auction, we copuldn't help but check to see how far we have come in a century. The Oldsmobile to be auctioned on May 2 has enjoyed more than a century of motoring on a single cylinder. Oldsmobile until its demise last year was the oldest American car company, with its vehicles built on the industry’s first assembly line in 1901 and its Curved Dash model – so called after the unique shape of the footboard – became the first mass-produced petrol-engined automobile. Produced from 1901-1907 in Runabout, Light Delivery Van or Light Tonneau models it rapidly became America’s most popular automobile. The US Postal Office employed the Curved Dash vans as mail trucks and some 16,000 of this model were made. Read More
San Marino F1 GP - Fantastic duel between Schumacher and Alonso
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April 24, 2005 Fernando Alonso made it three wins in a row when he won the 62 lap San Marino Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, but the real excitement came from his fantastic duel with Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari over the last 11 laps of the race, the pair being just 0.2s apart at the end. BAR Honda’s Jenson Button completed the top three to open his score in the championship. Though the RS25 V10 fitted to Fernando Alonso’s car became the first engine in the modern era of Formula 1 to win two consecutive races, the real message from San Marino was that Ferrari is back and that Ferrari and Michael Schumacher now have the speed to fight to retain the title. McLaren Mercedes and BAR Honda have also caught up to the speed of the Renault and the season looks set to be a pearler!
BMW 3 Series Wagon Variant announced: The
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April 20, 2005 BMW has announced a wagon variant of the new 3 Series Sedan that will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The “Touring” shares a strong visual link with the 3 Series Sedan, largely identical to the Sedan from the front to the A-pillars. From the A-pillars back the car's sporting, almost coupe-like silhouette hides the immense degree of practicality for families and professionals seeking more space, grace and style.
The fourth-generation BMW 3 Series Touring has been developed as an entirely different and unique car in parallel to the Sedan. Read More
Honda’s Fuya-jo Party-on-wheels Concept
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History has produced some wonderful concept cars that became significant production models. It has also produced many that were somewhat less than well received. Japan in particular, has an automotive culture which takes significant chances with its concept vehicles, and is often prepared to go well beyond the traditional to explore new niche markets. One such long shot was the Fuya Jo from Honda – the vehicle whose name means "Sleepless City", was designed specifically to transport “party animals who demand the full excitement of night life.” Read More
Lago Talbot Formula One Grand Prix Works Racer for sale
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You know the story - only ever driven on Sundays. Original condition. Only four owners. Except this one has all the paperwork including letters from Tony lago verifying its history. Very rare Formula One racing cars don’t come up that often and completely original, never damaged Formula One race cars are much rarer, so it’s astonishing that a car such as this exists. This 4.5 litre 1952 Lago Talbot Formula One Grand Prix Works Racer has never been damaged, was rebuilt at the factory to 1953 specs and sports the 270bhp “twin” plug motor which gives it a top speed of around 175 mph. Prior to being sold by Tony Lago to Australian champion driver Doug Whiteford in 1954 the car was driven by champion French drivers Louis Rosier and Pierre Levegh. The car is beautifully presented and is considered to be the most original Lago Talbot Formula One vehicle in existence. Asking price – US$1.25 million Read More
Creating a plug-in Toyota Prius
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Many people including the California Cars Initiative (CalCars), see the short to medium term future of hybrid cars as plug-in hybrids – hybrids where you can choose not to use petroleum should you wish. They claim that the biggest problem with the current Honda and Toyota hybrids is that you can’t charge their batteries overnight because they’ve been designed to gently wean the population off petrol. So CalCars decided to jump-start the market for plug-in hybrids itself, taking a Toyota Prius, adding much bigger batteries and modifying it so it could be plugged into the electricity supply and charged overnight. The aim is to harness the collective vision and purchasing power of individuals and corporate and government fleets and get a major auto manufacturer to produce plug-in versions of existing hybrids. Read More
REVA Electric Vehicle Concept
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April 15, 2005 The REVA-NXG, a “next generation Electric Vehicle” concept was shown for the first time earlier this month at the EV21 Electric Vehicle Symposium in Monaco. Created by the Indian REVA Electric Car Company (RECC), the new concept car is the result of a collaborative effort between RECC, automobile designer Dilip Chhabria and Simputer developer Encore Software. The REVA-NXG is a two-seater roadster with a range of 200 kilometres and a top speed of 120 kmh. The car is powered by a high performance 37 kW AC induction motor that drives the front wheels, and uses Sodium Nickel Chloride batteries in lieu of conventional lead acid batteries for extended life. The REVA-NXG has four-wheel independent suspension with an integrated regenerative and hydraulic braking system and the company claims excellent handling and braking. Read More
Bentley Arnage Drophead Coupe gets production green light
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April 15, 2005.The glamorous Bentley Arnage Drophead Coupe that was launched to worldwide acclaim at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2005 is to go into series production. The magnificent four-seater convertible show car stimulated such interest among Bentley aficionados, both in the USA and Europe, that the decision was immediately taken to continue its extensive development programme in time for delivery of the first cars in Spring 2006. Read More
Porsche Speedster Replica powered by WRX engine
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April 14, 2005 One of the stars of the recent Melbourne International Auto Show was a new automobile with a distinctly recognisable shape – the “James Dean” Porsche Speedster reincarnated with a turbocharged 2 litre WRX motor. The Chetcuti is powered by a 160 kilowatt Subaru EJ20 motor and is available in three versions, all based on a 1957 Porsche Speedster: the rear-engined “traditional” shape, a wide-bodied version and a wide-bodied mid-engined version. All three weigh in at around 1000 kg, and offer spectacular performance at around US$55,000. Read More
World Touring Car Champs Rd 1: Alfa Romeo 1, BMW 1
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April 11, 2005: The inaugural World Touring Car Championship, which has lifted touring car racing to the same level as Formula One and the World Rally Championship, got underway at the weekend (9-10 April 2005) in Italy, with race honours split between the two top teams, BMW and Alfa Romeo. Alfa Romeo went into the race the favourites, after a dominating first practice two weeks ago at the historic Monza track. But conditions for Round One - cold and bleak - were very different and after the cancellation of Friday's practice due to the funeral of The Pope, BMW's Dirk Muller clinched pole position on Saturday for the first of the two races in round one of the 2005 WTCC.
WRC Rd 4: Loeb wins, Solberg leads title, Peugeot extends lead
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April 10, 2005 With a near perfect performance in New Zealand, Citroen and Sebastien Loeb dominated the fourth round of the World Rally championship at the weekend (8-10 April 2005) leading the event from stage three to the finish in his Citroen Xsara WRC and again taking outright favouritism for the drivers championship.
Loeb’s team-mate Francois Duval took fourth place, giving Citroen a bumper points haul and taking the team into second place in the manufacturers title, but with Peugeot’s Marcus Gronholm taking second and Markko Martin in fifth, Peugeot scooted further ahead in the quest for the constructors crown.
Limited-edition Mercedes CLS 55 AMG “IWC Ingenieur” - 55 units with particularly exclusive equipment
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In cooperation with the Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, Mercedes-AMG has developed an exclusive model known as the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Ingenieur”. Only 55 units of the unique four-door coupe will be produced. The car has a powerful AMG 5.5-litre supercharged V8 engine and boasts exclusive equipment details. The design of the newly designed AMG instrument cluster is based on the new “Ingenieur” watch family from IWC, which is making its world debut at the Geneva watch show in April 2005. The 55 units of the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Ingenieur” will each be customised at AMG in Affalterbach, Germany, and the first deliveries will be made in autumn 2005. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter now also with diesel-electric hybrid drive
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April 4, 2005 Mercedes-Benz has always been at the forefront of the development environment- and resource-friendly propulsion systems and has explored natural gas, LPG, electric propulsion and fuel cell technologies in recent times. This pioneering position will be further enhanced this year when it becomes the first manufacturer to offer a plug-in hybrid-drive version of its Sprinter commercial van. Plug-in means that the vehicle is equipped with a power socket which enables the batteries to be recharged even when the engine is not running, for example overnight. A hybrid-drive Sprinter with no recharging socket is also planned. Read More
Formula 1 Round 3 – Alonso/Renault win, Schumacher DNF
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April 4, 2005 Fernando Alonso dominated the Bahraini Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday, winning his second race in a row and looking set to end Michael Schumacher’s reign as the King of Formula One. In many ways, there has been a significant changing of the guard, with Toyota’s second and fourth places netting the company’s best points finish ever and putting it in a clear second place in the constructors championship. Ferrari meanwhile is languishing in sixth place behind the increasingly consistent Red Bull. The ever-astute bookmakers now consider Michael Schumacher only 3/1 chance of retaining his title, with Alonso at long odds-on for the title. The stage is now set for an epic battle. Ferrari showed enough with the speed of the 2005 car’s first showing to suggest that it will have the speed to contest the remainder of the season fiercely. It’s now down to Bridgestone to provide competitive tyres for the less extreme temperatures of Europe. Read More
1000bhp Suzuki Escudo wins Race to the Sky
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Updated April 1 2005 When Japan’s Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima crossed the finish line of New Zealand’s annual ‘Race to the Sky’ hillclimb last Sunday, it was his sixth “King of the Mountain” crown in the fabled event. Monster’s Suzuki Escudo is almost as legendary as he is, producing 981 bhp at 8100 rpm and 95kg-m of torque at 6500 rpm from the twin-turbo 2.7 litre V6. The most amazing thing though, is the space-frame car with carbon fibre and Kevlar bodywork. Monster’s Monster weighs just 1020kg fueled up with Nobuhiro strapped in. Read More
Dodge Charger SRT8 with 425bhp 6.1 litre V8
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March 28, 2005 Dodge showed the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 for the first time at the New York Auto Show this week and performance-car aficionados were delighted with the infusion of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) DNA. The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 provides performance enthusiasts with a thoroughly modern American muscle sedan: more power, world-class ride and handling, benchmark braking and a race-inspired interior. Read More
Venturi Fetish - World's first production electric sportscar
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March 28, 2005 One of the stars of the 21st International Electric Vehicles Symposium (EVS21) to be held in Monte Carlo next week will be the world’s most exclusive electric car – the Venturi Fetish. Assembled by hand in Monaco and made to order, the Fetish has an asking price of 450,000 Euro (US$583,000) - not bad for a vehicle which can legitimately claim the title of being the first production electric sports car in history. Read More
Scion t2B Concept Vehicle
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March 26, 2005 Toyota’s Scion brand debuted a new t2B (Tall Two-Box) concept vehicle at the 2005 New York International Auto Show yesterday. The t2B concept reflects Scion's key product philosophies of style, versatility, and surprise. It encompasses bold exterior styling, innovative features, and a passenger-friendly interior, all packaged with a fun-to-drive factor. Read More
2006 Jaguar Super V8 Portfolio
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March 27, 2005 – Jaguar this week showed a new model to top its highly acclaimed XJ luxury sedan range at the forthcoming New York International Auto Show. The Super V8 Portfolio is the production realization of the striking 'Concept Eight' show car introduced by Jaguar at last year's New York International Auto Show. The Super V8 Portfolio is a sporting long wheelbase sedan with attitude both inside and out, that will be built in limited numbers to reach showrooms in August. Read More
Suzuki Compact SUV Concept X2
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March 25, 2005 Building on its considerable SUV heritage and borrowing from its recreational lifestyle roots, Suzuki revealed its compact SUV concept - Suzuki Concept-X2 - at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) yesterday. The Concept-X2 is a customer-focused SUV for "adventure-seekers unwilling to sacrifice capability, power, performance, safety or style in a right-sized sport-utility package." The Concept-X2 was unveiled as the second embodiment of the automaker's new customer-focused "Way of Life" philosophy - a new brand vision for Suzuki that was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit with the Concept-X. Read More
New Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
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March 27, 2005 Bred from Mitsubishi’s racing program, the striking new 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX was introduced this week at the New York International Automobile Show. Loaded with power and aerodynamic enhancements culled from Mitsubishi's rally-racing success over the past decade, the compact sedan's turbocharged, intercooled engine now features advanced MIVEC technology, producing higher torque and better overall performance. This latest edition to the Lancer Evolution model line stacks up well against far more expensive sports cars by combining brute power and agility. Read More
The new R-Class Grand Sports Tourer from Mercedes-Benz
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March 24, 2005 For the second time within the space of a month, Mercedes-Benz is lifting the wraps on another brand new model series, the new R-Class, which is making its world debut at the New York International Auto Show. The R-Class founds a new and highly promising market segment in that it takes the strengths of established vehicle categories, such as sporty Saloon, Estate, MPV and SUV, and fuses them to create a new car with a character all of its own, a car that is all about the three Ds: Dimensions, Design and Dynamism. The new R-Class is being launched first in North America, in autumn 2005; deliveries to customers in Europe will begin at the beginning of 2006. Read More
Lexus Hybrid Luxury Sports Sedan announced
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March 24, 2005 Lexus has unveiled another luxury hybrid vehicle. The 2007 Lexus GS 450h is the world's first hybrid luxury sedan and the first full hybrid vehicle with a front engine and rear wheel drive. With the world's first gas/electric hybrid-powered luxury SUV, the RX 400h, going on-sale next month, the announcment of the GS 450h indicates an acceleration of Toyota's hybrid program, with availability slated for just over 12 months from now - the second quarter of 2006. A completely new Lexus Hybrid powertrain was created to power the new 450h. The system combines a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a high-output, permanent magnet electric motor—all driving the rear wheels. Combined power output will be well in excess of 300 horsepower, with zero-to-60 acceleration in less than six seconds. Read More
Cadillac's stretch SUV
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March 29, 2005 Cadillac has been getting a lot of press for its limousines of late, but in our mind, the jewel in the crown is not American President George W. Bush’s “missile-proof” 2006 Cadillac DTS Presidential Limousine or even the Cadillac DTS Executive Limousine that real estate magnate Donald Trump accepted at the New York Motor Show. We like the Cadillac Escalade ESVe (for executive) limousine. With a 40-inch wheelbase extension, the Escalade ESVe limousine is a mobile board room and entertainment suite on wheels. It is equipped with opulent amenities and seating for four passengers in the rear cabin. Read More
Ford Shelby Cobra GT500
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March 24, 2005 The most powerful factory-built Ford Mustang in history takes to the street next year, following a unique collaboration between performance car legend Carroll Shelby and the Ford Special Vehicle Team (SVT). Ford took the wraps off the 450-plus-horsepower Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 show car at the New York International Auto Show yesterday. Designed in the unmistakable image of Shelby Mustangs of the 1960s, the Shelby Cobra GT500 melds SVT's modern engineering with the big-block performance that made the original GT500 the king of the road. Read More
World Touring Car Championship kicks off
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March 24, 2005 The inaugural World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) begins next month, taking over from the highly successful European Touring Car Championship, which has provided some of the most exciting motorsport in the world over the last eight years, and lifts touring racing up to the same level as the World Formula One Championship and the World Rally Championship. Read More
The Citroen Chevrons: Much More Than A Badge
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The Citroen Double Chevron badge is much more than one of the most famous brand marks in the world, it is constant reminder to every other car maker that their products rely on a Citroen invention: The Helical Gear, which is used in every vehicle on the road. Before the helical gear, gearboxes were noisy with constant whining, gears were difficult to engage and, once engaged, they provided a far from reliable transfer of power. Andre Citroen changed all of that. His family company Engrenages Citroen, invented, licensed and produced the first helical gears and their distinctive herringbone teeth provided the company with its first and enduring badge, one that has just been given a facelift for the new Citroen C5 and Citroen C4. Read More
Sport Trac Adrenalin – supercharged V8, All-Wheel-Drive, 6-speed auto, Sport Utility Truck
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March 21, 2005 The Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin is a high-performance sport-utility truck (SUT) and will effectively launch its own category when it goes on sale in the United States in 2007. The Adrenalin comes with a full-house of functionality - a supercharged, 390-horsepower V-8, a six-speed automatic transmission, SVT-tuned fully independent suspension, all-wheel-drive , the utility of a pick-up and room for four. The Adrenalin showcases Ford's plans to produce in 2007 the first sport truck offering the combination of uncompromised utility, four-passenger capability and true performance. Along with the Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 - which will go on sale in 2006 - Adrenalin will continue SVT's product momentum that has been growing since the introduction of the acclaimed Ford GT super car in 2004. Read More
Malaysian F1 - Renault wins again, Toyota shines through
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March 20, 2005 A second win in two races for the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team at the Malaysian Grand Prix was the major news, but close behind Renault’s win at Sepang was the performance of Toyota, which finally appears to have arrived as a force in Formula One. Panasonic Toyota Racing scored its debut podium position after a "Trulli" outstanding drive from Jarno ensured he comfortably ended the grueling 56-lap race in 2nd position. A determined drive from Ralf Schumacher made it two cars in the top five for toyota, a total of 12 world championship points and second place in the constructors' championship. Read More
