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Audi TT RS plus

10 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Even more powerful, even faster, even more dynamic: Early 2012 will see the launch of the Audi TT RS plus. This compact sports car, in both Coupé and Roadster versions, stands out for its awe-inspiring performance. Its power-boosted five-cylinder turbo delivers 265 kW (360 hp), sufficient for a top speed of 280 km/h (173.98 mph).

The 2.5-liter TFSI in the Audi TT RS plus is a high-performance engine. Compared with the engine on which it is based, this turbocharged direct-injection unit delivers 15 kW (20 hp) more power. It produces 465 Nm (342.97 lb-ft) of torque, 15 Nm (11.06 lb-ft) more than before. Customers can choose between a manual six-speed transmission and the seven-speed S tronic with its lightning-fast gearshifts. The dual-clutch transmission comes with a launch control function which optimizes acceleration from a standing start. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which operates with a multi-plate clutch, transfers engine power to the road in supreme s ...

Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 Convertible

10 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

The official launch of SVT came during the 1992 Chicago Auto Show with the unveiling of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT F-150 Lightning. Now Ford returns to Chicago to celebrate its past and look to the future with the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible.

In honor of SVT's anniversary, a commemorative lighted sill plate will be used in the 2013 Shelby GT500 to celebrate the many years of performance vehicles. The 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra offered a 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, which demonstrates just how far the products have come in 20 years. The 2013 Shelby GT500 with its 650-horsepower V8 marks the latest offering from one of the oldest and most successful automotive performance groups in the world.

"The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is," said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. "All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on ...

Kia Track'ster Concept

10 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

What happens when a dream becomes reality? In the case of the Kia Track'ster concept unveiled at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, car enthusiasts begin to salivate. Amid the driving rhythm of heavy-metal music, smoke and blinding lights, Kia Motors America (KMA) took the wraps off a performance-oriented three-door Soul coupé concept that hints at what could possibly be the future of Kia's wildly successful Soul.

"The idea was to make the Track'ster tough looking, like a bulldog," said Tom Kearns, Chief Designer for KMA. "But the car had to be approachable as well. We wanted to base the car in reality so people instantly knew it was a Soul, but with a lot of attitude. It had to be a bold interpretation that would change people's conceptions of what a sporty Kia could be."

The bold attitude Kearns refers to starts with the eye-catching Whiteout and Inferno Orange paint scheme. While the white portrays complex layers and shades that contribute to dramatic depth, the orange i ...

Lotus E20 Renault

07 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Lotus F1 Team unveiled its 2012 FIA Formula 1 World Championship challenger, the E20, on its website. Continuing with the evocative black and gold livery, the E20 heralds a new nomenclature to commemorate the twentieth chassis designed at the team's Enstone base through its Benetton, Renault F1 Team and Lotus Renault GP history.

The E20 incorporates ground-up redesigns and optimization of previous Enstone design philosophies. Most notably, the forward facing exhausts of 2011's R31 have been abandoned, both through regulation and necessity. The E20 also features a 'step' on its nose, this layout also being the result of a regulation change.

The front and rear suspension layouts have been substantially revised in the quest for ever- better aerodynamic efficiency whilst the front wing is a continuation of concepts used by the team during recent seasons.

The E20 has been designed utilizing the team's new 60% scale wind tunnel as well as its enhanced CFD facility, with ...

Nissan Invitation Concept

07 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Nissan has revealed the first details of a head-turning hatchback concept which previews the company's next mainstream B-segment contender, to be sold alongside the Micra city car and innovative Juke crossover.

Called INVITATION, the dynamic concept - which will be unveiled at this year's Geneva International Motor Show- shows some of the innovation and excitement promised for the new model, which is due to be launched in the UK from 2013.

INVITATION is an energetic design, bringing fresh style, innovation and excitement to the mainstream market. The clean fluidity of the silhouette hints at its dynamic potential and showcases class-leading aerodynamics for enhanced efficiency.

The side of the car is dominated by a distinctive character line, known internally as the 'Squash Line', which adds a powerful dynamism to its profile with distinctive sculpted front and rear wings giving INVITATION a confident stance.

Inside, a refreshingly open cabin combines practi ...

Red Bull Racing RB8 Renault

07 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Building on the Adrian Newey designed RB5, introduced in 2009, Red Bull Racing claimed the driver's and constructor's titles the following two seasons with the subsequent RB6 and RB7. Despite subtle rule changes, the Austrian owned team will field another evolution of the successful design.

The most significant change to the regulations is a new maximum nose height of 55 cm ahead of the bulkhead. High noses had become the norm to feed as much air under the chassis to generate downforce. To keep the negative effect to a minimum a very narrow nose was crafted, resulting in a bump at the chassis bulkhead.

While most teams use a similar, not particularly aesthetically pleasing solution, Newey's design was subtly different. On the RB8, the bump is equipped with a letterbox shaped air-intake. Officially the purpose of the slot is driver cooling but it immediately led to speculation about other possible purposes.

A more profound but not quite as obvious change is the ban ...

Sauber C31 Ferrari

07 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

The Sauber F1 Team launched its new car for the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship. Drivers Kamui Kobayashi (25) and Sergio Pérez (22) unveil the Sauber C31-Ferrari at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain, where official Formula One pre-season testing got underway.

The Sauber F1 Team will enter its 20th season in the FIA Formula One World Championship spearheaded by an unchanged driver line-up. With Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Pérez and reserve driver Esteban Gutiérrez piloting the new Sauber C31-Ferrari, the Swiss outfit will be looking to further improve in 2012. "We're aiming to start the new season as strongly as we did in 2011, but then also to maintain this level of performance throughout the year," explains Team Principal Peter Sauber. "Our goal is to finish regularly in the points so as to put ourselves in a significantly better position in the World Championship."

Only three of their rivals on this year's grid have been in Formula One longer ...

Williams FW34 Renault

07 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

The Williams F1 Team unveiled its 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship season entry, the Williams Renault FW34, at the Jerez circuit in Spain. This year marks the team's 35th year competing in the sport which it will do with a revitalised line-up.

The mechanical and aerodynamic design and development direction of the FW34 has been driven by a new technical leadership. Guided by Technical Director Mike Coughlan, this year's car takes on a fresh design philosophy. Revised FIA technical regulations - of which the most significant are bans on exhaust blowing and exotic engine mapping and a drop in nose height, the FW34 carries fewer than five per cent of the parts from last year's FW33.

The team will also race with a new driver pairing in 2012 as Bruno Senna partners Pastor Maldonado after a considered winter evaluation process. Finn Valtteri Bottas completes the driver line up as Official Reserve Driver, taking part in most of the season's Friday practice sessions.

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Ferrari F2012

04 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

The F2012 is the fifty eighth car built by Ferrari with the express purpose of taking part in the Formula 1 World Championship. It adopts a well established tradition of being named after its year of manufacture.

The project, which goes by the internal code number of 663, constitutes the Scuderia's interpretation of the technical and sporting regulations that apply this year: the main changes when compared to 2011 concern the height of the front section of the chassis, the position of the exhaust pipes and the mapping for the electronic engine management. Practically every area of the car has been fundamentally revised, starting with the suspension layout: both the front and rear feature pull-rods, aimed at favouring aerodynamic performance and lowering the centre of gravity. The front wing is derived from the one introduced on the 150° Italia in the final part of its racing life and has been evolved from there. Further evolutions are planned in this area for the opening ra ...

Force India VJM05 Mercedes

04 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Sahara Force India unveiled its 2012 challenger today as Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg pulled the covers off the VJM05 at Silverstone. They were joined by reserve driver, Jules Bianchi, as the team's new car was presented for the first time.

The VJM05 is the second car to be created under the watch of Technical Director, Andrew Green, as the team seeks to build on its on its sixth place finish in the constructors' championship and take the fight to the teams that lie ahead.

"We have set our sights on challenging for fifth place," explained Team Principal and Managing Director, Dr. Vijay Mallya. "To do so we will need to begin the new campaign by delivering the kind of form we showed in the second half of 2011. I believe this is a realistic goal and that we have the talent and determination to realise these ambitions."

Chief Operating Officer, Otmar Szafnauer, echoed those sentiments as he praised the team's efforts to develop the VJM05: "The new car has come to ...

Honda Civic WTCC

04 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

Honda today announced that the Honda Civic will race in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).

"We have made a decision" said Honda CEO, Takanobu Ito "to enter into the WTCC with the European Civic. We will develop a totally new engine for this project and we are all excited about starting this new challenge."

For this project, Honda has formed a joint partnership with Mugen and J.A.S. Motorsport. Mugen will manufacture a bespoke racing engine developed by Honda R&D and will maintain the engine in every race along with the team. J.A.S. Motorsport will develop the race car, using the new Honda Civic 5door produced in Honda's manufacturing plant located in Swindon (UK).

The racing engine is a 1.6 litre 4 cylinder direct injection turbo-charged petrol engine, developed in accordance with FIA's Super 2000 regulations.

Honda's ambition is to join the WTCC as early as this season, with a string of "inaugural rounds". Discussions are currently being held wi ...

Mazda RX-7 GTO

02 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

During much of the 1980s, the rotary engined Mazda RX-7 was among the leading IMSA GT racers, racking up nearly 100 victories. The production based machine competed in the GTU class; the U was short for 'under' referring to the displacement limit of 2.5 and later 3 litre. Encouraged by the success of the GTU RX-7 and now with a suitable engine available, a fully fledged IMSA GTO (Over 3 litre) effort was readied for the 1990 season. Mazda in Japan provided technical support and, even more importantly, full funding for the campaign.

Originally the distinction between GTU and GTO had predominantly been the different displacement limits. Over time, however, the big manufacturers pushed the bar ever further and by the time Mazda joined, the GTO cars were effectively purpose-built, silhouette racers. Pretty much the only thing shared between the production and competition cars was the sheet metal of the roof. To provide some parity between the various engine types and sizes, the mini ...

McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes

02 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

The continuation of the double world-champion driver line-up, further consolidation of the championship-winning engineering team and a subtle, yet deep-reaching technical update of the car all underpin the world-class strength, experience and ambition that exists at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes ahead of the 2012 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The presentation of the MP4-27 at the McLaren Technology Centre showcased a natural evolution of last year's six-race-winning car and underlined the message that the new season is very much one of growth through strength and continuity. After finishing second in both the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2011, the aim for the new season is to fight for both world titles from the very start of this year's campaign.

While the all-new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-27 closely resembles last year's multiple race-winning car, the 2012 chassis has been substantially revised from the ground-up, with all major systems updated or re- ...

Suzuki G70 Concept

02 Feb 2012 16:52:01 CST

At the 82nd Geneva Motor Show next month; Suzuki Motor Corporation will display the G70 Concept which demonstrates new vision for a compact car incorporating minimised weight and elaborated dynamics. The G70 weighs just 730kg and has a drag coefficient at least 10 per cent lower than that of a current Suzuki 'A' segment model.

As a direct result of overall weight reduction and the use of a highly efficient petrol engine, CO2 emissions are as low as 70g/km (measured in the European Driving Cycle) ...

Delage D8-105 S Coupé

30 Jan 2012 16:52:01 CST

Luxury manufacturers like Delage were, not surprisingly, hard hit by the great depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s. With an ever dwindling number of people able to afford lavish cars, one company after another went out of business. Delage came very close in 1933 when some of its creditors demanded that the company was liquified. Fortunately, the ever flamboyant Louis Delage managed to maintain control and quickly started work on a range of more affordable models.

To design what would most likely be the 'make or break' model series, Louis Delage convinced the gifted engineer Arthur-Léon Michelat to return. At his previous spell at Delage, Michelat designed among many other models, the 1911 Coupe de l'Auto winning Type X. He was now tasked by Louis Delage to develop six and eight cylinder production cars that would appeal to a much broader audience than the existing range. The original plan was to offer this new generation of six and eight cylinder engined Delages al ...