Ferrari California roof up

By Ben Pulman
First official pictures
29 May 2008 15:57
The latest Ferrari California photos and details have just been released by the Prancing Horse. It’s the first time we've seen the California with its folding hard-top erected, and extra snippets of information - like the size of the 2+2 - have now been announced.
Its 4560mm length puts the California midway between an and while the Ferrari’s 1900mm width means it is wider than both Brits. Compared to its Ferrari brethren, the California is 48mm longer than an F430 but 23mm narrower.
Ferrari California: the roof details
The folding metal roof is a two-piece unit that folds away in just 14 seconds. When the roof is up, the boot has a 360-litre capacity, shrinking to 260 when the hard-top is folded away.
The overhead shots of the California also give us the first glimpse of the 2+2’s four seats. Let's not beat about the bush - rear legroom looks a little tight. The wheelbase of the California is 2700mm, a mere 50mm shorter than a .
And if you’re thinking you don’t want your California in typical Ferrari blood red, then this car’s Azzurro California paint job could be just the ticket.
Californication... the figures
Number junkies will enjoy the California's 4.3-litre V8, 454bhp at 7500rpm and a 0-62mph time of less than 4.0sec - thanks to a new launch control system.
Emissions figures still haven’t been finalised, but Ferrari claims the California will release ‘around’ 310g/km of CO2. The combined mpg figure is 21.4, better than any other current Ferrari and not bad for a supercar with some towering performance potential.

Ferrari California

By Ben Whitworth
First official pictures
25 June 2008 14:01
Ferrari continues its tantalising drip feed of information and images on the new California, with new footage of the roof in action appearing on the car’s website today.
The fully automatic electro-hydraulic folding metal roof is a two-piece unit that converts the coupe to convertible in just 14 seconds. When the roof is up, the boot has a 360-litre capacity, shrinking to 260 when the hard-top is folded away.
Remind me about the California’s key figures.
With pleasure. At 4560mm long, the Ferrari splits the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and DB9, but it’s wider than both at 1900mm. Ferrari claims the California is a 2+2 but it would outrageously generous to describe the rear tubs as seats.
Yes, yes, but what about the engine?
Mounted far back under the California’s bonnet sits a spanking new all-alloy 4.3-litre V8. Fettled with direct injection, it develops 454bhp at 7500rpm. It’s hooked up to a new seven-speed double-clutch transmission. A new launch control system will blast the California to 60mph in just under four seconds and on to a 190mph top speed. And if you’re interested in collecting loyalty points, the Ferrari will return around 21mpg - with a light foot.

Mercedes F700

By Andrew Noakes
First drive
16 June 2008 17:16
Advanced engineering wrapped in ‘aquatic’ styling made the Mercedes F700 concept car one of the stars of the Frankfurt motor show in September 2007, and CAR has been itching to put its technologies to the test ever since.
Flip-over, cork-faced seats and a navigation system run by a virtual assistant called Gloria are novel enough, but we’re really here to find out about the revolutionary DiesOtto engine and Pre-Scan suspension.
What’s so clever about the Mercedes F700’s engine, then?
Mercedes calls it DiesOtto because it combines elements of diesel and petrol (Otto cycle) engines. Centrepiece of the DiesOtto concept is a new combustion system called Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), which several manufacturers are now developing. It uses carefully controlled in-cylinder temperature and pressure conditions to ignite the air/fuel mixture without a spark.
The result is very clean, efficient combustion, but the drawback is that HCCI struggles to work over a wide range of engine speed and load. So for cold starts and full-throttle acceleration, DiesOtto switches back to spark-ignition mode.

Mercedes-Benz F600 Fuel-cell concept

First drive
26 June 2008 09:00
Mercedes has been running a test fleet of fuel cell A-classes since 2002, and it’s preparing for small-scale production of a fuel cell B-class in 2010. To get an idea of what the fuel-cell B-class will be like, CAR has spent some time on the road with the curiously-named F600 HyGenius fuel cell concept, first seen at the Tokyo show in 2005.
Ah yes, fuel cells are… erm, remind me, would you?
The fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction which generates electricity, with water as a by-product. The carbon dioxide emissions of the vehicle are zero, which makes it sound like the ultimate green car – but those environmental credentials take a hit when you consider the electrical energy consumed by the production of hydrogen in the first place.
What’s special about the F600’s stack?
The F600’s fuel cell stack is smaller, more powerful and more economical than previous generations of the technology. It’s housed under an A-class-style ‘sandwich’ floor along with the drive motor, hydrogen tank and a lithium ion battery, which stores excess energy from the fuel cell and captures ‘waste’ energy through regenerative braking. As a result the centre of gravity is low and there’s still family-sized space inside.
What’s it like on the road?
Wide doors open out and up to make entry easy. Generous glass area, a flat floor and the hum of the electrics out back make F600 feel like a glazed golf cart, albeit one which features a leather-clad interior with heated (or cooled) cup-holders.Driving it isn't as alien as you might expect. Push the familiar-looking START button on the dash and it settles into a subdued whistle as it idles. Four buttons next to the steering wheel mimic auto gearbox modes: select D for drive and the F600 answers the accelerator with a brisk surge forwards as the fuel cell and battery work together to deliver up to 115hp. There’s no multi-ratio gearbox, so progress is uninterrupted by gearchanges. A distant electric-tram hum and the whine of the electric 'turbocharger’ which supplies air to the fuel cell stack are all but drowned out by the rustle of wind around the A-pillars as the speed builds.
F600 is impressive for its utter lack of fuss: it goes and stops on demand, just like any production car. MB's boffins are understandably protective of their multi-million-euro testbeds, but they treat this one with a nonchalance that speaks volumes. It doesn't need to be babied. As a forerunner of next-generation fuel cell vehicles, it’s impressively competent and effective.
Verdict
F600 feels cohesive and complete, but turning hydrogen fuel cell cars into a practical proposition means more than just engineering advanced on-car systems. A whole infrastructure for hydrogen distribution has to be established, which brings with it a raft of concerns over safety and evaporative emissions. And economic, sustainable production of hydrogen depends on a plentiful supply of renewable electricity to make it viable. Providing that will take more than simply the efforts of a car maker or two.

VW to relaunch 'one-litre' eco car

VW to relaunch 'one-litre' eco car
By Georg Kacher
Green news
30 June 2008 15:52
Remember Volkswagen's 'one-litre' car, capable of one litre per 100km, or a scarcely credible 282mpg? Well VW has approved top-secret plans to build the limited-edition fuel miser in 2010, CAR Online can reveal. The tiny, grey cigar-shaped curiosity was a triumphal hit at the 2002 annual meeting in Hamburg and now – finally – it's heading for production. At the time the chairman of VW's supervisory board predicted that the super-economical two-seater would go into production as soon as the cost of the carbonfibre monocoque dropped from €35,000 (£28,000) to €5000 (£4000), which he estimated would happen in 2012. Now the VW 1L will hit the market two years ahead of schedule, in 2010.A VW that does 282mpg! What'll she cost?The asking price? That's a game of political posturing. Volumes will be restricted to keep costs under control and, according to one well placed insider CAR spoke to, anything from €20,000 (£16,000) to €30,000 (£24,000) is possible. Expect a large amount of subsidy from VW, which hopes to reap a slew of headlines in the current climate.Somewhat surprisingly, the basic vehicle concept of the one-litre VW (pictured) hasn't changed that much over the past six years. To keep the frontal area as small as possible, the passenger still sits behind the driver. To ensure optimum structural rigidity, the aircraft-style canopy door concept will also be retained. Very Top Gun.

Chevrolet Lacetti replacement (2009)

Chevrolet Lacetti replacement (2009): the spy photos
By Tim Pollard
Spyshots
01 July 2008 11:59
Chevrolet will replace its Lacetti/Nubira/Cobalt with this slick saloon in autumn 2008. Our spy photos reveal the four-door Chevy in near-production form three months ahead of its planned debut at the 2008 Paris motor show. The name of the newcomer will be announced on 8 July 2008 and this time a single badge will be used globally, instead of different names in different markets. In the UK, Chevy's mid-sized car was called the Lacetti, but an-all new tag is in the pipeline this time.Chevrolet Lacetti: the replacementThis four-door will arrive first and is expected in UK showrooms in March 2009; three- and five-door hatchback versions will follow later in 2009. There won't be a direct replacement for the Lacetti estate, although today's bargain load-lugger will continue in production until 2010.Then, at the end of 2009, Chevrolet will launch a crossover which has the task of replacing both the Lacetti station wagon and the Tacuma midi-MPV. Both new Chevy models will be based on the GM Delta platform; that means a host of new tech and upmarket gadgets that you wouldn't believe possible on refashioned Daewoos

Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept

Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept: first pictures
By Ben Pulman
First official pictures
16 May 2008 23:00
Thought the was a drop of diesel fuel in a large petrol pond? Think again. This is the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept – another performance diesel from Ingolstadt. Set to debut later this month at the Lake Wörther Tour in Austria, this rather OTT A3 features DTM-inspired bodywork and the world’s highest specific output diesel engine. Think of the Clubsport as a way to get us excited about the while being relatively kind to the environment too.
What’s the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro packing under that hood?
A very shiny four-pot diesel (the 1968cc diesel is stripped of its usual black cladding, you see). Add in a new turbocharger, and the four-cylinder unit produces 221bhp. That easily bests and twin-turbo diesels. The Clubsport’s 332lb ft at 1750rpm puts it midway between the BMW (295lb ft) and the Merc (368lb ft).All that torque is combined with a six-speed manual ‘box and a four-wheel drive system to help the A3 Clubsport reach 62mph in 6.6 seconds and go on to 149mph. Not bad for a diesel A3, we say.Keep all this performance chat in context. This is a ludicrously OTT concept car, isn't it? Maybe not... Audi remains tight-lipped on the production feasibility of the engine's 221bhp, but claims it already passes EU5 emission regulations due in 2010. With BMW and Mercedes already offering 100bhp/litre diesels, Audi could well follow suit soon.

Porsche unveils Carrera 4 and 4S Coupe and Convertible

Porsche unveils Carrera 4 and 4S Coupe and Convertible
By Ben Whitworth
First official pictures
26 June 2008 11:54
Following on from the driven earlier this month, Porsche has expanded the line-up with the new all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and 4S, both in coupe and convertible form. And like the standard rear-drive Carrera, the 4 and 4S hides it’s new tech under its same-again styling – badging aside, only the 44mm wider rear haunches and that reflective band between the rear lights distinguish the two and four-wheel variants.
So what has changed?
Well, there’s an all-new four-wheel drive system, for starters. Porsche has ditched the previous viscous multiple-plate clutch layout for its new electronically-controlled Porsche Traction Management (PTM) set-up, claiming better stability and enhanced dynamics from the quicker system. Initially developed for the 911 Turbo, the PTM has been modified for the Carrera and now features a mechanical limited slip diff on the rear axle.
Keep going…
Porsche claims the PTM system uses an electronically-controlled multi-plate clutch to metre out the exact amount of torque between front and rear axles. With the previous viscous system, only a maximum of 40% torque could be fed through the front axle – the new system’s infinitely variable torque splitter can shift up to 100% torque between front or rear axles, enhancing cornering stability and boosting all-weather traction.
Anything else?
The four-wheel drive versions share the standard Carrera's new direct injection powerplants, as well as the option of the new seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission. Delivering more power from less fuel, the 3.6 and 3.8-litre flat sixes in the 4 and 4S return some pretty impressive economy figures: the 345bhp Carrera 4 coupe with PDK transmission gives 28mpg, while the 385bhp 4S cabriolet (again with PDK) returns 26.4mpg on the combined cycle.

BMW GINA Light Visionary Model

BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept: first photos
By Nargess Shahmanesh-Banks
First official pictures
10 June 2008 00:00
Who’d have guessed that BMW’s latest concept car would be made of cloth? The GINA Light Visionary Model – unveiled today – is a far-flung research concept from Munich that has shaped the latest generation of BMWs. This car can change shape and surface at the flick of a switch, and the 'GINA' principles it espouses have been used to craft today's BMW design language. Fancy flame surfacing today? No worries – tap a switch and your bodywork goes all taut-edged and angry. Prefer to go more classical and clean-edged? Not a problem. GINA does it all. BMW GINA: what it all meansBMW design has been known to ruffle a few conservative feathers in the past, and today's disclosure of its GINA process is bound to raise eyebrows. Standing on its 20-inch alloys, the Light Vision Model concept looks like a modern-day BMW sports car, displaying taut sculpted muscles and the brand’s unmistakable signature form language of flame surfacing. Yet the Light Visionary Model is not made of metal but of cloth. The virtually seamless stretch fabric is secured on a meshwork of metal wires that shields the movable substructure beneath.Made of cloth?! Has Chris Bangle finally lost the plot?Bear with us here. The BMW group design director explained at length to CAR the method in his madness at a private viewing ahead of the official media launch in the newly renovated BMW museum in Munich. The Light Vision Model is part of a project that has shaped BMW design for a decade and led to ground-breaking developments such as iDrive and flame surfacing. It's the ultimate expression of the company's GINA design mantra. ‘The cloth can change your mind about what a car can be,’ he says mysteriously. Click ‘Next’ below to read more of Bangle’s explanation...

Maserati refreshes Quattroporte

Maserati refreshes Quattroporte
By Ben Whitworth
First official pictures
24 June 2008 08:51
Maserati has given its Quattroporte a mid-life refresh and a power boost. The new flagship Quattroporte S borrows the 424bhp 4.7-litre V8 from the GranTurismo S, while the standard Quattroporte retains the existing 393bhp 4.2-litre engine from before, with both hooked up to the ZF six-speed automatic transmission introduced two years ago.