BMW Concept Coupe Zagato

BMW Concept Coupe Zagato Concorso d'Eleganza in 2012 Villa d'Este will once again host the world premiere of a spectacular and, thus, building a tradition as a meeting of leading industrial coachbuilders. The premiere will see the time-honored Milan coachbuilder Zagato in collaboration with BMW to unveil the results of a unique collaboration: Zagato Coupé BMW. Zagato has worked in close collaboration to create an exciting and emotionally charged coupé in the finest tradition of automotive workmanship. The BMW Zagato Coupé embodies the unbridled fascination of cars and fuses the design DNA of the two companies into a fresh and desinctive whole. This one-off model is the product of many hours of skilled hand-craftsmanship and breathes new life into the tradition of coachbuilding. It is hard to think of a better occasion for the premiere than the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, one of the most exclusive events in the world of classic cars and motorcycles.

  The vehicles shown on the banks of Lake Como are hand-picked, the number of entrants limited and the surroundings simply without comparison. The Concorso began as a get-together of coachbuilders presenting one-off hand-built creations, and the BMW Zagato Coupé follows very much in that tradition. Made for the road. The two partners settled on a realistic and applied approach to the development of the BMW Zagato Coupé. "Zagato has always provided its customers with ready-to-drive cars which can be sent into action on the road or race track without further ado - and the BMW Zagato Coupé fits the same template," says Dr Andrea Zagato, who represents the third generation of his family to sit at the helm of the company. To this end, the car is registered for road use and meets all the legal requirements worldwide. "It is relatively easy to build a design study which is not intended for use on the road. 

Not having to meet any stipulations governing crash safety or pedestrian protection opens up a host of new avenues in terms of design," he adds. "The challenge lies in injecting the emotional appeal of a concept car into a road-legal machine. And we think we have succeeded in doing just that with the BMW Zagato Coupé." Indeed, the new creation has already cut a "bella figura" at high speeds during testing on the BMW test track. Zagato chief designer Norihiko Harada and van Hooydonk have been friends for many years, so when Andrea Zagato proposed a collaboration, it wasn't long before the decision was made to build a car at Zagato that embodies the two companies' passion for cars.Both partners can look back on a rich heritage, sharing as they do a passion for cars that stretches back over 80 years. Added to which, Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice-President BMW Group Design, and Andrea Zagato are long-time appreciators of each other's work; indeed, Zagato took home the prestigious Concorso d'Eleganza Design Award in both 2010 and 2011.

However, this collaboration is about more than mutual respect. BMW and the Italian design. After sawing in 1939 the creation of the first BMWs sporting tailor made Italian metalwork, a coupé based on the BMW 328 for the upcoming race season and specifically for the Mille Miglia (where it triumphed in 1940), BMW was back to Milan in 1954 to buy from Renzo Rivolta, founder of ISO, drawings, license and tooling necessary for the production of the legendary Isetta. Almost sixty years later BMW had the opportunity to re-establish a connection with the Rivolta family. As a matter of fact Marella Rivolta, wife of Andrea Zagato, is Zagato Art Director and responsible of BMW Coupé Zagato trim and colours. The hands of Italian designers were also responsible for the eye-catching looks of the BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale (1959), BMW 700 (1959), BMW 3200 CS Bertone (1962) and BMW M1 (1978) - all of which retain the status of design icons to this day. The BMW Zagato Coupé heralds a new chapter in the tradition of cooperation between BMW and Italian designers.

Much has changed since those earlier collaborations, however, with the advent of new working methods such as digital sketching, Photoshop and CAD/CAS tools opening the door to an entirely new way of working. Despite these advances in the design tools available, the human touch is still essential to the process. "Working with Zagato was a fantastic experience. It was extremely enriching for us to create something with people who share our understanding of good design and passion for cars," explains Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles. "And that is what makes the car so special - the open and constructive dialogue with Zagato, their experience, craftsmanship and incomparable sense for forms. All of these gifts are wrapped up in the BMW Zagato Coupé."

The body of the BMW Zagato Coupé has been built entirely by hand. As in the past, the new skin was tailored to fit the car's mechanical architecture, tracing its lines yet giving it space to breathe. The Zagato experts spent many hours crafting the aluminium sheet metal by hand and meticulously moulding it to give the car its unique form. BMW Zagato  Source : netcarshow.com

Peugeot 301 Sedan in next year

Even though it is not slated to come to the U.S., nor are any Peugeots, we have kept a watchful eye on the new Peugeot 301 four-door hatchback. Behind the scenes and obviously out of our prying eyes’ range, Peugeot has been working on a different version of the 301, a sedan, or saloon for you U.K. folks.

Yup, this new 301 looks just like the 301 hatchback that we have seen frolicking around, but has the hatch hacked off and a trunk put in its place. This new 301, which is set to debut at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012, is positioned in the automaker’s developing market lineup – Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Middle East, Gulf and African States, and certain Latin America markets.

Source : Topspeed.com

Car make User Experience Cadillac

Car make User Experience Cadillac In the latest version of the Cadillac to the ease with the addition of multi-functional gadget in this vehicle.

Cadillac, however, have a better way for buyers to learn the mysteries of CUE-powered XTS $ 44,995: give the owner an iPad with a car, loaded with a tutorial on how to get the most out of the system of User Experience Cadillac. Yes, when he introduced the Hyundai Equus comes with an iPad installed with multimedia version of the owners manual.

Based on discussions with Cadillac wires, however, this is the implementation of a broader, with every Cadillac dealer is required to have two "certified technology experts" on duty, plus a call center CUE for the owner, a team of online media seek to answer the question CUE and CUE specialist mobile who makes house calls. In essence it seems that this is not about getting an iPad with your car, it's about understanding the technology that your car could ever do. If you still do not know how to access the full power of your XTS, it will only be because you do not want to. Cadillac ~ Source : autoblog.com

Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series

With 510 HP under the hood, the Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series looks like a car that needs no updates. But the German tuner Vath did the impossible: they managed to update the car’s engine to an impressive 756 HP!

So how can you get the extra 246 HP? Simple: first you need an extra 38,500 € ($47,800) and then you need to take your car the the Vath shop. In here your car will get lots of high performance engine modification with compressor system, individual precise tuning of the engine electronics and an in-house manufactured water-charging air cooling system. As a result the engine delivers a total of 756 HP and a peak torque of 59 lbs-ft. Top speed limiter will also be removed so that you can enjoy an impressive top speed of 217 mph. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph will be made in just 3.6 seconds.

And if you have a few more thousands to spend, you can also get a stainless steel exhaust-manifold system, a sport rear silencer, a new suspension system that lowers the car’s ride by 20 – 65 mm and a new set of 20" wheels.

Source : Topspeed.com

Cars Nissan Versa Review

Back in the Eighties, my Dad, who lived in snow-bound Boston, needed something besides his Mercedes SL to drive during the relentless winter months. He ended up selecting a Nissan Pulsar, bought from a dealer who wryly observed that “Everybody needs a dinghy.” Basically, the 2012 Versa is today’s version of the Nissan dinghy. Like the Pulsar, the Versa is small, unprepossessing, and noisy at full chat, but eminently practical. You wouldn’t choose it as your only vehicle, but rather as a useful addendum to a well-stocked garage.

The big news for the just revamped Versa is its increased interior space. Although wheelbase remains unchanged at 102.4 inches, the substitution of Nissan’s new global “V” platform for the previous “B” chassis means that rear legroom has increased to 38 inches. As a rear seat passenger, I immediately noticed this commodious allocation of foot space. With the front seats positioned to accommodate 6 foot adults, the rear still offers enough lounging room to make long trips comfortably tolerable. Although there are no ventilation ducts to the rear space, both windows fold completely into the doors, so you can tailor your breeze at the expense of some wind noise. Also missing from the back cabin are reading lights, clothes hooks, grab handles and a fold down armrest. Still, spaciousness trumps econocar basic.
Up front, the Versa feels more expensive than its $14,560 base price would seem to indicate. Cloth covered seats offer decent support. The pistol-gripped, 3-spoke steering wheel, festooned with fingertip controls for radio (left side) and cruise control (right) looks like it belongs in a much more expensive car. Because the transmission control stalk on the center tunnel is connected to a CVT gearbox, only 2 selections of forward motion are offered: Drive or Low. The CVT makes the most of the Versa’s 109 horsepower, constantly altering engine speed to accommodate driving need. The upside of this behavior is unanticipated sprightliness in acceleration, and sterling fuel economy. We made a round trip from the Bay Area to Monterey and back on less than a single 12 gallon tank, averaging over 30 MPG.

But the Versa isn’t vice less. The downside of CVT is that you have virtually no direct control of engine speed range. The constant engine drone produced by the CVT’s torque multiplication quickly becomes annoying. The standard air conditioning unit is a tad slow to ice the cabin on blistering hot days. Due to poor counterbalance, the trunk lid, which must be opened manually via the ignition key, will whack you on the rebound if you’re not careful to open it all the way. And finally, the weenie 185/65/15 ContiContact tires look small for the Versa and fail to generate much grip in corners.

But then, you can’t expect many Chris Craft amenities in a dinghy. If solid, basic transport is all you’re after, the Versa more than fills the order. Even on a 5 hour, single day round-trip, none of the Versa’s passengers did much ergonomic-inspired complaining. The glassy, tall-roofed cabin goes a long way toward damping small car claustrophobia. The best part of the 2012 Versa is its newly enlarged rear seating area. To gain full benefit of that improvement, however, Nissan needs to add a folding center armrest, reading lights and grab handles back there. But if you’re after unembroidered transport, pared to an affordable price, the Versa represents good value.
2012 NISSAN VERSA 1.6SV SEDAN

• ENGINE: 1.6 liter inline 4

 

• HORSEPOWER: 109hp @ 6000 rpm

 

 

• TORQUE: 107 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm

 

 

• TRANSMISSION: Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission)

 

 

• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 30 mpg city / 37 mpg hwy / 33 mpg observed

 

 

• PRICE AS TESTED: $15,080

 

 

Source : Carreview.com

Cars Honda S2000, 2000-2009 - Used Vehicle

You might have called it Honda’s mid-life crisis, but unlike the 50 year-olds who go out and buy a sports car, Honda celebrated its 50th by building one.
A sporty Honda isn’t tough to wrap your head around, but for a company whose most overtly sporty car to that point was a Civic with 160 horsepower, the S2000 was Honda’s and-now-for something-completely-different moment, with a screaming 9,000-rpm four-cylinder good for 240 horses.
At the time, the S2000′s engine boasted the highest specific power per volume of any naturally-aspirated (that is, not turbo- or supercharged) production motor. That is to say, it produced more power per litre of displacement than any other naturally-aspirated engine in a car available in a showroom. The motor was mated to a standard six-speed manual transmission (the only one available) and a Torsen limited slip differential.







In 2004, Honda made some cosmetic and mechanical tweaks to the S2000. Most significantly, these included bumping the engine’s displacement to 2.2 litres by way of a longer piston stroke; horsepower remained the same, but torque increased to 162 lb-ft at 6,200 from the previous peak of 153 lb-ft at 7,500 rpm. The longer stroke resulted in a lower redline of 8,000 rpm.
In addition to the larger motor, the transmission got shorter ratios for gears one through four and taller ratios for fifth and sixth.
In 2006, Honda added a drive-by-wire throttle and Vehicle Stability Assist.
For 2008, the S2000 gained a tire pressure monitoring system, updated dash and gauges and a few new colours.
For a full list of differences between 2000-2003 and 2004-2009 cars, check this thread.
In typical Honda fashion, fuel consumption is decidedly palatable for a sports car, with EnerGuide ratings of 11.8 L/100 km (city) and 8.4 L/100 km (highway). Autos.ca contributors Paul Williams and Frank Rizzuti, both S2000 owners, report that those figures are quite realistic in real-world driving. Premium fuel is a requirement, though. Reliability has been solid, generally, but Consumer Reports (CR) data indicates a few things to watch for. One is what CR dubs the potential for “major” engine problems in 2003 through 2005 models. The publication doesn’t provide specifics, but possibilities include a stuttering engine caused by a bad manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor or an ignition system misfire, which can be caused by any number of things. Source : autos.ca

New Lotus Evopra 414E Hybrid

Lotus hasn’t seen a great share of luck in recent years, but in the past few weeks, its luck has taken a slight turn for the better. First came INDYCAR’s approval of desired changes to its IRL engines. Now Lotus is now extending this run of decent luck a little more by announcing that its running prototype for the Evopra 414E hybrid is ahead of schedule and ready for dynamic testing.

Lotus first unveiled the prototype at Geneva in 2010, but it was just that, a prototype. It had no engine or motor driving it; it was essentially just a shell. No one in the automotive world expected anything from Lotus in the next year or so, as it seeks a new CEO, fights a rumored lawsuit from its former CEO, and attempts to right this sinking shop.

It looks like we were all wrong, as Lotus just sent out a press release detailing all of the Evora 414E’s main specifications. So, we did what we do best and used our speculative abilities to put together a review for you to use to make an educated shopping decision, if you are lucky enough to be in the market for this type of car ~ New Lotus Evopra 414E Hybrid  Source Topspeed.com