Hyundai began taking orders on the 21st June and has since gained remarkable popularity for the newest addition to its line-up. The new Avante made its public debut at the Busan International Motor Show in April.
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Hyundai Avante/Elantra exceeds 5,000 orders (SK)
Hyundai began taking orders on the 21st June and has since gained remarkable popularity for the newest addition to its line-up. The new Avante made its public debut at the Busan International Motor Show in April.
ESC to get cheaper (UK)
It's cheaper than previous systems, which, Bosh says, makes it particularly suitable for small cars where standard fitment of stability control is less common.
The 2008 Fiat 500 has ESP as standard, while the 2009 Citroen C1 has ESP as an option.
2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept - Lamborghini Sports Car
This here is the Lamborghini Cnossus. The Lamborghini Cnossus Concept was designed by Russian student Victor Filipchenko with the help of his Portuguese colleague Nelson Simoes as part of their final thesis project at Italy’s Scuola Politecnica di Design.
2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept
Every Lambo needs a bull theme, and this supercar design study for a supercar concept named after the ancient Greek city of Cnossus (Knossus) on the island of Crete. The designers claim to have been inspired by the Lamborghini Countach, though it is evident that the edgy styling of the limited production Reventon special also played a role in the design of the Cnossus Concept.
It boasts many classic cues such as telephone-dial wheels lifted from the Countach, scissor doors and gaping air intakes in front of the rear wheelarch. At the rear, the thin strip of LED lights with inverted arrows at the end is a clear nod towards the Reventón’s jet-fighter theme, while the diffuser looks more like something you’d find on a Le Mans prototype racer than a road car.
2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept - Lamborghini Sports Car
This here is the Lamborghini Cnossus. The Lamborghini Cnossus Concept was designed by Russian student Victor Filipchenko with the help of his Portuguese colleague Nelson Simoes as part of their final thesis project at Italy’s Scuola Politecnica di Design.
2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept
Every Lambo needs a bull theme, and this supercar design study for a supercar concept named after the ancient Greek city of Cnossus (Knossus) on the island of Crete. The designers claim to have been inspired by the Lamborghini Countach, though it is evident that the edgy styling of the limited production Reventon special also played a role in the design of the Cnossus Concept.
It boasts many classic cues such as telephone-dial wheels lifted from the Countach, scissor doors and gaping air intakes in front of the rear wheelarch. At the rear, the thin strip of LED lights with inverted arrows at the end is a clear nod towards the Reventón’s jet-fighter theme, while the diffuser looks more like something you’d find on a Le Mans prototype racer than a road car.
Renault offers electric driving lessons
While the all electric cars will produce no tail-pipe emissions, Renault believes it is important to teach eco-driving methods to owners so that they can cover as many miles as possible on a single charge.
The economy driving schools will be an extension of those Renault already runs in France and the Benelux countries for business users of its petrol and diesel models. They will soon be extended to Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Spain, with the UK and Portugal probable in 2011.
Electrification is just one arm of Renault's plan to be best-in-class for CO2 across its range. New petrol and diesel engines and transmissions will play an important role, as will greener factories and greater end-of-life recycling.
BMW M3 ALMS Race Car
BMW M3 ALMS Race Car Front
BMW M3 ALMS Race Car Side Front
BMW M3 ALMS Race Car Side Back
BMW M3 ALMS Race Car Interior
2010 Volkswagen Golf R Bull
The all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R is by no means a slow car, with a claimed 0 – 100 km/h time of 5.5 seconds for the DSG equipped car and a top speed of 250 km/h. However, the folks over at German tuning firm Sport-Wheels, have decided to further enhance the performance credentials of Wolfsburg’s hot hatch.
The upgrade can also be fitted on DSG equipped models. The Volkswagen Golf R Bull comes from updated engine electronics, a special and hand-made exhaust system, a downpipe starting from turbo inclusive 200 cells Kats and 83 mm in diameter mufflers. The new mufflers of the Volkswagen Golf R Bull are covered in carbon fiber.
The standard 270 hp turbocharged four-banger engine of the R has been modified with an optimized control electronics and hand-made exhaust system to generate 330 hp and 450 Nm of torque.
Starting with the optical features the Sport-Wheels VW Golf VI R comes with 20 inch lightweight OZ-rims Ultraleggera HLT wrapped in high speed tires, race inspired graphics covering the sides, the front bonnet and the roof, and a hand made exhaust system that are 83 mm in diameter and are covered with carbon.
Press Release
THE BULL - Golf VI R with 330 HP from Sport-Wheels
Sport-Wheels from Hürth near cologne presents racing atmosphere in XXL-format.
The tuner gives to the Golf R a strongpower increase and performance without delimitations.After the increase in efficiency the two-litre engine TSI with DSG transmission supplies 330 HP and 450 Nm instead of standard 270 HP and 350 Nm.
Responsible for this are the optimized control electronics (799 euros), connected with a special and hand-made exhaust system (starting from 1,950 euros) equipped with Downpipe starting from turbo inclusive 200 cells Kats with final pipes in 83 mm in diameter, which are covered up with carbon.
As chassis solution Sport-Wheels offers springs for lower setting and high-grade steel thread chassis (variant 3 Inox LINE starting from 1,549 euros) of KW, which are steplessly adjustable in course and compression phase.
The road is contacted now by extremely easy 20 inch tires. Despite the blocked OZ-rims Ultraleggera HLT in 8,5x20 inch with high speed tires of size 235/30 20 is those wheel/tire combination altogether 12 kilograms easier than the series (19 inch).
There is the complete wheel set with Sport-Wheels depending upon tire mark in flat black or silver starting from 2.849 euro as shown with special lacquer finish in red and front surface in car color starting from 4.039 euros.
The Tuning program is rounded off from Sport-Wheels with a special reflex foil of the partner company CoverEFX from Erftstadt, which can be bought for 350 euros.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
TxtStopper: Probably Illegal
I saw a press release about a device called the TxtStopper, which is a cell phone jammer you wire into your car's 12v power line to jam cell phones when your engine is running. The idea is to keep your teenager from texting while driving.
This device is probably not legal in the U.S., since it interferes with legal and regulated cell phone signals.
Also, I don't see how they keep it just to your vehicle. If it is so low powered that it doesn't extend much beyond about a 5 foot radius, it may not be powerful enough to reliably jam your phone.
Also, cell phones in vehicles have legitimate safety uses, such as 911.
Bad idea.
Boycott BP?
Should you boycott BP?
Yes, maybe, no.
Yes because reduced wholesales of their products will hurt them in their pocket books and teach them a harsh lesson.
Maybe not, because chances are if you have a 401(k) or pension plan, you are infact a shareholder of BP, one of the largest (by capitalization) companies in the world. You will help to damage your own retirement funds.
No, because you will hurt your local small-business owners who own BP stations, which are almost all franchises. And BP is one of the largest employers in oil producing regions. Many more people will lose jobs, than already are.
Myself, I am ambivalent. I don't actively avoid BP stations these days, but I don't really seek them out either. Besides, near me, Speedway and Valero brands are usually cheaper!
Want Less Oil Use? Raise Gas Taxes!
The laws of economics are nearly as immutable as the laws of physics.
If you want to reduce consumption of an item, increase its price, or reduce its supply (same effect, different mechanism).
David Frum points this out in a very lucid piece on CNN.com, here.
We want to get the country off oil? Tax it. (Politicians may not wish to say it, but their advisers can at least think it.) Then liberate people to find their own best alternative -- and incentivize industry to develop alternatives that make sense at the new higher price. And be prepared to argue candidly and straightforwardly in the marketplace of ideas why this new tax is right and justified.If not, then kindly please spare us the grand speeches about how the status quo is the thing you will not accept. It is precisely the thing you are accepting.
However, as Frum correctly points out, a politician who raises gas taxes by $1+ per gallon will soon be an ex-politician. That's because there is not really a strong consensus on reducing our use of fossil fuels in this country. As I write here so often, people want cheap gas and high fuel efficiency, but they aren't willing to pay much for it.
One sensible solution to the sting of higher taxes is to do a "feebate" scheme, where the taxes which are collected are distributed back to the taxpayers as tax rebates. This way, you would nudge the consumer to consume less fuel, but on average wouldn't hurt the economy much. Congress can even play with the rebate rules, to penalize higher income consumers less than low income consumers, exclude business and agriculture uses, etc.
Instead, we have the perverse system of CAFE, which tells automakers what cars to build and in what mix they can sell them, but is largely invisible to the consumer except on the window stickers at the dealership.
Well, CAFE isn't free either. Getting to 36mpg is going to have some nasty side effects on the vehicles available on the marketplace, foremost of which is that cars are going to get more expensive. So instead of slightly less expensive cars and pricier gas, we are going to have cheaper gas and more expensive cars. You still pay in the end, though--efficiency costs money. The advantage of the market approach is that the consumer has choice--if someone wants to drive a thirsty vehicle, and they can afford the gas tax,they can choose to pay. With CAFE, the very choice of the thirsty vehicle may be taken away, depending on how the fleet average works out.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Smart fortwo ICE special edition revealed
The British division of smart has just announced the launch of a new special edition fortwo model that “sounds as good as it looks.” Dubbed smart fortwo ICE edition, The Smart ForTwo ICE comes with a deep black exterior paint finish and a black carbon fiber finish tridion safety cell.
The new Smart ForTwo ICE edition is the first UK created special model to be released this year. Only 200 units of the Smart ForTwo ICE are going into production so you’d best be quick if you fancy getting your hands on one.
The interior of the Smart ForTwo ICE features the latest Pioneer audio and navigation technology including the AVIC-F920BT Navgate package that has a two-way speaker system and an active subwoofer. The multimedia system of the Smart ForTwo ICE can playback sound from either iPod, iPhone or MP3 player. It's also equipped with a touch-screen display that lets you control the playback device.
Standard equipment includes 15-inch BRABUS Monoblock VII alloy wheels, panoramic roof, black leather heated seats, leather optic dashboard, 3-spoke leather steering wheel, air conditioning, electric windows, lockable glove compartment and dashboard mounted clock and rev counter. You also get an ECO Graph package to analyse your driving performance too.
Its Navgate system also offers information about traffic jams and accidents as well as highlighting more than six million points of interest in 44 countries. Customers can also get a new ECO Graph package to analyze their driving performance.
The Smart ForTwo ICE prices tarts at 10,495 BGP for the petrol version and only 140 units will be offered while the diesel models will go on sale starting at 11,245 GBP and in this case the manufacturer will offer only 60 exemplars.
Press release
The smart fortwo ICE edition is the height of automotive cool and is a car that genuinely sounds as good as it looks.
The stunning special edition model, available in striking deep black with black carbon fibre
finish tridion safety cell, takes in-car entertainment in the smart range to an even higher dimension by featuring the very latest Pioneer audio and navigation technology.
smart and Pioneer collaborated to ensure the state-of-the-art AVIC-F920BT Navgate package - incorporating a two-way speaker system and active subwoofer - could be seamlessly custom-fitted into the soundproofed spaces occupied by the factory-supplied audio equipment. And with its supremely rich sound reproduction, the result is music to the ears of would-be owners, who can listen to their favourite tunes via their iPod, iPhone or MP3 player.
A user-friendly touch-screen displays album artwork and enables customers to scroll through their music collection with ease.
Drivers can also select tracks according to their mood or journey via Pioneer’s innovative MusicSphere technology. Categorised by tempo, rhythm, vocal and pitch, it can create up to 40 different playlists from an iTunes library that can then be accessed using a dedicated interactive 3D sphere interface.
In addition to its hands-free Bluetooth capability, the ICE edition’s Navgate unit is streets ahead when it comes to navigation – issuing pre-warnings about traffic jams and accidents as well as highlighting more than six million points of interest in 44 countries, such as cash machines or petrol stations.
Owners can use the system’s ECO Graph package to analyse their driving performance too. It reveals how efficiently and economically they are driving by displaying the smart’s fuel usage as well as its CO2 emissions.
Big on technology, the smart fortwo ICE edition boasts a specification to match. Its striking black exterior is complemented by 15-inch BRABUS Monoblock VII alloy wheels and panoramic roof.
The smart’s interior is equally impressive, with black leather heated seats, leather optic upper dashboard and 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with steering wheel gear shift amongst its luxury appointments. Its extensive specification also includes a lockable glove compartment, air conditioning, electric windows and dashboard-mounted clock and rev counter.
Only 200 smart fortwo ICE edition models will be available for purchase in the UK. There will be 140 micro hybrid drive petrol versions priced from £10,495 on-the-road as well as 60 diesels, which will cost £11,245.
2010 Seat Ibiza Good Stuff Special Edition
Seat has released a new special edition Ibiza in partnership with Shakira, the name of this special edition is given after Shakira’s forthcoming Good Stuff European tour.
The Ibiza GS features a Candy White or Speed Blue exterior, 16-inch ‘Sonda' alloy wheels, and tinted rear windows. Other goodies include TomTom satellite navigation, an 8GB iPod Nano, a Bluetooth hands-free phone system, automatic climate control, power windows and mirrors, and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system.
The Seat Ibiza Good Stuff engines powered by 1.4-litre 16V petrol engine matched to a five-speed manual gearbox and returning 85PS at 5,000rpm. The sports coupe version is capable of 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds and a top speed of 110mph.
The five-door model takes 12.2 seconds to reach 62mph from standing and has a top speed of 109mph. Fuel consumption is recorded at 47.1mpg and CO2 emissions are as low as 142g/km in the five-door Ibiza.
The Seat Ibiza Good Stuff interior comes with cornering function, one touch electric windows, height and reach adjustable steering wheel, MP3 compatible AM/FM radio/CD player with combined USB and AUX in port, trip computer and speed sensitive electro mechanical power steering.
Prices start at £12,300 RRP (£12,710 RRP for the 5dr).
Press Release
SEAT'S LATEST SPECIAL EDITION HAS STAR QUALITY
SEAT is celebrating its partnership with Columbian pop sensation Shakira with the debut in UK showrooms of a special edition SEAT Ibiza that's packed with ‘good stuff'.
The new Ibiza Good Stuff is based on the popular Ibiza 1.4 SE, available in both practical 5dr and sporty SC bodystyles, and boasts a sparkling array of neat extras for its bargain £12,300 RRP (£12,710 RRP for the 5dr).
It has been named in recognition of SEAT's sponsorship of Shakira's forthcoming Good Stuff European tour and is available in a selection of smart paint shades including Candy White and Speed Blue.
As befits its moniker, the Ibiza Good Stuff adds a great selection of state-of-the-art extras including a TomTom satnav system and unique SEAT dashboard dock and cradle, black iPod Nano 8GB complete with etched SEAT logo and SEAT branded content, iPod cradle and charger, and Bluetooth hands-free phone system.
On top of this, Good Stuff buyers can look forward to keeping cool this summer thanks to the special edition's climate control system, and looking cool behind the wheel courtesy of the car's 16" ‘Sonda' alloys and dark tinted rear windows.
Of course there's much more to the car than this, as the extras add to the Ibiza's already generous SE spec which includes, as standard, the likes of electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, front fog lights with cornering function, one-touch electric windows, height and reach adjustable steering wheel, six-speaker MP3 compatible AM/FM radio/CD player with combined USB and AUX-in port, trip computer and speed-sensitive electro-mechanical power steering.
Beneath the bonnet lies a newly EU V-compliant 1.4-litre 16V petrol engine driving the front wheels through a crisp five-speed manual gearbox. Offering 85 PS at 5,000 rpm, the engine carries the SEAT from rest to 62 mph in a sprightly 11.8 seconds (12.2 seconds 5dr) and offers a top speed, where legal, of 110 mph (109 mph 5dr). CO2 emissions stand at 142 g/km and, on the combined cycle, the Ibiza Good Stuff's official consumption is put at a frugal 47.1 mpg.
The car's name is taken from one of the tracks on Shakira's latest album, She Wolf, and reflects SEAT's ongoing association with the singer from northern Columbian city of Barranquilla.
Aside from the tour sponsorship and multimedia advertising campaign around the Good Stuff model, SEAT is also actively supporting Shakira's work with the Barefoot Foundation - the charity the singer set up when she was just 18 with the aim of making education for children universally available.
Welcoming the showroom debut of the new car, SEAT UK Ibiza Product Manager Andy McGregor said: ‘Adding these great features to the already generously-specified Ibiza creates a smart, sporty and brilliantly well-equipped supermini.
‘Our dealers nationwide are already seeing a massive interest in the new model as TV, press and internet advertising campaigns highlight its availability here.'
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