2012 Audi RS6 Sports Sedan Design

The first one to publish his work is an artist from EDL Design, who proceeded to design a sportier and edgier looking vehicle than what Audi revealed yesterday. Fresh off of Audi’s reveal of the 2012 A6 sedan artists are already making their own design renditions of what the new Audi RS6 is going to look like.

Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept

This is combined with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield, and sporty chassis settings for pure roadster driving fun. The MX-5 Superlight was built in an attempt to improve driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions.Thanks to its low weight: 2,194 lbs, the car sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds. The MX-5 Superlight is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder that delivers 126 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque and is equipped with a Mazdaspeed cold-air intake and exhaust.

Brabus brings the girth with Mercedes SLS Widestar

What's more important, speed or girth? Brabus says can have your proverbial cake and eat it too with its new Widestar kit for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Upgrading on their previous offering (and sounding like a minivan), the Widestar SLS benefits from a carbon fiber body kit with a 20mm wider rear track, encompassing Brabus Monoblock F Platinum Edition wheels available in a variety of colors and finishes and coated in either Pirelli or Yokohama low-profile rubber (275/30ZR-20 front and 295/25ZR-21 rear).

Brabus is also offering an electronically adjustable suspension with Bilstein shocks and Ride Control system, a titanium exhaust with quadruple tips that squeezes out an extra 10 horses, while the interior can be outfitted with a number of extras you can read all about in the press release


[Source: Brabus]

World Debut at the ESSEN MOTOR SHOW 2010
Custom-Tailored Designer Suit: The BRABUS WIDESTAR Wide Version for the Mercedes SLS

Lending an exclusive automobile an even more dominant presence is the domain of BRABUS. The new BRABUS WIDESTAR wide version represents a custom-tailored designer suit for the Mercedes SLS AMG. In addition to the extravagant high-tech carbon-fiber body program for the gullwing the tuner also offers ultralight forged wheels, an electronically adjustable Ride Control smooth-ride suspension, a titanium high-performance exhaust system with electronically controlled sound management and custom BRABUS interiors.

To give the SLS an even more muscular appearance the BRABUS designers have developed custom-tailored BRABUS WIDESTAR components for the rear axle. Like all other body components they are made from extremely light yet very strong carbon fibers identical to the ones used in Formula 1 racing. The add-on parts for the rear fenders and the rear fascia create an even more spectacular look and make room for special wheels that widen the rear track by 20 millimeters for even further improved driving dynamics.

The suspension engineers developed custom-tailored versions of the ultralight BRABUS Monoblock F PLATINUM EDITION forged wheels in sizes 9.5Jx20 in front and 11Jx21 on the rear axle for the wide version of the SLS. These wheels are available with a brushed-design or ceramics-polished surface and can also be painted in any desired color. The staggered wheels with 20- and 21-inch diameters on front and rear axles further emphasize the wedge-shaped look of the sports car.

Despite the wheels' bigger size they deliver a weight reduction of up to 12 percent compared to the SLS production wheels. The reduced unsprung weight further results in even more agile handling. BRABUS technology partners Pirelli and YOKOHAMA supply the optimal high-performance tires in sizes 275/30 ZR 20 and 295/25 ZR 21.

The wide version is rounded out by aerodynamic-enhancement components developed in the wind tunnel. All BRABUS aerodynamic-enhancement components are made from carbon fibers and are available with a matte or glossy clear-coated finish for a true racing look. Optionally these components can be painted in body or contrasting color.

To further reduce lift on front and rear axle BRABUS equips the SLS with a front spoiler for the production front fascia, a rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. Together these components create an even better aerodynamic balance. Two BRABUS covers for the upper air dams of the bumper and side air outlets for the rear fascia are further visual details of the BRABUS WIDESTAR version.

The work of the BRABUS designers also gives the sides of the gullwing more profile and further improved aerodynamic efficiency. The rocker panels were sculpted to optimize the airflow between front and rear axle and to create a perfect transition to the WIDESTAR components on the rear axle. Integrated entrance lights ensure safe entering and exiting of the vehicle in the dark.

The BRABUS air outlets for the front fenders add more of sporty touches. At night they draw attention with their integrated blue-illuminated BRABUS logos that are activated via the keyless fob or by pulling on a door handle.

The ride-height lowering by up to 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) also plays an important role in the striking appearance of the BRABUS-modified SLS. The BRABUS suspension is height-adjustable and was developed in cooperation with technology partner BILSTEIN. At the push of a button its integrated Ride Control function also offers a smoother ride than the production car. From the cockpit the driver can at any time - even while driving - switch between damper settings that offer a more comfortable or a sportier ride than the production car.
For sporty-minded SLS owners BRABUS offers stiffer sway bars for front and rear axle that reduce body roll for even more precise handling.

The BRABUS high-performance exhaust system with four slanted exhaust tips with diameters of 84 millimeters (3.3 inches) is somewhat atypical for traditional tuning. Its sound management, controlled by the driver and activated by a pneumatic flap, includes a 'coming home' setting that is quieter than the production exhaust. In 'sport' mode the 6.3-liter eight-cylinder engine produces an even more powerful exhaust note than with the production exhaust. The BRABUS exhaust system is manufactured from extremely lightweight titanium and weighs 12 kilograms (26 lbs.) or 40 percent less than the production exhaust. Another welcome by-product of this exhaust is an increase in power output by 10 hp / 7.4 kW.

BRABUS offers a multitude of exclusive custom interior options for the two-seater car as well. Carbon-fiber inlays in any desired color and matte anodized aluminum pedals and foot rest add sporty highlights.

The ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel is made from a combination of leather and Alcantara and provides especially good grip for further improved road feedback. The speedometer with 400-km/h scale (250 mph) already hints at the car's future performance with BRABUS engine tuning.

The BRABUS upholstery shop offers a sheer endless multitude of colors and designs for the masterfully crafted SLS interiors made from the finest leathers and Alcantara. These interiors can be custom-tailored to suit each SLS owner's personal taste down to the last detail.

Cadillac CTS-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee named 2011 Internet Car and Truck of the Year

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year voting jury has just announced its pair of winners for 2011, and top honors go to both the Cadillac CTS-V and Jeep Grand Cherokee. For 2011, the CTS-V is offered in a trio of body styles, all of which boast a 556-horsepower supercharged V8 and seriously good driving dynamics. Likewise, the 2011 Grand Cherokee remains one of the best off-road vehicles in its class, and points the way forward for the "new Chrysler."

In addition to the vehicles picked by the Internet Car and Truck of the Year jurors, the motoring public was able to cast its vote for the "Average Joe" awards. Unlike the professional jury, the public voters named the 2011 Ford Mustang GT as Car of the Year, its new 5.0-liter V8 and reworked suspension geometry making it more of a true sports car than a stereotypical muscle car. However, both the "Internet Pros" and "Average Joes" saw eye to eye on the Truck of the Year award, with the Grand Cherokee taking the cake from both segments of voters.



Vehicles aside, the ICTOY jury also honored recently deceased and legendary automotive journalist Jerry Flint with the 2010 Journalist of the Year award. Flint, who died on August 7th of this year, covered the automotive beat for over 50 years, and was once named one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th century.

[Source: Internet Car and Truck of the Year]

INTERNET PROS AND AVERAGE JOES PICK THEIR FAVORITE NEW CARS AND TRUCKS

Jerry Flint Posthumously Honored as Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

Boston (Dec. 1, 2010) - The Internet Car and Truck of the Year website has announced the winners from the Internet Pros and Average Joes votes for their favorite new cars and trucks. Domestic brands swept all four categories.

The winners, announced from the New England International Auto Show today, are:

Internet Pros:
Car of the Year: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V
Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Average Joes:
Car of the Year: 2011 Ford Mustang GT
Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Internet Pros are comprised of a select team of 15 online writers from some of the leading automotive Internet sites, while the Average Joes consisted of thousands of votes from the motoring public. Complete biographies of the jury members are available at www.internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com.

So while the Internet Pros and Average Joes agree on the Truck of the Year (for the second year in a row) they have slightly differing opinions when it comes to their favorite car. The Pros like their speed in the form of a luxury sports car with the Cadillac CTS-V while the Average Joes voted for classic American muscle with the Ford Mustang GT (with only a 1 percent margin of victory over the Cadillac CTS-V). However, both groups demonstrated their respect for the vastly improved Jeep Grand Cherokee by wide margins.

Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

The Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year award was given to Jerry Flint for his long body of work in automotive journalism, most recently as a columnist for Forbes – both in print and online. It will be presented to his widow, automotive journalist Kate McLeod, at the Dec. 9 International Motor Press Association meeting in New York City.

A prolific award winner, including the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism in 2003, for his Forbes "Backseat Driver column," Flint was not afraid to point out when the Emperor was wearing no clothing. That insight, and his grasp of the automotive industry, earned accolades that included his naming by Business News Reporter as one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th Century.

The 2010 Automotive Journalist of the Year was John Neff, editor of Autoblog.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year awards were created by Keith Griffin, the Guide to Used Cars for About.com, a writer for TorqueNews.com, and the National Hyundai Examiner for Examiner.com, as well as a print automotive journalist and vice president of the New England Motor Press Association.

2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

Following the launch of the Regal, Buick will be introducing its next all-new model sometime in 2011. Set to launch as a 2012 model, the Verano compact will slot in beneath the Regal sedan, though we've been told on several occasions that it will not share a platform with General Motors' other new small car, the Chevrolet Cruze.

According to the infomongers at GM Inside News, the automaker recent sent a letter to its Buick dealers inviting them to participate in an order study in an attempt to gain knowledge about what pricing and trim levels would be most attractive to potential buyers. The details, available after the jump, reveal that the Verano will be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Regal) that produces 180 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and will be initially offered in four trim levels.

If the letter is to be believed, the base Verano 1SB (the alphanumeric likely being an internal designation) is estimated to start at $20,900. From there, the 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start, and will be priced from around $22,100. 1SG models add a power driver's seat, heated mirrors and rear park assist and should command roughly $23,300. Top-trim 1SL Veranos will have heated leather seats, premium audio, a heated steering wheel and 18-inch wheels. Expect the top-rung 1SL to retail for around $25,600, with pricing reaching as high as $26,200.

We don't expect GM to reveal official Verano specifications and pricing until closer to its launch date, with the car being officially debuting sometime in the early 2011 auto show season. Top tip, Ed!

[Source: GM Inside News]

2011 KTM Sport Cars X-Bow R Exclusive Class

KTM is developing another variant of its X-BOW model called the X-BOW R for 2011. The prototype of the model is featured in the photographs published here doing some testing. Pictured above is a prototype of the new X-Bow R taken at its first test outing at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany. The 2011 KTM Sport Cars X-Bow R Exclusive Class will be a sportier version of the current X-BOW from the boutique Austrian automaker (KTM is mainly a motorbike and bicycle maker) which has been available since 2008.

As far as streetable open-track cars go, the KTM X-Bow is in a very exclusive class, kept company primarily by the Ariel Atom and the Lotus 2-Eleven. But KTM is reportedly planning to up the ante with a pair of new models, including a race-bred R model and a more practical T model. The R model will likely be an evolution of the GT4 car.

The T model will up the comfort and practicality factor a bit for folks looking to get more double-duty out of the X-Bows, adding a windshield to divert air over the cockpit. That will no doubt be a welcome addition for those that would like to drive the car without wearing a helmet all the time. The X-Bow T will wait until 2012 to hit the streets.

After having been on the market for approximately two years now, the 2011 KTM Sport Cars X-Bow R Exclusive Class line-up will be supplemented with the introduction of the “R” model in the upcoming year. The engine for this even more powerful version comes again from Audi – but it will be exactly the same engine used among others in the actual Audi S3.

The X-BOW R will boast a 2.0-litre TFSI engine from the Audi S3, and this motor is good for 221kW of power. All of this will fit into the 790-kilogram body which boasts an upgraded suspension which is lowered, and better handling — thanks for a new engine mount setup. The two-seater will include a road-legal Sport package and a Race kit for the track only version.

At the moment KTM Cars is working intensively on the 2011 model of its super sports cars X-BOW. The first ever small series manufactured and street legal homologated car with a carbon fibre monocoque has been sold around 500 times since its launch in 2008. Around 50 X-BOW partners throughout Europe and currently ten importers globally look after sports cars enthusiasts all over the world in order to supply the only 790 kilogram light, 240 horsepower strong extreme athlete.

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine

Caparo Vehicle Technologies - a new and advanced automotive engineering consultancy formed a year ago by the rapidly expanding Caparo Group to provide carmakers globally with a centre of excellence in lightweight vehicle design - is putting the finishing touches to the first car it has ever produced. CAPARO T1 is the product of CAPARO VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES, an arm of BRITSH CONGLOMERATE CAPARO, which is owned by Lord Swaraj Paul and CEO Angad his son who is behind this ultimate car CAPARO T1.

The Caparo T1 is a high performance two-seater sports car with highly resolved aerodynamics, which has been designed with the looks and performance close to that of a Formula One race car. With series production about to commence, the car will be built for discerning customers seeking the ultimate track day experience in a road driveable vehicle. The Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine also serves as a technology flagship for demonstrating the company's high level vehicle design and engineering capabilities.

The T1 powertrain comprises of home-grown 3.5-litre Caparo V8 engine, which produces 575bhp (425kW) at 10,500rpm and 420Nm (310lbft) at 9,000rpm. Similarly, the 6-speed sequential transmission with magnesium casing is a bespoke design with a mass of approximately 30kg. The carbon/aluminium honeycomb monocoque features a separate composite crash structure at the front, while the rear sub-frame specifies aerospace grade steel.

The Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine is around one-third the mass of the average family saloon. Its carbon/aluminium honeycomb monocoque features a separate composite crash structure at the front, while the rear sub-frame specifies aerospace grade steel. The non carbon-fibre steel suspension, for example, illustrates the company's ability to specify structural materials that can deliver the maximum performance at the lowest possible cost. Overall, the 190 000 GBP price tag underlines the company's ability to design and build an exclusive car at a relatively low price despite its ultra high performance.

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine

CAPARO T1 is designed for just one thing that is to go fast. It has a 3.5-liter V8 engine which develops 575 bhp. This can be found in many other cars then what is special in CAPARO T1, secret is that it weighs 550 kg which develops 575 bhp. This means that Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine produces 1000 bhp for each ton of body mass, this is awesome. That it can come down from 160 kilometer per hour to zero under ten seconds. That is what exactly all the speed freaks wish to have in there sports cars.

This means the Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine is lighter and faster even than a race-winning Le Mans sportscar. In terms of power-to-weight ratio its closest rival would be the latest super-bikes, which are now capable of delivering 175bhp into 185kg thereby just falling short of the magic 1,000bhp-per-tonne figure. Apart from these two wheelers and Formula One cars, no other road or track car comes anywhere close to the Caparo T1's power-to-weight ratio and highly efficient aerodynamic properties.

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine

This supreme power-to-weight ratio results in a 0-60mph time of less than 2.5 seconds and the ability to reach 100mph within five seconds. Braking performance is no less impressive with 100mph to standstill being delivered in 3.5 seconds.

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine have a price tag of US$350,000.Company had decided to make CAPARO T1 in limited numbers and they might produce only 75 examples of it.

Caparo Sport Cars Caparo T1 V8 engine