Download: 7 Sept 2011

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Frankfurt Preview: Eterniti Hemera

Frankfurt-Preview-Eterniti-Hemera_lead

Eterniti Motors, the UK’s latest car manufacturer, will debut its first car, the Hemera, at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week.

Based on the latest generation of what the manufacturers claim is the “best large SUV platform available”, it will undergo a chassis-up rebuild, with a new, repackaged interior, carbon-composite body panels and additional performance.

Described as “the world’s first Super-SUV” and providing new levels of luxury, space and performance it will feature a limousine-like rear cabin, including twin reclining seats, iPads and a drinks chiller, giving customers the option of being chauffeured as well as driving.

The engineering team is led by Alastair Macqueen, who was responsible for the development of the Jaguar XJ220 supercar and has won the Le Mans 24-Hour race with both Jaguar and Bentley.

Ex-F1 driver, Johnny Herbert will have an active involvement in developing Eterniti vehicles as well as serving as an ambassador for the brand.

Eterniti is establishing a London hub featuring a showroom, car build and service center, and a separate atelier where customers can discuss their requirements and create a bespoke specification for their cars, which will be hand-built on site by British craftsmen and technicians. The London facilities will open later this year, with further showrooms in key international cities to follow from 2012.

Source : Google Reader

First Look: 2012 Jaguar C-X16 Concept

First Look: 2012 Jaguar C-X16 Concept:

Jaguar-C-X16_001

The C-X16 Concept to be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show gives a compelling look at how Jaguar plans to make the sports car relevant in the 21st century. Its name, “One plus One,” could serve to designate seating—indeed the car is a 2-place coupe. Instead, I like to think One plus One as describing its propulsion system, a supercharged V-6 teamed with an electric motor operated in hybrid fashion akin to today’s Formula 1 KERS, Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems.

This and other technology are wrapped in stunning bodywork that defines an agenda for future Jaguar shapes as well as evoking the company’s past design ethos. Jaguar design director Ian Callum says the C-X16 is characterized by three “heartlines,” its front fender creases, sweeping roofline and rear haunches that wrap into the tail. To my eye, these possess a more pleasing unity than exhibited by several contemporary trendy designs that come to mind.

The interior of the C-X16, done up in Vermillion Red with black trim, continues the One plus One concept with dual regions for passenger and driver. The latter gets the best one, with controls and instrumentation suggesting both aeronautical ergonomics as well as classic Jaguar racing cars. Aspects of the interior convey what Jaguar calls a “secret until required” theme. Double vents for the climate control, for instance, deploy into sight only when needed; otherwise, the top of the dashboard remains as unadorned as possible.

To me, though, the most striking elements of the C-X16 are the ones completely out of view—components of its KERS-inspired propulsion system. The all-aluminum 3.0-liter V-6 is direct-injected, with a compression ratio of 10.5:1, Roots-supercharged and intercooled to the tune of 375 bhp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. This V-6 is conceptually evolved from Jaguar’s AJ-V8 powerplant, both with dual overhead camshafts actuating 4 valves/cylinder. On an environmental note, the C-X16’s cylinder heads are fabricated from recycled aluminum (this being one of the elements more amenable to recycling).

The C-X16’s electric motor adds as much as 94 hp and 173 lb.-ft. to the gasoline engine’s output, available to the driver through a “Push to Pass” feature of a steering wheel button. The system also allows the car to operate in electric mode at speeds up to 50 mph at light pedal use. (more)

Keep Reading: 2012 Jaguar C-X16 Concept – First Look >>

First Photos: 2012 Jaguar C-X16 Concept >>

Source : Google Reader