Lamborghini Reventon

Introduction

Reventon , it's based on the Murcielago LP640, and it'll cost a breezy one-million euros.

Lamborghini Reventon
Base Price	1,400,000 $
Power	650 BHP
Zero to 60 mph	3.3 s
Zero to 100 mph	N/A
Top speed	211 mph / 340 km/h

Technology

The Reventon, powered by a 650-horsepower 6.5L V-12 and wrapped in CFC carbon fiber composite, has harsh, angular lines down to the spiky arrow nose. Although it is based on the extraordinarily successful Murciélago LP640, the exterior design of the Reventón is completely new. Just like the base model, the exterior is made of CFC, a composite carbon fibre material, which is as stable as it is light. The exterior components are glued and fixed to the body comprised of CFC and steel. The technology found in the Murcielago LP640 has not been modified. The engine in the LP640 forwards is the classic twelve-cylinder engine with 6.5 liter displacement. Only for this car, Lamborghini guarantees, an astounding 650 bhp at 8,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The huge torque, equal to maximum 487 lb-ft, ensures a powerful switch from any number of revolutions: even the slightest pressure on the accelerator is spontaneously transformed into thrust.

Lamborghini Official Site

Introduction

2009 Dodge Challenger concept car is powered by a 425 horsepower 6.1 liter V8 connected to a pistol grip manual transmission, but when the car goes into production in 2009 with a HEMI V8 nestled in the engine bay. The production version of the 2009 Dodge Challenger will make an appearance at the Chicago Motor Show next February, with production starting in 2008. Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario assembly plant has been earmarked for Challenger production.

Dodge Challenger
Base Price	?
Power	425-505 BHP
Zero to 60 mph	?
Zero to 100 mph	N/A
Top speed	?

Technology

The retro-style coupé will be sold only in North America – and in strictly limited numbers. The decision overturns plans drawn up by previous owner Chrysler to export the Challenger to the UK. According to sources, Chrysler is trying to decide on which strategy to follow: a high-price, low-volume run, or a high-volume, lower-price run. Also in flux is the question of engines - restricting to just the Hemi, or allowing both the Hemi and at least one V6. Chrysler announced a manual transmission will be available along with an automatic , each having five speeds; an SRT-8 version will have the 6.1 Hemi while the stock Challenger will have the 5.7 Hemi. LY is the platform code for the second-generation LX cars , this basic platfom, which like the LX uses a Mercedes-style suspension with Chrysler engineering for better driving dynamics, higher reliability, and strong cost savings, will be used on the Mercedes E, CLS, and R classes, starting in, depending on the model, 2010 to 2012 .

Dodge Official Site

Introduction

252mph, 1001PS, 16 cylinders, four turbos, 8.0-litres... the Veyron's numbers are staggering. It can hit 60mph in 2.5 seconds thanks to four-wheel-drive traction, shoots to 125mph in 7.3 seconds and reaches 200mph in less than 20. The Veyron 16.4 is the most powerful, most expensive, and fastest street-legal production car in the world , with a proven top speed of over 400 km/h (407 km/h or 253 mph top speed).

The obvious question: Why would anyone build such a car? Surely no one sees doing 250 mph on the highway. There can be no commercial logic behind such a crazy machine, even with the Veyron's price tag of one million euros (at the current exchange rate, that's $1.2 million). Not even as a "halo model" -- a reputation booster -- for the VW group that builds it does the Veyron make sense. No Bugatti owner wants it known he's driving a Volkswagen.

Bugatti Veyron Data
Base Price	1,000,000 euros (1,300,000 USD)
Power	1000 hp
Zero to 60 mph	2.5 s
Zero to 100 mph	6 s
Top speed	253 mph (407 km/h)

History

Development of the Veyron began with the 1999 EB 18/4 "Veyron" concept car . Introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show , it was similar in design and appearance to the final Veyron production car. One major difference was the EB 18/4's use of a W18 engine with three banks of six cylinders. The Veyron was designed by Hartmut Warkuss of Volkswagen rather than Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign who had handled the three prior Bugatti concepts.

Development continued throughout 2001 and the EB 16/4 Veyron was promoted to "advanced concept" status. In late 2001 Bugatti announced that the car, officially called the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 , would go into production in 2003. The car experienced significant problems, however. High-speed stability was difficult, with one prototype destroyed in a crash and another spun out during a press demonstration at the Monterey Historics event in Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca . Production of the Veyron was delayed indefinitely.

After the release of the car, it has become known that while each Veyron is being sold for £840,000, the production costs of the car are approximately £5 million per vehicle. As Bugatti, and therefore Volkswagen, are making such a huge loss, it has been likened by influential journalist Jeremy Clarkson to Concorde ; both are largely impractical experiments in technology and ground-breaking performance created just to prove that it could be done. A car the like of the Bugatti Veyron may not be seen in production again for some time to come, if at all.

Technology

The Veyron features a W16 engine —16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a vee configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves , for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers , and it displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cm³/488 in³) with a square 86 by 86 mm bore and stroke.

The Veyron's 16-cylinder engine is based on the innovative "W" design introduced in the 2003 Volkswagen Passat. The Veyron's version features two 90-degree V8s offset by 15 degrees. The offset allows each cylinder to be placed close to its neighbor, which reduces the total size of the massive 8.0-liter engine. A Formula 1?style dry-sump lubrication system keeps the engine moving smoothly. It's easier to spin many small turbochargers than one or two large ones, so Bugatti employs four turbos to reduce boost lag. The strategy works: The engine creates 922 lb.-ft. of torque at only 2,200 rpm.

Putting this power to the ground is a dual-clutch DSG computer-controlled manual transmission with 7 gear ratios via shifter paddles behind the steering wheel. Or it can be driven by full automatic transmission. The Veyron also features full-time all wheel drive , necessary given the output of the engine. It uses special Michelin PAX System run-flat tires, which had to be designed specifically for the Veyron, and which are capable of running at 402 km/h (253 mph).

The car's wheelbase is 2700 mm (106.3 in). Overall length is 4466 mm (175.8 in). It measures 1998 mm (78.7 in) wide and 1206 mm (47.5 in) tall. Curb weight is expected to reach 4300 lb (1950 kg) with a power to weight ratio of 513.3 hp per ton (metric) or 4.36 lb/hp (SAE).The Bugatti Veyron has a total of 10 radiators .

Bugatti official site

Redesigned for the 2008 model year, the Cadillac CTS keeps everything that was good about the first-generation model and seems to improve everything that wasn't — and not just a little. More refined exterior styling, greatly improved interior design and quality, more power and optional all-wheel drive mean the CTS is poised to give the Infiniti G35 and other entry-level sport sedans some tough competition.

Exterior
Introduced in 2002, the current CTS generation has love-it-or-leave-it styling. Fortunately for Cadillac, there were as many love-its as there were leave-its — or at least enough to make the model a success. Still, some aspects of the car were odd and looked unfinished, and Cadillac has been tweaking the design ever since. The new model is a much more unified design that will be hated by some but loved by even more than the original model was.

One controversial element is the tall grille, which plunges down low on the bumper — similar to new designs from the likes of Audi and Volkswagen. If you don't like those, you probably won't like this. The CTS hasn't given up the edges, but it now has more curves in the right places. The wheels are 2 inches farther apart, which together with the lowered front bumper gives the car a ground-hugging, sturdy look. The bizarre tail has been replaced by a more sensible shape, with a lip spoiler that incorporates the center brake light.

The CTS is another in a string of new cars to incorporate small vents high on the front fenders, right in front of the doors, but Cadillac gets extra credit because those on the CTS are functional: They're an outlet for cooling air that's routed past the front disc brakes from inlets in the wheel wells.

Seventeen-inch wheels are standard and 18s are optional.

Interior
The interior is perhaps the CTS' greatest improvement — which says something about both the original and the new version. In the previous generation, someone's idea of a high-tech look was to base the center control panel's design on a tower PC, complete with a plasticky finish, gridlike vents and a CD player slot that emulated a disk drive. (You remember those, right?) When you think luxury, do you really think of something you hide under your desk?

The new interior design is more conventional, yet modern, with vastly improved materials that look and feel high in quality. The "satin metallic" center control panel bezel is borderline, but real wood trim can be substituted as an option.

The heated and ventilated seats use what Cadillac calls thin-seat technology to provide the same comfort in a chair that's thin enough to increase legroom.

Under the Hood
The big news is that a new version of the 3.6-liter V-6 engine generates 300 horsepower and 270 pounds-feet of torque, partly through the use of direct fuel injection. The original 258-hp, 3.6-liter engine stays on as the middle of three engines offered. The base power plant in rear-wheel-drive versions is a 210-hp, 2.8-liter four-cylinder, also a carryover from the current model.

The standard manual transmission is a six speed, as is the optional automatic, which also provides a manual-shift mode. Steering-wheel shift paddles aren't offered. Also new is optional all-wheel drive, which mates with either V-6, but only with the automatic transmission. This helps the CTS join the ranks of the Infiniti G35 and BMW 3 Series models with an "x" in their model name, and is sure to increase sales in snowy regions.

The CTS offers two suspensions: standard and performance. The latter provides a firmer ride, (claimed) improved roadholding, larger brake discs, two-piston rear calipers where the regular suspension has one, and 18-inch wheels with lower-profile summer or all-season performance tires.

Features
Some of the CTS' notable standard and optional features include adaptive headlights that swivel in the direction of a turn, remote start, Easy Key keyless access and ignition and a 5.1-channel digital surround-sound stereo.

In addition to an analog auxiliary input jack for any MP3 player, the CTS lets you attach a player that uses a USB cord and control it through the stereo and steering-wheel controls. The playlist appears on the optional navigation screen. This 8-inch touch-screen telescopes out of the top of the dashboard. For parking assistance, the CTS offers a sonar system that beeps with increasing frequency as the rear bumper approaches an object.

Safety
Standard safety equipment includes four-wheel-disc antilock brakes and an electronic stability system with traction control. In addition to the required frontal pair, there are side-impact airbags for the front occupants and side curtains that protect all occupants. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes.

Mercedes SLC

Codenamed W197, the Mercedes SLC is the successor of the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ and it will probably be one of the coolest cars around when it will be presented, probably in 2010. We can’t say much about the car, as it’s heavy camouflaged and the prototype is using the body of a Dodge Viper.

What we know about the car is that it will be developed by Mercedes and its tuning division, AMG (so expect some nice performances) and, every year, between 3,000 and 5,000 units will be built in Sindelfingen plant in Germany. Still speculation, but we expect the stylish coupe to be powered by Mercedes’ 620 hp V8 engine and price will probably be in the 150,000-200,000 Euro range.

Above we have a rendering created by Lehmann Photo-Syndication and after the jump you can see more spy photographs of the prototype.

BMW 6 Series for 2008

BMW 6 Series for 2008

German automaker BMW has recently announced the details and features of the new 2008 6 Series Coupe and Convertible models. For 2008, the company gave the 6 Series a wide array of new features and equipments. Only one model variant will be offered in the U.S. market - the BMW 650i.
The BMW 650i Coupe and Convertible offers luxurious and elegant driving experience with a host of new features inside and out. Outside, the BMW 650i is equipped with reconfigured optical headlight lenses, new front air dam with larger opening, amber DOT reflectors, LED design taillights, reshaped trunklid, and taller spoiler.
New features for 2008 are extended on the interior, which include brushed aluminum radio knobs, brushed aluminum iDrive controller, leather-wrapped center console, seats with Sun Reflective Technology, standard and optional seats with Active Head Restraints, LED brake and turnsignal lights, and wider trunklid-mounted third brake light. Other new features include Active Cruise Control Stop & Go, Lane Departure Warning system, and USB adaptor for iPods and other MP3 players.
Under the hood of this luxury-inspired model comes a 4।8-liter Valvetronic V-8 engine that offers up rated horsepower and torque output. The engine now pumps put 360 hp and pulls out higher torque peak output of 360 lb-ft. rotating at 3,400 rpm. This power unit will be combined with a 6-speed manual or Sport Automatic gearbox. BMW comented on the new Sport Automatic, "this new transmission boasts quicker shift response in "Sport" mode, as well as standard shifter paddles on the steering wheel."
Furthermore, the BMW 6 Series Coupe and Convertible models are equipped with front suspension system with double-pivot front system. This features stronger self-centering feel in steering, lower ride height, and firmer springs and shock absorbers. Meanwhile, the rear suspension comes with multi-link layout called Integral Link that controls rear-wheel angles very precisely. Other technical features found on the 2008 BMW 6 Series include Active Roll Stabilization, rack-and-pinion steering with Servotronic power assist, and innovative brakes.
Aside from the new exterior features mentioned above, other exterior features include luminescent rings around the high beams, redesigned turn indicators, standard foglights with restyled lenses, front flanks, recurved spoiler, reconfigured rear lamps, reshaped lower tail lamps, rear diffuser, and dual exhaust. The 6 Series models are also equipped with new side sills and all aluminum front-end structure. A choice of either 18 or 19-inch wheels and run-flat tires standard completes the exterior package.
Inside, the 2008 BMW 6 Series offers a comfortable, sporty, convenient, and luxurious interior environment. Interior highlights include redesigned instrument cluster, LED ground lighting, illuminated doorsill logos, illumination of interior door handles, 1-touch open/close door windows, retractable rear window, GPS Navigation with DVD database and Real Time Traffic Information, Voice Command System, and standard AM/FM/CD system with eight speakers. A 12-way power adjustable seats including 4-way power lumbar support is also included, plus a wide range of active and passive safety equipments. The BMW 6 Series really stands out compared to the 5 Series models like the BMW 528i with quality BMW 528i parts।

Audi R8

२००८ Audi R8

Audi has unveiled the 2008 R8 — its first ever mid-engine sports cars. Sales will begin in the first half of 2007 for the United States and Europe. The car has a 420 horsepower high-revving V8 engine and all-wheel-drive. It uses the mid-engine Lamborghini Gallardo platform, and will somewhere between $80,000 and $110,000 — positioning it squarely against the BMW M6, Porsche 911, and Aston Martin Vantage. It features a choice of LED or Xenon headlamps surrounded by LED running lights and indicators.

LEDs are also used in the engine bay to make the impressive V8 visible even at night. Both a standard manual and an automated manual transmission will be offered. Claimed 0 to 62 mph time is 4.6 seconds, though this number is likely conservative. The sporty interior is dominated by a totally driver-oriented cockpit architecture, integrating the driver between the dashboard and the high centre console. The instrument panel above the console is angled slightly towards the driver. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is a typical feature of the sportiest Audi models, and also enables comfortable sports car entry and exit.The sports seats are trimmed as standard in a Leather/Alcantara combination, or optionally in full leather. Alternatively, the R8 can also be fitted with bucket seats, specially developed by quattro GmbH. There is plenty of room for the two occupants, with comfort levels well beyond the norm of high-performance sports cars. There is space behind the seats to stow large bags, or even two golf bags. The luggage compartment at the front has a capacity of 100 litres.With numerous trim variants and applications in Piano finish or Carbon sigma, there are few limits to the range of customisation options for the interior.The drive trainAt 7,800 rpm the 4.2-litre engine delivers 309 kW (420 bhp) of power output. Peak torque is 430 Newton-metres from 4.500 to 6,000 rpm. And no less than 90 per cent of this maximum torque is maintained consistently throughout a wide engine speed range from 3,500 all the way to 7,600 rpm. As a result of these qualities, the eight-cylinder power unit provides maximum thrust in virtually any driving situation.The performance figures are equally impressive: the R8 accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 301 km/h.The engine is a high-revving unit. The maximum engine speed is 8,250 rpm. The advantages of this principle are superior power output at high engine speeds and a smooth, eager responsiveness all across the revs range. Added to this are its agility, liveliness and engine sound, which is similar to that of a race car.The Audi R8's dry sump lubrication – another technology originating directly from motor racing – provides the ideal basis for maximum longitudinal and lateral acceleration. It allows the V8 to be installed lower, thereby lowering the centre of gravity and further enhancing driving dynamics.Two transmissions are available: a manual 6-speed gearbox or optionally the Audi R tronic sequential-shift gearbox, with a joystick gear-shift on the centre console and, most especially, the paddles mounted on the steering wheel. 'Shift by wire' technology provides for very fast gear-shifting and an outstanding power-to-weight ratio, allied to compact gearbox dimensions. The Sport mode, with its fast shifting, guarantees the absolute maximum in terms of driving fun. An automatic mode can also be selected.The car is fitted with permanent four-wheel drive, which distributes the power variably to the front and rear axles by way of a viscous clutch. On the Audi R8 the legendary quattro system is adapted to the axle load distribution typical of mid-engined cars.The chassisThe chassis features forged aluminium double wishbones at the front and rear. At the front they are triangulated, while at the rear the top one is triangulated and the bottom one is a triangulated wishbone with a track rod. This provides for optimum wheel control, and is a geometry which has proved itself to be the ideal solution in delivering agility, maximum steering precision and precisely defined self-steering characteristics.Direct, hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering provides optimum feedback to assist the driver.The spring and damper set-up is stiff in order to deliver maximum driving dynamics, while still providing a quite astonishing level of ride comfort. This is particularly true when the 'Audi magnetic ride' adaptive damper system is chosen as an alternative to the standard gas-filled shock absorbers.The reason for this is that these shock absorbers employ an innovative technology. Instead of the conventional damper fluid, a magnetorheological fluid is used – in other words, a fluid whose viscosity can be influenced by an electromagnetic field. This effect enables the damping characteristic to be influenced electronically at will and instantaneously, by applying a voltage to the electromagnets.Audi magnetic ride uses this property to deliver the correct damping forces in every driving situation, thus optimising ride comfort and driving dynamics. A computer equipped with sensor technology determines the prevailing driving situation in a matter of milliseconds. Drivers can choose from two driving programs depending on whether they want to drive in a highly sporty style – with the magnetorheological fluid adjusted to a low viscosity – or with the emphasis more on ride comfort.The Audi R8 is fitted with 6-arm 18-inch wheels as standard, and can optionally be ordered with 19-inch wheels. The 235/40 size tyres at the front and up to 285/35 at the rear provide the necessary road-holding. This tyre configuration also ensures that this mid-engined sports car is always able to translate the dynamism of its drive train and chassis into optimum grip and maximum lateral dynamics.The mid-engined sports car's long wheelbase and extremely low centre of gravity ensure that it always retains maximum stability, resulting in superb agility, finely attuned responsiveness to any driver input, and high levels of safety.Equipment and trimEven the standard equipment of the Audi R8 meets the high demands of customers in this segment. Xenon plus lights, LED rear lights and daytime running lights, 18-inch aluminium wheels, an audio system with 7-inch monitor, an anti-theft alarm and Leather/Alcantara interior trim are just some of the items on the extensive list of standard features.The range of optional extras leaves virtually nothing to be desired. A Bang & Olufsen sound system, featuring an output of 465 watts and 12 specially designed speakers, delivers surround sound of the highest standard. A microphone-based vehicle noise compensation system adjusts audio levels to changing road conditions and speeds.The acoustic parking system and a rear-view camera help the driver to manoeuvre into even the tightest of spaces. The radio/navigation system plus, featuring a large-format colour monitor and MMI keypad, combines extensive functionality with extreme user-friendliness.A range of coordinated and ideally combinable design and leather trim packages from Audi and from quattro GmbH can turn any R8 into the customer’s personal dream car.The wheels range offers design alternatives in sizes of 18 and 19 inches, fitted with 235/35 size tyres at the front and up to 295/30 at the rear. A total of eight exterior colours are available, from Ibis White to Phantom Black, pearl effect.The craftsmanshipThe Audi R8 is being built on a small-lot production line in a specially constructed new block at the Audi plant in Neckarsulm. The entire production process – from the bodyshell construction to final assembly – is organised in the same way as a craft workshop. Small teams of specialists accompany every step of production, subjecting every part and component to intense scrutiny. This ensures that every one of the maximum of 15 cars per day built will more than match the customary high quality standards of the Audi product range.