IED Eye concept

IED Eye concept

The Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) of Turin will showcase a new concept developed in collaboration with Tesla at the upcoming Geneva motor show. Called the Eye, the new concept was created by 11 students on the university's Transportation Design MA program under the supervision of Tesla's Design Director, Franz von Holzhausen.

Based on an idea by Jorge Andrés Pinilla Fonseca, the fully electric 2+2 -seat concept is a C-segment car for a young, cosmopolitan target demographic. Measuring 4250mm in length and 1800mm wide, the concept stands 1360mm high and has a 2650mm wheelbase. It incorporates a black plexiglass front mask and an innovative roof structure that enables the vehicle to become a semi-open car with a loading bay similar to that of a pickup truck.

Popular Posts

Valentino Balboni Shreds Own Lamborghini LP550-2 Tyres Down to the Wires

Drifting is many things, but good on your tires it isn’t. Anybody needing evidence should take a look at this video of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni edition being driven by Balboni himself.

Just after three minutes into the video, sparks can be seen flying off the (410kw) 550-horsepower car’s tires. The sparks were likely caused by steel belts exposed after a significant amount of rubber was shredded away.

2010-lamborghini-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-1 2010-lamborghini-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-5

The special edition Lambo, seen here in Verde Ithaca (green), uses a 5.2-liter V10 engine to push the 3,042 pound car to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is listed at 199 mph (320kmh).

In the video, former Lamborghini head test driver Balboni showed an exhibition’s audience what the car is capable of doing with the right person behind the wheel. Balboni worked for the company for over 40 years, and says that no man alive has driven more miles in a Lambo than him.

2010-lamborghini-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-7 2010-lamborghini-lp550-2-valentino-balboni-6

Limited to 250 units, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni retails for $219,800.

Popular Posts

First Sight: Holden VE Commodore and Statesman

GM Holden last week launched its biggest program ever, the $1 billion all-new Holden VE Commodore range. Designed at Holden's Port Melbourne design center, the 4th generation Commodore is the first all-new model of the series to be fully designed and engineered in Australia. Previous generations of Commodore since 1978 have always been based on lengthened and widened Opel large car platforms of the day but since the demise of the European Omega in 2003, GM lacked a suitable rear-wheel-drive donor platform for a new Commodore, hence the clean sheet approach for the latest VE model.




Design Directors Tony Stolfo [l] and Michael Simcoe [r]

Richard Ferlazzo, Chief Designer, ExteriorUnder the direction of Design Director Tony Stolfo, the Port Melbourne facility is now GM's third largest design centre behind those in Warren, Michigan and Russelsheim, Germany. The facility houses around 170 design staff, having been expanded earlier this year to assume new global responsibilities for General Motors design programs outside Australia.

Stolfo said the Holden Design team was aware of the responsibilities involved in creating a new version of what had been Australia's best selling car for the past decade. "This is the biggest job in Australian automotive design and we are incredibly proud of everything we have achieved," he said. The new car offers better safety and flexibility and increased interior space without being significantly larger.

Specification

The new VE Commodore range starts with the Omega and Berlina specifications, featuring a 3.6liter Alloytec V6 with 180kW and 4-speed automatic transmission. The front end on the entry level Omega features an aero grille blade in charcoal finish and twin reflector headlamps with gloss black bezels. The Berlina model has a chrome twin blade grille, 17" alloy wheels and larger tail lamps with clear red outer lens over linear fluted inner lens. Next up, the luxury Calais is available with an uprated 3.6liter V6 with 195kW or a 6.0 liter Generation 4 V8 with quad round chrome exhaust outlets at the rear and clear smoked tail lamps. The top luxury Calais V gets 18-inch seven spoke machine finished alloy wheels and full leather interior as standard.

The sporty SV6 and SS get a full sports body kit including a big trunklid spoiler, lower rocker skirts and sports grille with honeycomb texture, while the top SS-V model gets a larger tail spoiler,19-inch alloys and the full 6.0 liter V8 with 270kW, 530Nm of torque and Aisin AY6 six-speed manual gearbox. 20x8-inch wheels are available as an accessory.

Design

The exterior design concept for the VE Commodore was largely set in the late 1990s by previous Design Director Michael Simcoe, now at GM in Detroit. With a much longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs, the car looks more sporty and compact than the dimensions suggest, with a European-looking overall theme to the design that relates to recent Opel models such as the Vectra or Signum. Chief Designer Richard Ferlazzo, best known for his work on the stunning EFIJY concept in 2005, summarises the VE Commodore's exterior theme in two words: proportion and stance. "VE is a mature design which exploits the benefits of a large rear-wheel-drive platform, delivering classic proportion and athletic stance," Ferlazzo said.

The design features clean, chiseled surfaces and big flared wheelarches but compared to the latest designs in Europe and Japan, it looks slightly anonymous, even a little dated. This is particularly true of the six-element front end with a separated upper headlamp/grille layout and a lower mask with three divided grilles, a theme that's no longer regarded as cutting-edge for many designers elsewhere. The design is relieved with sporting details such as the fender vents and dual exhaust outlets, and the sporty top SV6 and SS versions with full sports body kits certainly help to bolster the Commodore's appeal as a driver's car.

The extensive line-up uses typical 'differentiation devices' to the maximum: The VE range provides no fewer than two headlight styles, three front grilles, four tail lights, three rear fascias and two rear spoilers in its standard range.


Long Wheelbase Statesman and Caprice

The latest WM series Statesman and Caprice were also unveiled alongside the VE Commodore to highlight the design and development breadth of Australia's first $1 billion car program. The long wheelbase flagship models use substantially different sheet metal from the Commodore including a 6-light DLO, not unlike the latest Audi A6 and a high-mounted front fender vent. As before, they will carry the General Motors brands of Chevrolet in the Middle East, Buick in China and Daewoo in South Korea. Full details will be announced later in the summer.

Conclusion

This latest VE Commodore programme represents a big step forward for Holden within the GM empire. With around 2.4 million Commodores having been built since the VB Commodore was launched in 1978, the new VE is not only likely to continue as Australia's best selling car but is set to become the basis of other full-size GM models for export sales around the world.

Dimensions: length: 4894mm (+18mm), width 1899mm (+57mm), height 1476mm (+20mm), wheelbase 2915mm (+126mm).

Popular Posts

Lamborghini Gallardo’s successor coming in 2010?

Lamborghini is about to unveil an updated version of the Gallardo at the Geneva Motor Show. But the LP560-4 is not the only big news coming: a successor for the Gallardo will also come in 2010. Even if there is no official name for the car yet, we now for sure will be a stunning supercar that will come to compete with Ferrari’s F430 successor.

A few months ago we told you about a successor for the Murcielago that will be launched in 2011. If the 2011 Murcielago will have an output of around 700 hp, the Gallado will go up to 600 hp (40 hp more than the LP560-4 that will be launched in Geneva).

As about the future’s supercar name, well it is pretty hard to predict. We only know it will be named after a famous fighting bull, like every other Lamborghini model.

Popular Posts

Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4SV

Just unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show is the 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV. The number 670 represents the car’s metric horsepower rating (661 bhp in the U.S.), the SV stands for SuperVeloce (extreme speed) and the number 4 signifies all-wheel-drive.

The bump in horsepower from the standard Murciélago’s 640 hp (631 bhp SAE) was accomplished with modified intake system and increased valve lift. According to the factory, the 30-horsepower gain helps to push the new SV to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 sec. Top speed of 212 mph is reached with the standard rear spoiler. A larger rear “Aeropack Wing” can also be ordered to improve stability at high speeds, though the top speed is then reduced to 209 mph.

To further enhance performance, the SuperVeloce went on a diet with lighter components such as a new exhaust system, optimized high-strength sectional steel for the chassis, and sport bucket seats covered with Alcantara. All contributed to the car’s overall weight reduction of about 220 lb.

Popular Posts

Lamborghini URUS

Various sources are reporting that the Italian manufacturer is has the Lamborghini URUS in the works. The Lamborghini URUS is going to be above the Murcielago’s replacement, the Jota.

The carmaker aims to put the Lamborghini URUS on the same level as Ferrari’s FX70, which will be the next Enzo. The word is the Lamborghini URUS will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine with a power output of around 800 hp which will probably put it in the below 3.0 seconds to 100 km/h league. The top speed is expected to be way over the 300 km/h mark.



The Lamborghini URUS is said to have a carbon fiber chassis and body and will be fitted with active aerodynamics.

The Lamborghini URUS will probably be unveiled in 2011, which means it will not become available before 2012.

www.theautoabc.com provides the latest auto reviews and pictures.

Popular Posts

First Sight: BMW 3 Series Coup

BMW have released photos of the new 3 Series Coup�, which goes on sale in most markets this summer. Based on the new E90 3 Series launched last year, the third generation of compact coupe marks the introduction of the first ever twin-turbo petrol-powered engine in a production BMW as well as pioneering Direct Injection technology.


E90 3 Series Saloon (2005)

E46 3 Series CoupeSpecification

Two models will be available at launch. The new 325i SE Coup� has 218hp and 250Nm of torque from its 2.5-liter engine and a top speed of 153mph. Of greater interest is the new 335i SE that develops 306hp and 400Nm of torque from its 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine. It accelerates from zero to 62mph in 5.5 seconds, and has an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph.

This level of performance is made possible by two turbochargers, each supplying compressed air to three cylinders each, and BMW's all new high-precision Direct Injection system. The use of two smaller units ensures that the turbochargers react more quickly to changes in the throttle position all the way to the 7,000rpm red line while also eliminating turbo lag.

Other engine derivatives will start production in September to broaden the 3 Series Coupe range. The new BMW 330i Coupe offers 272hp from its normally-aspirated 3.0-litre six cylinder engine while a new BMW 330d Coupe will also be offered, with 231hp and 500Nm of torque. Performance and economy are both top priorities for the diesel-powered Coupe, with the car posting a zero to 62mph time of 6.6 seconds while still delivering 43.5mpg on the combined cycle. Details of the future entry-point BMW 320i and 320d Coupe models will be announced at a later date, while cabrio versions based on the Coupe will also be offered later.

Design

Adopting BMW's typical Coupe proportions of long wheelbase, short overhangs, long hood, cabin set to the rear and a low, sleek roofline, the new 3 Series Coupe has a classic and elegant profile. The Coupe uses the standard E90 platform, with unchanged wheelbase but a lower roofline and all-new sheet metal compared to the existing four-door car. From the front, side and rear, the car is clearly related to other 3 Series models but the overall look is notably calmer and more composed, particularly the rear end where the broad rear lights use horizontal light rods with bright LED illumination to accentuate the low, wide appearance of the car.

At the front, the headlamp outline is simpler than other 3 Series models (or the sister 1 Series) and is matched by a more classical interpretation of the twin-kidney grille, minus the separate chrome whiskers on top that are a feature on the four-door and 6 Series Coupe. The new hood has subtle creases that lead the eye directly to the grille, while the front bumper has vertical end creases that link up to the corners of the headlamps. The Coupe variant also uses more plastics in its construction, including lightweight plastic front fenders. Overall, the 3 Series Coupe is an average 10kg lighter than the Saloon variant.

Both driver and passenger in the 3 Series Coupe sit comparatively lower in the car than they do in its Saloon counterpart. This ensures the maximum headroom for occupants, even with the lower roofline of the Coupe, and also gives occupants a safe, cosseted feeling in the car. The seatbelt is now also delivered to the driver courtesy of a feeder arm integrated into the B-pillar. This only operates on the passenger side when the airbag's seat detector recognises an occupant

Conclusion

The previous E46 model was the last of the 'old school' BMWs still in production and remained one of the best selling models in its class over a seven year lifecycle. The new Coupe perfectly completes the current BMW line-up with its restrained classical styling and sits as the least controversial model in BMWs portfolio - maybe no bad thing. BMW are wise not to tinker with a proven formula for such a profitable model in the range and the new 3 Series Coupe looks set to continue the undiminished sales success of its predecessor. The future M3 variant is likely to offer a more stunning style for those who find the new Coupe too restrained - expect it in around eighteen months time.

Popular Posts