Aston Martin to produce 150 Zagato V12s at amazing price US$530,000

Aston Martin's new V12 Zagato had quite a spectacular and busy few weeks following its first public showing on May 21 on the shores of Lake Como (Italy) at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este where it won the award for Design in the Concepts and Prototypes class.

A week later, two identical prototypes finished fifth and sixth in their class at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race, verifying that the gorgeous handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre machines were indeed capable of holding their own in any company.

So began a period of what Aston Martin termed "overwhelmingly encouraging interest from customers" which has finally resulted in a commitment to a limited production run of 150 examples of the Zagato.

Prices will begin at GBP330,000 (US$530,000) for the 510 bhp Vantage-based V12 and orders are now being taken. Production is expected to commence during the British summer of 2012 at Aston Martin's Gaydon facility in Warwickshire. First deliveries are expected in the second half of 2012.

The shape of the Zagato's handcrafted aluminium and carbon fibre body would not be possible using pre-formed panel techniques. Every aluminium panel on each vehicle is formed using an English wheel and traditionally crafted body bucks.

The trademark Zagato double bubble roof, for instance, is created from five separate handcrafted panels, illustrating the intensity of craftsmanship involved in the construction of the V12 Zagato.

The six-speed, 190 mph, V12 Zagato combines Aston Martin's bonded aluminium platform with the power of the 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque.

Audi A5 DTM Concept to Debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

Most world-class automakers, especially racing-car automakers has their own flagship on touring car racing series; and now its Audi’s turn by joining in on the fun by releasing several renderings of its upcoming A5 DTM race car. Starting in 2012, Audi will make the coupe vehicle (which is internally coded R17) to compete on the most popular international touring car racing. This new A4 coupe variant has been given several enhancements on the interior exterior, as well as in the engine.

Audi A5 DTM Concept is indeed replacing four-door A4 DTM, which has been giving the automaker DTM title ever since 2004. Some online automotive media wrote that the upgraded car variant is about to receive performance and aesthetic enhancements. Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport, stated that this new DTM will be pretty much influenced by the new Technical Regulations.

The Head of Audi Motorsport also said that the automaker is somewhat positive that successfulness story will somewhat continue in this concept. The DTM umbrella organization ITR and German Motorsport Association have teamed up with Audi to set up the new safety standard on the new Audi A5 DTM, into the highest possible level. He also added that Audi has learnt from Le Mans that it owns an appropriate concept of safety structure design or blueprint. It was reportedly that Audi A5 DTM Concept will be officially unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Brabus Mercedes 800E - fastest and most powerful four-seat cabriolet Up to 231 mph

Brabus specialises in building fast cars - very fast cars. Indeed, it already holds the record for building the world's fastest production sedan and the world's fastest production coupe, so in claiming the title of the world's fastest cabriolet, it's not that much of a surprise.

Given that the base vehicles used in Brabus' two prior "world's fastest" efforts are all Mercedes, and each uses the V12 Brabus motor, much of the knowledge required for building this supercar had already been acquired prior to commencement of the project.

The Brabus 800E V12 cabriolet begins life as a brand new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet. The biggest single change is a heart transplant with the donor heart (a three-valve Mercedes S 600 V12) also getting a significant makeover before being surgically implanted. The end result is a 6.3 liter, Biturbo V12 producing 788 bhp (588 kW) @ 5,500 rpm and a peak torque of 1,420 Nm (1,047 lb-ft) which is limited electronically to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft).

The BRABUS 800 V12 is fitted with a high-performance limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40 percent, and despite the relatively heavy weight of the Mercedes E Class, can accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds.

That's supercar class sprint acceleration, but the Brabus 800 keeps accelerating at this outrageous rate, passing 200 km/h (124 mph) in under ten seconds (actually 9.9 seconds) and 300-km/h (186-mph) in 23.9 seconds. Depending on the final-drive ratio, the BRABUS 800 E V12 Cabriolet tops out at 370 km/h (231 mph).,

The engine used in the vehicle is the most powerful engine built by Brabus - a stroked and bored V12 three-valve Mercedes S 600 unit, which expands capacity from the standard 5.5 liters, to the Brabus engine's 6.3 liters. There are many aspects to the re-engineering of the motor - different camshafts, flowed heads, a new intake manifold, new exhaust manifolds with integrated very large turbos, four water-to-air intercoolers, a beefed up five-speed automatic transmission, an entirely new high-flow, stainless-steel exhaust system, and newly programmed mapping for the electronic engine management system.

All the aerodynamic-enhancement components were refined in the wind tunnel, and all are made from carbon fiber. The front apron is designed to both reduce lift on the front axle and guide cooling air to the radiators and front brakes. Air outlets in the sides route the hot air away from the heat exchangers as quickly as possible.

For further improved directional stability at extremely high speeds and to further increase cornering speeds, BRABUS widens the body of the E-Class Cabriolet. Newly designed front sport fenders widen the track and allow the installation of ultra-wide 9.5Jx19 wheels mounted with size 265/30 ZR 19 tires.

Professional engineering work was also invested into every detail of the suspension: special suspension components were custom-designed for the front and rear axle of the BRABUS E V12 Cabriolet. They provide a much wider range of individual suspension settings. These components are joined by a BRABUS coil-over suspension calibrated to the higher engine weight. The suspension was developed together with Bilstein and features ten selectable settings for bound and rebound front and back. The ride height can also be adjusted by up to 35 millimeter.

The BRABUS high-performance. It features 380 x 37 millimeter (15.0 x 1.45 in.), vented and grooved steel brake discs and 12-piston aluminum fixed calipers on the front axle. The rear stops on 360 x 28 millimeter (14.2 x 1.1 in.) discs with 6-piston aluminum fixed calipers.

The cockpit is clad in a perfectly finished combination of lipstick-red and black leather. The ergonomically shaped BRABUS steering wheel and inlays made from genuine carbon fiber on dashboard, center console and side trim add sporty highlights. The speedometer with 400-km/h (250-mph) dial bears witness to the unique performance potential of the open- top four-seater car even while it is standing still.

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When the engine is in place, and the hundreds of other modifications to the vehicle have been completed, it has a top speed of 370 km/h (231 mph) and a price tag of EUR 478,000 (US$682,000).

Car2go minimallis electric car

car2go, the car-sharing service that began in Ulm, Germany in 2008 before spreading to Austin, Texas, Hamburg, Germany and Vancouver, Canada, has now announced it will launch a service in San Diego that will be the first car-sharing program in North America with a 100 percent electric vehicle fleet. The San Diego car2go program is due to start operations before the end of 2011 with 300 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles.

The existing car2go services in the aforementioned four cities already boast over 40,000 members and 1,000 smart fortwo vehicles powered by low-emission gas engines. The electric vehicles headed to the streets of San Diego will instead be driven by a 30 kW electric motor powered by high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged at designated EV charging stations, including the Blink EV charging stations recently announced for select IKEA stores across the U.S. Approximately 1,000 Blink commercial charging stations are expected to be installed by the end of 2011 for public use in San Diego.

On a single battery charge the smart fortwo EVs can travel up to 84 miles (135 km) and will recharge from 20 to 80 percent of full battery capacity in three and a half hours. A full recharge from a completely discharged battery is accomplished in under eight hours. Daimler, of which car2go is a subsidiary, says that previous experience has shown that complete recharges are seldom necessary as the daily distance covered by car2go drivers in urban areas rarely exceeds six miles (10 km).

Unlike traditional car-sharing programs, the existing car2go services aren't station-based, but rather offer a free-floating service that allows members to pick up and drop off a vehicle at one of the specially marked car2go parking spaces located throughout the service area. Members, who pay a one-off registration fee, don't need to commit to a specific return time or location with charges based on minutes used.

Although the specific parking and charging details of the San Diego car2go service are yet to be announced, they are expected to follow this model. These details, along with the service area, will be announced in the near future - as will the start of customer registrations.

"The launch of an all electric vehicle fleet marks a new era in car-sharing in North America," said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go at a news conference earlier this week. "Our goal is to complement the existing transportation infrastructure by providing an emission- free car-sharing service for short and spontaneous one-way trips."

A similar all-electric car2go service has previously been announced for Amsterdamthat is also due to commence before the end of 2011.

Volvo testing concepts to extend range of electric vehicles by up to 1,000 km

While there have been huge strides made in battery technology in recent times, the limited range of electric vehicles remains one of the main barriers to their general adoption. While maybe not an ideal solution, Volvo is producing a few electric test vehicles with range extenders - combustion engines that increase the effective range of the electric vehicle by effectively turning it into a hybrid. The project, which is supported by he Swedish Energy Agency and the EU, will test three different electric motor/combustion engine combinations.

Volvo C30 with series-connected Range Extender

The first concept sees a three-cylinder 60 hp (45 kW) combustion engine installed under the rear load compartment floor of the C30 Electric. The combustion engine is connected to a 40 kW generator with the power generated primarily used to drive the car's 111 hp (82 kW) electric motor. However, the driver can also choose to let the generator charge the battery pack, which has been reduced in size to make room for the combustion engine and its 40-liter fuel tank. The vehicle's battery pack alone provides a range of 110 km (68 miles).

Volvo C30 with parallel-connected Range Extender

The second concept fits the C30 Electric with a more powerful turbocharged 190 hp (142 kW) three-cylinder combustion engine at the rear. Unlike the first concept, the engine is connected in parallel to primarily drive the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission when cruising on the highway. The engine can also be used to charge the battery via a 40 kW generator. The electric motor is the same 111 hp (82 kW) unit found in the first concept, which combines with the combustion engine to provide a total of more than 300 hp (224 kW), giving it the ability to accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in under six seconds. The electric-powered range of the vehicle is 75 km (47 miles).

Volvo V60 with parallel-connected Range Extender

The third concept sees the entire drive package installed under the front bonnet. A 111 hp (80 kW) electric motor is supplemented with a three-cylinder petrol turbo engine producing 190 hp (140 kW), a two-stage automatic transmission and a 40 kW generator. Power from the combustion engine drives the front wheels via the gearbox and recharges the battery pack when required. Up to 50 km/h (31 mph), the vehicle is powered solely by electricity with the combustion engine kicking in at higher speeds. The combustion engine will also charge the battery pack when the charge level drops below a predetermined level. The battery pack located under the rear load floor provides a range of 50 km (31 miles), while the fuel tank is slightly larger than the other concepts at 45 liters.

"This is an exciting expansion of our increasing focus on electrification. Battery cost and size mean that all-electric cars still have a relatively limited operating range. With the Range Extender, the electric car has its effective range increased by a thousand kilometers - yet with carbon dioxide emissions below or way below 50 g/km," says Derek Crabb, Vice President Powertrain Engineering at the Volvo Car Corporation.

"These three projects allow us to evaluate the Range Extender's various possibilities. As with the C30 Electric and V60 Plug-in Hybrid, the goal is to make the cars exceptionally CO2-lean without compromising on customer requirements such as comfort, driving pleasure and practicality," added Crabb.

Volvo is due to begin testing of the various concepts in the first quarter of 2012.

Batmobile replica powered by turbo jet engine amazing

Last October, we told you about the full-scale working Batmobile replica built by movie prop-maker Bob Dullam. The version of the iconic superhero vehicle that Dullam chose to recreate was the rugged, Hummer-esque beauty from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, known as the Tumbler. Well, that car now has some company on the road, in the form of a street-legal copy of the smoother, slinkier Batmobile that first appeared in 1989's Batman. Built by Ohio auto restorer and designer Casey Putsch in just five months out of race car and military surplus parts, the vehicle is incredibly faithful to the original ... to the point that it's powered by an actual jet engine.

Putsch built the replica based entirely on mental images of the movie car, producing only one drawing, which was of a special shaft that he needed made by a machining company. He taught himself about turbines, so he could rebuild and install the car's powerplant, a military surplus Boeing jet engine that came out of a U.S. Navy drone helicopter.

That engine puts out 365 horsepower, and directly powers the rear wheels via a semi-automatic transmission. The Batmobile can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in as little as 3.9 seconds, managing a reported top speed of 185 mph (298 kph), and getting between 3 and 10 miles per gallon (78 to 24 L/100 km) of jet fuel, kerosene or diesel. It has an aluminum and fiberglass body, and weighs in at 2,800 pounds (1,270 kg) - according to Putsch, it has about the same power-to-weight ratio as a Dodge Viper, and offers similar performance. It could likely perform even better, were it not for the shape of the original movie car, which Casey says is not very aerodynamic.



source : gizmag