Monthly Archives: February 2010

Old Fiat plant in Italy to make Reva cars?

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Reva NXGWell, did it ever occur to you that Reva, the first Indian electric car company might soon have a “Made in Italy” tag attached to it if all things just go right?

Just when the electric car company which had said that it could make profit from factories that make just 5,000 electric cars a year and is planning to open a plant near Syracuse, NY, USA, we also have word that Fiat’s Termini Imerese plant in Sicily, Italy could be converted to build the next-gen electric vehicles (EVs).

Cimino & Associates Private Equity is raising funds of 50 million euros, to date, around $68 million U.S. to buy the plant and is talking to Reva about taking it over and building vehicles there that cost around 16,000 to 17,000 euros ($22,000-$23,250). Apparently, the project needs 65 million euros to get off the ground. Automotive News says that the plant would need to make 30,000 vehicles a year to break even, which doesn’t mesh with Reva’s bold claims. Fiat is expected to close the plant in 2011.

Reva is currently taking orders for the NXR in Europe and the cheapest option – 9,995 euros or approx. $13,728 is to buy the car and lease the lead acid batteries. The upgraded NXG model, pictured, should be available as a 2011 model sometime soon.
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911 GT3 R Hybrid to debut in Geneva Motor Show

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In a twist of fate, exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, a similar visionary drive has been taken up by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart to bring out the concept in production-based GT racing.

Come this Geneva Motor Show and Porsche will debut their Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive, which also opens up a new chapter in the history of Porsche with more than 20,000 wins in 45 years scored by the extremely successful Porsche 911 in racing trim.

The innovative hybrid technology featured in the car has been developed especially for racing, standing out significantly in its configuration and components from conventional hybrid systems. In this case, electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60 kW each supplements the 480-bhp four-litre flat-six at the rear of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. A further significant point is that instead of the usual batteries in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator fitted in the interior next to the driver delivers energy to the electric motors.

The flywheel generator itself is an electric motor with its rotor spinning at speeds of up to 40,000 rpm, storing energy mechanically as rotation energy. The flywheel generator is charged whenever the driver applies the brakes, with the two electric motors reversing their function on the front axle and acting themselves as generators. Then, whenever necessary, that is when accelerating out of a bend or when overtaking, the driver is able to call up extra energy from the charged flywheel generator, the flywheel being slowed down electromagnetically in the generator mode and thus supplying up to 120 kW to the two electric motors at the front from its kinetic energy. This additional power is available to the driver after each charge process for approximately 6 – 8 seconds.

Energy formerly converted – and thus wasted – into heat upon every application of the brakes, is now highly efficiently converted into additional drive power.

Depending on racing conditions, hybrid drive is used in this case not only for extra power, but also to save fuel. This again increases the efficiency and, accordingly, the performance of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, for example by reducing the weight of the tank or making pitstops less frequent.

After its debut in Geneva the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will be tested in long-distance races on the Nürburgring. The highlight of this test programme will be the 24 Hours on the Nordschleife of Nürburgring on May 15th and 16th. The focus is not on the 911 GT3 R Hybrid winning the race, but rather serving as a spearhead in technology and a “racing laboratory” providing know-how on the subsequent use of hybrid technology in road-going sports cars.


The 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the Porsche Intelligent Performance philosophy, a principle to be found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions – on the track and on the road.

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Campos leaves team, to be Volkswagen in 2011

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Campos F1 Team LogoAs per the new reports that we are getting, Bernie Ecclestone and Jose Ramon Carabante have joined forces to rescue the Campos F1 team. Sure a lot of things are actually taking place in the F1 scene.

This deal will reportedly see team partner and president Carabante take over from former Minardi F1 driver and Team Campos F1 owner Adrian Campos and lead the outfit to its Bahrain debut next month, before the German car giant Volkswagen steps in for 2011.

As said the team intends to change its official name from Campos Meta 1 prior to the start of the season.

The Valencia headquarters will remain for now, and the multi million euro debts to Italian car constructor Dallara will be paid.

As, explaining that the touted investment of A1 chief Tony Teixeira never materialised, said former Force India boss Colin Kolles will be team principal.

The newspaper said Bruno Senna’s contract as race driver will be honoured, and that the hopeful Serbian outfit Stefan GP will instead need to look to assume USF1′s official entry.
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2011 Audi A1 revealed

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If you remember, we had written a blog on Audi A1 hatchback a couple of months back and we are back with the same topic just for those curious readers who were on the look for the actual launch of the A1.

Audi on Wednesday revealed the brand new A1 hatchback, a new dimension to the compact class which promises to be dynamic, emotional and individual. The new car wants to attract young customers who live in major cities and are looking for a vehicle designed for the urban environment.

Besides the impressive design, the A1 offers also a sporty and high quality interior. According to Audi, the customers can customise numerous details to tailor the car to their personal tastes which means you will have plenty of options to make your car unique. The instrument panel is suggestive of an airplane wing while the four round air nozzles are reminiscent of the turbines of a jet.

The available infotainment and multimedia systems available come directly from the luxury class. Audi offers the top of the line is MMI navigation plus, a media center that sets new standards in the compact segment. With the LED interior lighting package, the A1 brings 100 percent LED technology to an interior in the premium compact class for the first time. The design of the car is unique and modern, and includes the side line with the distinctive roof arch, the coupe-like C-pillars, the large wheel wells and, of course, the front end with the typical single-frame grille. Also, the hood and rear hatch encompass the body, while the lights are three-dimensionally moulded and present an unmistakable design, day or night.

Under the hood Audi offers four engines for the A1, two TFSI gasoline engines and the two TDI diesels that cover a power range from 86 bhp to 122 bhp. The entry-level gasoline engine is the new 1.2 TFSI. It generates 86 bhp and produces its peak torque of 160 Nm already between 1,500 and 3,500 rpm. Coupled with a five-speed manual transmission, the four-cylinder accelerates the A1 from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 179 km/h. In the EU driving cycle, it consumes only 5.1 liters of fuel per 100 km, which corresponds to only 119 grams of CO2/km. The 1.4 TFSI ups the ante with 122 bhp.

Its peak torque of 200 Nm is continuously available between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm. Together with the seven-speed S tronic, the 1.4 TFSI gets the A1 up to highway speed in 9.1 seconds. Top speed is 200 km/h. The more powerful 1.6 TDI unit produces 105 bhp and 250 Nm between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm, and is coupled with a five-speed manual transmission. This engine pushes the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 10.8 seconds while the top speed is 187 km/h. The second version of this diesel engine delivers 90 bhp and 230 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. Coupled with the five-speed manual transmission, it accelerates the A1 from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.2 seconds. Its reaches a top speed of 179 km/h and offers exemplary fuel economy of 3.8 liters/100 km, which corresponds to 99 grams of CO2/km. The entry-level model will be priced at around 16,000 euros.


We hope that Audi India also brings in this hatchback to India as the Indian car market is the trusted small car market that they can vouch on for the sales of their Audi A1.

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2010 BMW 1-Series gets 7-Speed DCT Gearbox

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The 2010 BMW 135i Coupe and Convertible will be offered with an optional 7-speed dual clutch transmission for the first time, helping to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while boosting acceleration times and overall performance.

Both cars stick with a twin-turbocharged 3,0-litre straight-six engine rated at 301 bhp at 5,800 rpm and 400 N.m of torque, which comes on as low as 1 200 rpm all the way up to 5 000 rpm. Additionally, the engine now features BMW’s Valvetronic valve adjustment system, which is the first time the system has been offered on a turbocharged engine.

With the addition of the 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the 2010 BMW 135i Coupe will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds flat while the slightly heavier 135i Convertible is understandably a bit off the pace, posting a 5.3 second run for the 0-100 km/h sprint.

The best part is that the fuel consumption of both the Coupe and Convertible equipped with the dual clutch transmission is better than the standard manual equipped models, as well as the former automatic models.

Both models come as standard with a modified M Aerodynamics Package and M Sports Suspension. Other standard features include DSC Dynamic Stability Control with an individualized set-up, an electronic limited slip differential, as well as model-specific control maps for Servotronic power steering and accelerator pedal.

Now with Nissan bringing in their 370Z, BMW also might see a lucrative market for their 1-series cars in India and might as well bring it in here in the late part of 2011.
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Porsche 911 Turbo S gets more Speed and Power

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Porsche 911 Turbo SThe newest Porsche is here and how? The Porsche 911 Turbo which was there in the market gets a new boost of energy with the introduction of the Turbo S.

The engineers at Porsche have developed a new, more powerful and faster 911 Turbo S. This turbocharged flat-six at the heart of this new model, has been tuned to produce close to 523 bhp, 30 bhp more than the ‘standard’ 911 Turbo and boasts a whopping 700 N.m of torque. At the same time this new top model comes as standard with all high-tech components available only as options on the 911 Turbo.

Porsche claim that despite its significant increase in power, the new 911 Turbo S does not consume any more fuel than the Porsche 911 Turbo, at 11.4 l/100km. How cool is that?

The 911 Turbo S comes exclusively with Porsche’s seven-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) gearbox, conveying drive power to Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive. Driving safety has been raised to an even higher standard, with the use of dynamic engine mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), including a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle. In conjunction with launch control on the Sport Chrono Package, the 911 Turbo S accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in 10.8 seconds. Top speed is 315 km/h. Extra-light and fading-resistant Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB) ensures excellent stopping power.

The level of standard equipment, including Dynamic Bending Lights; 19-inch wheels in RS Spyder design with central locking; adaptive sports seats; exclusive twin-tone leather upholstery in Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue, underlines the premium nature of this, the first Turbo S in five years, over the standard 911 Turbo.

The 911 Turbo S is now on par with the mighty GT2. The Turbo S boasts 20 N.m more torque and a 0-100 km/h time some 0.4 seconds faster. The GT2 still reigns in outright speed however, at 329 km/h. Expect Porsche to drop their new 3,8-litre capacity boxer engine into the GT2 soon, to keep it firmly at the head of the chasing 911 pack.

Porsche 911 Turbo SThe Porsche Turbo S will debut at this year’s Geneva motor Show and go on sale in Europe shortly thereafter. Since Porsche sees a emerging market for its products here in India, they might as well bring this model in pretty soon.
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Force India reveals VJM03

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Force India Car VJM03Force India have become the latest team to present the car with which they will compete in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship. The VJM03, which will be raced by the unchanged driver line-up of Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi this season, was unveiled online on Tuesday morning.

The Silverstone-based team may have made a name for themselves last season, scoring their first pole position, points and podium, but they are hoping their new Mercedes-engined car will power them to even greater things in 2010.

“Our goal is to continue on the same path of performance improvement that we had at the end of 2009,” said Force India’s chairman and team principal Dr Vijay Mallya. “I don’t think I am being over-proud when I say 2009 was an exceptional year for us. The bare statistics say it all: one podium, one pole position, one fastest lap, a further five top 10 starts and 13 points.

“We’ve learnt from our experiences and we’ve come out a better team: resilient, resourceful and now resurgent. I hope 2010 will see this great progress carrying forward. We’ve got one podium so far but I would hope that, this time next year, I’m talking about more points and more podiums. I’m confident we can get this, why not aim high?”
Force India VJM03

The VJM03 has been designed in-house at the team’s UK facility by a unit led by design director Mark Smith. Although very much an evolution of its predecessor, the new car incorporates the 2010 rule changes, including the switch to narrower front tyres and the need for a much larger fuel tank as a result of the refuelling ban.

“The VJM03 is definitely an evolution of the VJM02 in terms of the design philosophies we have developed at Force India over the last year,” explained Smith. “We are very happy with the direction, therefore we have opted to evolve the car rather than significantly revise.

“Obviously one of the major aspects we have had to contend with are regulation changes which have had a considerable impact on some aspects of the design of the car. The removal of refuelling from races increases the amount of fuel needed to be stored in the cars – almost twice the amount we ran in 2009. There is a compromise now: either make the car much longer or wider, or, as we have done, a combination of both. This of course has influenced the mechanical design solutions and also the aerodynamics, specifically with respects to the diffuser and bodywork.”

Both Sutil and Liuzzi are thrilled with their new car and spoke of their hopes for the season ahead: “2010 is a really important season and we are very optimistic about going well,” said Sutil. “I think this year it’s important to be consistent from the first race. I’d like to be in the midfield and be competitive from Bahrain.

“It’s the first time we have been completely on schedule so I feel this will be the first season when I can show from the beginning to the end what is possible with the car and what I can do. Of course we will have updates and performance packages from this point on but I hope we will be strong from the first practice session rather than compromising at the start.”

Liuzzi, who was promoted from his reserve role to a race seat in September 2009 after Giancarlo Fisichella moved to Ferrari to replace the injured Felipe Massa, added: “After one and a half years in a test role, I feel really prepared, both physically and mentally for a full race season. My objective is to be as strong and consistent as possible and give good feedback to the team to help them improve. For sure scoring points as many times as I can is going to be the key and you never know, perhaps we can get something more as well if everything comes together.”
Drivers of Force India VJM03
Following its Tuesday launch, the VJM03 will make its testing debut at the Spanish circuit of Jerez on Wednesday. Liuzzi will be in charge of driving duties for the first two days, before Sutil takes over on Friday and Saturday.

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Mitsubishi ASX To Premiere At Geneva Motor Show

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Mitsubishi ASXMitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will premiere its Mitsubishi ASX all-new compact crossover from Tuesday March 2, 2010 to Sunday March 14, 2010 at the 80th Geneva International Motor Show held at the Geneva Palexpo in Switzerland.

Adapting Mitsubishi’s jet-fighter-inspired front end design, the ASX is the European-spec version of the Japan-only RVR, which goes on sale from February 2010. The ASX Compact Crossover will seat five adults and will be released across Europe in stages from late spring 2010, aimed at increasing the brand’s passenger car fleet in the region, following in the footsteps of the larger and recently redesigned Outlander mid-size crossover.

The European-spec version will be fitted with an all-new Euro 5-compliant 1,8-litre turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine, coupled with a six-speed manual transmission. Incorporating “Automatic Stop & Go” technology, this combination promises to provide high environmental efficiency. Considering the CUV’s small size and presumably light weight, that combo should yield impressive results at European pumps. The Mitsubishi ASX price will be announced at a later date.

Considering the recent market globalisation concept followed by many International major car makers here in India, and the demand for luxury cars here, we might soon see the Mitsubishi ASX also reach the Indian shores.
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Ferrari 599 hybrid at the 2010 Geneva Show

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Ferrari 599 Hybrid technical illustrationThe Italian sports car brand with prancing horse logo, Ferrari is doing what might be the most extreme thing ever. Coming up with a hybrid, Yeah, You read that right. Ferrari is expected to reveal a hybrid version of the 599 GTB during the 2010 Geneva International Motor Show in March.

Coinciding with the same “green” strategic direction as some other notable supercar makers, fans of the Italian marque might not find this news too disappointing or at least not much of a surprise. If this is the case, then a hybrid Ferrari 599 concept would usher in a new era for the sports car manufacturer starting with the first ever prancing horse from Maranello to feature a gas/electric power train that is intended for public use.

The car’s hybrid system will combine a set of highly efficient lithium ion batteries and an electric motor mounted in the rear transaxle. This electrified prop shaft will generate its maximum torque at zero RPM, thus cutting the extremely inefficient around town fuel consumption by up to 35% which may be translated as equivalent to about 17 litres per 100km.

The future Ferrari concept will make the most of what the Scuderia has learned from the F60’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS ) that was developed throughout the 2009 Formula One season. The KERS-like brake regeneration system, start/ stop technology and electric boost will also be installed.Ferrari 599 Hybrid GTB

A hybrid 4×4 Ferrari technical illustration first appeared a few months ago and was reported to be the real thing. It seems in the absence of a sedan from the prancing horse the more family-oriented V12-powered 599 GTB would be the perfect candidate for a hybrid powertrain.






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New Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera on the cards

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The rumours have been laid to rest by Lamborghini officials, who confirmed the release of the new Superleggera during a presentation in London last week. Although the ‘570-4′ number designation has not yet been confirmed, it is safe to assume it the new car will carry the number combination in line with its performance figures.

The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera LP570-4 will share the same gearbox options as the LP560-4. As the name suggests, there will be a modest 10 bhp power increase, pushing total power output up to 560 bhp. In keeping with the Superleggera tradition, 70 kilograms will be shed to bring the overall weight down to 1,430 kg’s. The latest Superleggera is expected to sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds and will no doubt benefit from a slightly higher top speed than its ’standard’ LP560-4 sibling.

The car will be offered in six colours i.e Orange, Grey, Lime Green, Yellow, Black and White, with exclusive green, red and white ‘Superleggera’ decals along the side skirt.

There will also be the opportunity for owners to match the leather stitching of the interior to the colour of the exterior in green, orange, and yellow Superleggera’s. White, grey and black Superleggera’s will have the same option but with grey stitching instead. The Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera will have its official release at this years Geneva Motor Show, starting on 2 March.

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