Posts for 'Spy Pics' Category

A NEW four seater eco car built from lightweight materials should be on the market by 2010.

The Axon uses a tiny 500cc engine to give a fantastic 100 miles per gallon plus a top speed of 90 miles an hour.

The British-design will be built in Northamptonshire and was unveiled at the Sexy Green Car Show in Cornwall.

It’s made from recycled carbon fibre – the same lightweight stuff used to make the bodies of Formula 1 cars.

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The new exotic car community is revving up with a contest sure to excite any high-end car enthusiast. Car Front is giving away a airfare and accommodations to Las Vegas and a Lamborghini to use while there, to one community member as a promotion celebrating the site's launch

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) May 27, 2008 A new exotic car community has been launched for high-end, super-car enthusiasts. To encourage members to participate and share their passion for exotic cars, one lucky member of CarFront will win a trip to Las Vegas for the weekend where they will spend a day driving a Lamborghini, getting VIP access to a club and gawking at other supercars.

Lamborghini Gallardo
"We know how it is, living and breathing these cars," says Car Front owner Jeff Cox. "How many people honestly get the chance to drive a sports car that's worth the price of a house? By helping us to build a tight-knit community of real people and real experiences with exotic cars, one of our members will get to join that elite group by going to Las Vegas, driving a Lamborghini for a day, and experiencing some other fun activities we have planned for them."

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Two sketches of the next Rolls-Royce model, code-named RR4, were released today, showing a car with a meaty body and squashed cab. Of the new car, chief designer Ian Cameron said "The RR4 has a more informal presence than the Phantom models with a greater emphasis on driving. In design terms this is expressed through its slightly smaller dimensions and more organic form, yet with powerful, purposeful proportions." From the sketches, it looks as if the RR4 will be a four-door sedan with a less blocky grille than the current Phantom model, but will still sport the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. The wheels look particularly large, but that is often a trait of sketches.

Although the brand built its reputation on luxury, the acquisition by BMW has led to a new emphasis on engineering, and the new car will feature an engine developed in-house, rather than the BMW-sourced V-12 in the current Phantom. Rolls-Royce showed off a shorter, coupe version of the Phantom at this year's Geneva auto show, but the new RR4 will be a wholly different car. The company, which does emphasize quality over quantity, will expand its Goodwood-based plant by adding an additional assembly line and associated leather and wood shops. Rolls-Royce promises more details on the car throughout 2009, with a 2010 launch date.

The German automotive industry is embracing lithium-ion battery technology at a critical time when carmakers are lining up to unroll futuristic technologies, conserve fuel and fulfil stricter emission regulations. Slow in warming up to hybrids that combine a conventional gas engine with an electric motor, companies including Daimler and suppliers such as Bosch preferred initially to tout their clean diesels and focused instead on boosting efficiency directly in the combustion chamber.

Now, Daimler is looking to use the billions piling up for possible acquisitions in fuel-saving technology, and Bosch is already looking to add lithium-ion automotive batteries to its sprawling portfolio of industrial holdings.

"The market for lithium-ion batteries has probably one of the biggest growth potentials in the future," Thomas Weber, Daimler's head of technology, said at the Geneva auto show.

Daimler plans to launch its flagship Mercedes S-Class luxury sedan as a mild hybrid in 2009 using a lithium-ion battery and in the same year roll out an M-Class full hybrid, capable of driving only on electricity under certain conditions, similar to the Toyota Prius 7203.T.

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Around a 1,000 classic cars and hot rods from across the country are expected to enter the 43rd Annual Antique Auto Show and Flea Market this weekend, organizers say.

“The pre-registration numbers are already up over last year,” said Sewain Conklin, Vice President of The Rolling Antiquers Old Car Club, the group that sponsors and organizes the event.

Muscle cars and Hot Rods will be shown Saturday. Classic and antique cars are on Sunday. In all, there are 58 judging classes and over 175 trophies will be awarded. So far 640 cars in both categories have pre-registered, said Rolling Antiquers President Ed Soyke. He expects registrations the day of to push them over 1,000.
“We should have 500 cars each day,” Soyke said.

Gates are open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. rain or shine both days. Admission is $5 per person. Free shuttle buses will also be transporting spectators to the fairgrounds from free parking sites available throughout the City of Norwich.

The car show, held each Memorial Day weekend at the Chenango County Fairgrounds in Norwich since 1965, usually draws 10,000 spectators each day. It’s by far the biggest in Central New York, and believed to be the third largest state-wide.

Low emission "eco cars" release up to one and a half times as much carbon dioxide as their makers claim, according to road tests.

Three "environmentally friendly" models performed so poorly that they were branded gimmicks that cash in on growing concern about global warming.

A further five also failed to match their advertised emissions figure - including VW's Polo BlueMotion which was the first to go below 100grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The worst offender in the checks by Auto Express magazine was Honda's Civic Hybrid. It was found to emit 171g/km compared to the 109g/km claimed - 56 per cent more.

The magazine said the car's electric motor is "not strong enough to propel the oddball four-door Civic on its own" and it "failed to match the firm's economy claims".

The other "gimmick" cars were the luxury Lexus GS450h - the model leased by Tory leader David Cameron to show his green credentials - and Skoda's Fabia Greenline.

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The new FG Falcon-based range of Ford Performance Vehicles includes an even more powerful turbocharged six-cylinder F6 model that is set to break the acceleration record for a locally built car.

The FPV F6 launches on June 1, 2008 as part of FPV's new FG Falcon-based range and is expected to accelerate faster than the just-introduced HSV 6.2-litre V8 Commodores.

FPV, as well as part owner Ford Australia, have a policy of not providing performance figure claims for their cars, but an FPV source told Drive.com.au that the higher-powered version of Ford's XR6 Turbo is capable of sprinting from 0-100km/h in the high-four-second bracket.

Our insider says he would be surprised if independent performance testing by motoring media didn't see the F6 at least match the 4.8 seconds BMW claims for the V8-powered BMW M3. That would pip HSV's claim of 4.96sec for its updated, 6.2-litre V8 range.

The battle for Australia's fastest production car will intensify later this year when HSV launches its 7.0-litre V8 W427 - which the company claims will perform the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.7 seconds.

FPV has increased power for both its turbocharged six-cylinder and V8 engines for its new FG Falcon-based range.

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The RACQ says Federal Government plans to add more tax to luxury cars may benefit buyers.

Treasurer Wayne Swan will use tomorrow's Budget to increase the tax rate on cars over $57,000 from 25 per cent to 33 per cent.

While the Federal Opposition says the move will drive up the price of all cars, Gary Fites from the RACQ says it could have the reverse effect.

"Given the strength of the Australian dollar and the fact that it is a very competitive business selling cars, I wouldn't be surprised if you saw makers or importers who are challenged with going over this limit actually looking at their pricing, looking at their specification," Mr Fites said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we see in fact some tuning down of some prices just to make sure that some do come in under that limit."

The recently concluded Beijing Motor Show, saw almost all auto makers displaying their expertise with a bang. No wonder there are reports of more than 900 cars being displayed.

Big is beautiful for the country with the largest population. China is one of the fastest growing automobiles market in the world and is untouched by the overall global slowdown. It the market where all major auto makers are posting double digit growth rates and is a market no one can afford to miss.

As per reports, the Beijing Motor Show saw a mix of both the small cars, crossovers and the big SUVs being showcased at the country where the market is booming like never before. What was interesting was the fact that no one was over emphasising on the small car movement here, while the demand for big car remained potent as ever. Maybe the new rich Chinese are potential customers for every luxury car maker and so the big American style cars were displayed with pomp and show.

ET Automania checked out which automakers made news internationally and whether there was anything interesting for India at the Chinese biggest auto show.

German auto maker Audi stole the show by globally launching the all new Q5. The second in the Q series, the sporty SUV would be competing with the likes of BMW X3 and X5. The car is likely to be first launched in Europe this year. It is loaded with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and a drive select control system and the lamps cluster would be sporting LED technology.

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The Cadillac that ain't your father's may be just be two-wheeled. Word of a new Cadillac motorcycle sporting gee whiz ethanol hybrid technology has just surfaced in D Business. The Caddy that leans will be built by V20 Consulting in New York and shown off at the next LA Auto Show. The irony of an outside company building a technology demostrator isn't lost on us, but it isn't the first time the General has collaborated with someone on a motorcycle. Just a couple hundred feet from the Detroit offices lives the first Caddy chopper, built by and currently for sale at Great American Chopper in Clawson, MI.

Knowing it was there, we took a quick jaunt to their shop so you can see what may inform the next motorcycle. According to the folks who work there, reports of Caddy boss Jim Trailer actually buying this bike are greatly exaggerated, so if you want to take a look for yourself and live in the Detroit area, it'll be there for all to see. [MotorAuthority via Hell For Leather.