Download: 15 Jul 2011

Friday 15 July 2011

Renault Creates an EV for the Workplace

Renault Creates an EV for the Workplace: "

Renault-Frendzy-70711

For an electric vehicle meant to take the stress out of today’s work environment, Renault might have chosen a more soothing name than Frendzy for this boxy little concept car. Powered by a 44kW motor (equivalent to 60-bhp) and 22kWh lithium-ion battery pack, this is the same powertrain found in the utilitarian Kangoo Z.E. electric van, which is now on sale in Europe. The Kangoo’s top speed is 81 mph and its electric driving range is approximately 100 miles. Based on their similar proportions, we’d expect similar performance figures in the Frendzy concept.

renault-frendzy-concept-04

There are some bizarre touches incorporated into this workaday electric Renault concept, which is set to debut this autumn during the Frankfurt Auto Show. On the passenger’s side there is one conventional door and one sliding side door, which incorporates a 37-inch widescreen display. According to Renault, this represents the world of work and can be used for advertising. We’d suggest the feature also permits an entirely new dimension when it comes to expressing yourself to the slowpoke you just passed. Then again, with an 81 mph top speed, passing other vehicles might not be the Frendzy’s forte.

Renault-Frendzy-70717

Sensors positioned on the doorsills are capable of logging the loading or unloading of packages equipped with RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) chips containing information such as destination address, weight and dimensions. A foldable fabric roof peels back, allowing the Frendzy to carry bulkier objects, or to simply allow occupants the chance to soak up some sun. Expect a production vehicle very similar to the Frendzy’s style and shape to replace the aging Kangoo, which has been on sale in its current form since 2003.

Source : Google Reader

Quick Drive: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Quick Drive: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS: "

911 Carrera GTS R&T

It was late 1964 somewhere in what was then West Germany when I saw my first 911, just a year after it had been launched.

In fact, I didn’t see it first, I heard it. That distinctive air cooled flat-six wail was totally alien to an English lad brought up on a diet of in-line sixes from Jaguar and Aston Martin, rare enough sights themselves in the UK, or gruff fours from Triumph and MG. And, of course, as I turned to see what was making the noise, it had to be a silver 911 spearing across the German countryside.

I’ve had a special fondness for the brand ever since, although owning one has so far eluded me. So, when Porsche ‘phoned and asked if I’d like to sample the new GTS for a few days which coincided with this year’s Festival of Speed, I think it would have appeared churlish to decline such a generous offer.

And, naturally, when the car turned up it had to be silver – just like that first 911 47 years ago.

Of course, the car is completely different compared to the original: the engine is water-cooled and its propensity to swing the tail out without a hint of warning, in wet or dry, has virtually been eliminated. But as I turned on the ignition key and six cylinders burst into life it still sounded as I remembered.

One of the big differences is how much bigger the latest generation 911 feels inside, that intimacy of almost rubbing shoulders with the front seat passenger and side glass in older models has gone, but so many other sensations remain.

The steering is intuitively precise and linear, although Lotus Mat Becker and I both agreed it could feel a little nervy in a straight line while the seven-speed PDK when coupled to the car’s 310 lb.-ft. of torque delivers a car with two characters. Slip the PDK into ‘D’ and there’s a docility to the car that belies its 188 mph top speed and a 4.2 seconds sprint to 62 mph; there’s no peaky urgency to the engine urging you to keep the revs piled on, it simply pulls smoothly, quietly. Of course you can use the paddles to shift gear, but around town why bother?

Find an open, clear stretch of road, slip the PDK into Sport and, suddenly, its sporting nature is revealed. While it might not qualify as the ‘dark’ side you find straights have magically shrunk, bends appear sooner and a lot tighter. But the pleasure in balancing the car and the sheer intimacy you feel with the car as it feeds back every nuance of the road surface is very special indeed, something else Mat and I agreed on.

Maybe when my lottery ticket comes in…

Source : Google Reader

Porsche Tags Cars in Showrooms

Porsche Tags Cars in Showrooms: "

PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. MOBILE TAG

If you’re shopping for a Porsche there’s a great new way to get information on a particular car in a Porsche showroom without having to approach a salesperson. Just walk up to the car on the lot at any hour, or on the showroom floor during open hours, and snap a picture of the large tag on the side window with your smart phone.

Within seconds, or later at your leisure, this tag will open the browser on your smart phone and take you to a microsite where you’ll find specific details on the car.

PorscheTagReader

According to Porsche you can get a wealth of specific product information on the exact car being browsed, including vehicle videos, leading press reviews and even the unique sound of the Porsche model’s engine. A customer can also provide contact information for fast follow-up by a Porsche sales professional, or can browse anonymously.

In addition to making the Porsche shopping experience more convenient, Porsche says it has designed new web and mobile tools that help on-the-go customers quickly locate and connect with dealer sales and service information. The latest innovations include Smart Mobile for touch-screen handheld devices, featuring customized dealership information including available inventory, special offers and easy driving directions.

Since the launch of a pilot program in early June, 11 Porsche dealers have already implemented the tag program, and the other 184 U.S. dealers will soon have the same capability as new inventory reaches their showrooms.

Porsche is not the only one making good use of 2D codes. You’ll also find them in the pages of Road & Track where they grant access to exclusive interactive content. Give it a try by scanning this code from page 14 of our August issue:

rush2-tag-2dcode_150w

Source : Google Reader

Peugeot Unveils 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Hybrid

Peugeot Unveils 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Hybrid: "

Peuegeot-508-RXH-5

Available with a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain and four-wheel-drive, the Peugeot 508 RXH crossover is targeting well-heeled European car buyers interested in maintaining an eco-minded image. Based on the 508 sedan and SW wagon, the 508 RXH will be the new top model of the range.

Peugeot will announce pricing details when the RXH makes its first official public appearance this September, during the Frankfurt Auto Show. With the current range-topping 508 SW GT wagon priced at €39,600 ($55,450), the RXH is not going to be cheap.

But some exceptional fuel mileage figures should help boost your budget. The 508 RXH employs the same “Hybrid4” powertrain found in the upcoming 3008 five-door hatchback. This includes a 2.0-liter diesel engine coupled to an electric motor, for a combined maximum of 200-bhp and 332 lb-ft of torque.

Peuegeot-508-RXH-6

The 508 RXH will also be capable of driving in total electric mode at city speeds, though only for short distances. Peugeot says the 508 RXH will return 56 mpg during a mix of city and highway driving, though these figures have yet to be independently confirmed.

Luxury features are also set to play an important role with the marketing of this upmarket hybrid. A panoramic glass roof, 18-inch wheels, a high-end audio system and satellite navigation will be included as standard equipment. The 508 RXH goes on sale in Europe in spring 2012.

Source : Google Reader

Forza Motorsports 4: Kinect-ing with Virtual Driving

Forza Motorsports 4: Kinect-ing with Virtual Driving: "

For Xbox users around the world, Forza is the default driving simulation franchise. There are titles that offer more arcade-like experiences, but for sheer immersion and jaw-dropping graphics, it’s tough to beat what is easily one of Xbox’s premiere halo titles.

When we reported previously on Forza’s Ultimate Collection last year, our biggest question was how Microsoft would integrate Kinect within Forza. While many lamented the potential arcadification of the Forza franchise (imagine a Wii-based driving sim), our visit last year firmed up our belief that Turn 10 studios were still committed to producing a die-hard sim-oriented product.

In October of this year, we will finally get to see the fruits of their labor, and Kinect will be used, not only as an arcade accessory, but as a tool in the sim driving arsenal. Using it for head tracking allows you to glance over at your opponents and side-mirrors while still paying attention to the track in front of you; just like in real life. Utilizing voice and hand controls for menu navigation means you can sit comfortably in your gaming chair with your steering wheel controller in front of you and not have to fumble with the regular controller. Exploring a car by virtually opening doors and hoods with your hands is just another way that Kinect will help you get immersed into the sim.

While it may seem these games and simulators are becoming bigger and more bloated by the moment–there will be more tracks and cars with monthly expansion packs to boot–it’s good to see programming companies looking outside the box to bring more immersion into the experience.

Source : Google Reader

Kate Middleton’s Used VW Golf Headed to eBay

Kate Middleton’s Used VW Golf Headed to eBay: "

2001 VW Golf

Would you pay $50,000 for a 10-year-old Volkswagen Golf that has had a side mirror and headlight replaced? You might, at least when the first owner was Kate Middleton, wife of England’s Prince William. Middleton purchased the blue VW for $17,445 back in 2001, reports The Daily Mail, and owned it when she began dating the prince.

Powered by a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, the car has approximately 62,500 miles on the clock – of those, Middleton herself put about 60,000 on the car. Current owner, Sonny Brazil, purchased the Golf from the Middleton family for only $2,900 in 2009. Two years later, the 21-year-old stands to earn a substantial profit on the car.

Brazil explained to the Mail that he’s been very protective of the car since he realized its potential value. Auction estimates have pegged the potential selling price at more than $50,000. “I became quite precious about it and wouldn’t let anyone else drive it, even parking it in a locked garage away from the house in case anyone tried to nick it,” said Brazil.

Online bidding starts tomorrow, at a starting price of more than $32,000. That entry-level bid is already about what you’d pay for a fully loaded 2012 VW Golf GTI. Yet even with the newer model’s sharp handling and 200-bhp engine, you’d never be able to say your new VeeDub had a royal pedigree.

Source : Google Reader

Classic Drive: Ford Model T

Classic Drive: Ford Model T: "

Model T.4

Ford is celebrating a century of car production here in the UK and as part of that they’re taking an original Model T manufactured at its `Trafford Park, Manchester factory on tour round the British Isles.

I caught up with it recently at Castle Combe – incidentally the setting for the 1967 version of ‘Dr Doolittle’ starring Rex Harrison. The oddest aspect of the car is the epicyclic gearbox that was inspired by the British automotive engineer, Frederick Lanchester the principles of which are still used on automatic transmissions. The center pedal engages reverse, the left engages low when depressed and high on being released whilst the right operates the transmission brake; a hand throttle governs speed.

Model T.1

Once you get your head, and feet, around the pedal arrangement the 100-year-old car is actually quite sprightly although like all old(er) cars you need to plan braking, gear changing, accelerating and braking well ahead.

I don’t know who got more enjoyment from the few miles I did: me, or the gawping Japanese tourists who probably thought they’d gone through a time warp when the Model T chugged past them.

Source : Google Reader

The Best Contemporary Car Designer Is…

The Best Contemporary Car Designer Is…: "

Walter-de-Silva

Walter de Silva yesterday accepted the ADI “Compasso d’Oro” (Golden Compass) Award for his lifetime achievements in Rome.

An international panel of judges described de Silva as an “undisputed protagonist of Italian design” and presented him with the award for his 40-year career in the presence of dignitaries, the members of ADI (Italian Association of Industrial Design), the Fondazione ADI, the Fondazione Valore Italia, selected guests as well as the press. The Compasso d’Oro Career Award honors Italian and international personalities alike and their outstanding services in the realm of design, research, teaching, production and distribution.

Walter de Silva has been head of Volkswagen Design since 2007; in his position, he is responsible for the design of all brands. Over the course of his career, he has received several design awards, among them the “Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany”—the highest official design award in Germany—for the Audi A5 in February 2010.

de Silva is not happy speaking English , but I recall his presentation to the UK press of the Alfa GTV and swiftly drawing a few lines on a sketch pad to illustrate its simple styling which he promptly tore up. I got back to my hotel room to discover a limited, signed edition of the same three-line sketch. It hangs on my office wall to this day.

Then at the Geneva reveal of the A5 he did that great Italian operatic thing of crying as he described it “as the most beautiful car he had ever designed.”

I happened to be standing next to another chief designer at the time and, in a rare moment of praise between bitter rivals, he turned to me and said, “I wish I had designed that car.”

So, let the debate begin: does de Silva deserve that praise?

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Ford Auctioning Off “Blue Angels” 2012 Mustang GT

Ford Auctioning Off “Blue Angels” 2012 Mustang GT: "

BlueAngels 2012Mustang

In celebration of the U.S. Navy’s 100 years in aviation, Ford will be auctioning off a Blue Angels edition 2012 Ford Mustang GT. A one-off build, the custom 2012 Mustang GT sports a Chrome Blue paint job with Screaming Yellow stripes paying homage to the famed F-18 Hornet jets of the specialized flying team. Creations n’ Chrome takes credit for the color change. The Blue Angels theme continues with the squadron’s script and logo emblazoned on the door and stitched on the Recaro seats. For fans of Top Gun: The illuminated sill plates and puddle lamps project images of a jet. Yes, we know Maverick flew in an F-14, but you get the idea.

SV1_0169new

Performance on the Mustang has also been enhanced. The 5.0-liter V-8 found in the GT trim has a Ford Racing supercharger bolted up to it, bumping output to 624 bhp. A performance exhaust brings out the engine burble, and the handling pack and race track brakes, all Ford Racing parts, will improve lap times should the lucky (and/or wealthy) winner decide to take it out to a circuit. Not the most sage financial decision, considering that the previous custom-built Mustang, the AV8R, inspired by the F-22 Raptor, sold for $500,000.

SV1_0341

While we would normally frown on spending an obscene amount of money for a custom Mustang, the Ford, along with the past three builds, is for a good cause. All the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles organization, a program that has provided over 1.6 million young people with free introductory flights, promoting math, science, responsibility and the value of hard work. Sort of like the Boy Scouts, only less math and more lift.

The Blue Angels Mustang will be auctioned off Thursday, July 28, 2011, at the Gathering of Eagles charity auction held during the EAA’s 2011 AirVenture Oshkosh, a weeklong celebration of aviation held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Check out www.fordairventure.com for more information.

Source : Google Reader