Automotive News

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Renault

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Enthusiasts and consumers may contend that F1 racing provides only negligible benefit to road cars, but automakers evidently think otherwise, as more and more buy into the top-tier motorsport each year. Each has its own way of bringing its racing success to the road: Ferrari makes nearly-unobtainable supercars; McLaren’s even more so. Renault, on the other hand, translates their immense success on the F1 circuit into some of the hottest hatchbacks on the market (even if they’re not currently offered stateside).

Renaultsport launched the Clio F1 Team R27 edition to coincide with the racing team’s launch of the R27, the Formula One single-seater they’ll be fielding in the 2007 season that kicks off in a week. The new hot hatch made its public debut at the Geneva motor show last week. Along with special decals and a “Sirius yellow” finish, Recaro racing buckets, lightweight 17″ anthracite rims and a few other special touches, the Clio R27 gets an upgraded “Cup” suspension. The limited series goes on sale this month, and once it’s been sold out, the Cup suspension will be made available on the “ordinary” Clio Renaultsport.

The Clio R27 follows on the same formula as last year’s Megane Renaulsport F1 Team R26, featuring the same livery and treatment, which was displayed alongside the new Clio R27 and the new F1 car on the Geneva show floor. Check out all the action in our high-resolution image gallery below.

Related posts:

• That’s Special: Renaultsport hatches Clio Renault F1 Team R27
• Revealed: ING Renault F1 R27 and new title sponsor ING Group
• eBay Find of the Day: Fernando Alonso’s Renault
• VIDEO: Renaultsport Clio and R26
• Megane Renaultsport 225 celebrates company’s F1 championship
• Renault R26 F1 car meets the new Clio RenaultSport
• Renault plans diesel for Megane RenaultSport in ‘07

 

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Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Euro

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Peraves readily admits that for 52,500 Euros, an enthusiast can pick up a Porsche Cayman or a BMW Z4. But for those seeking a unique and exhilarating experience during their daily commute, they’ve developed the MonoTracer.

Part sport bike, part sports car, the MonoTracer blends the best of both worlds, allowing 100 fortunate buyers each year the opportunity to experience high levels of grip and speed, all while having some measure of protection from the outside world. Peraves realizes that they won’t be able to convert dyed-in-the-wool bikers or 911 owners, but they can offer an original design that allows steep lean angles and properly quick acceleration.

Powered by a 1171cc, four-cylinder BMW K-engine, the MonoTracer can reach 62 MPH in 5.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 155 MPH. However, acceleration isn’t the MonoTracer’s main claim to fame. When the driver dives into a corner a retractable stabilizer wheel is deployed in less than a half a second, allowing the bike to lean up to 52 degrees - more than most sport bikes see in their lifetime.

As for amenities, the MonoTracer comes equipped with two seats with three-point belts, a heating and ventilation system, with the option of A/C, cruise control, Bi-Xenon headlamps, ABS, ceramic disc brakes and anti-spin control (ASP). Weighing in between 1014 and 1069 pounds, depending on options, there may be better ways to get from point A to point B, but few may pack the thrills per pound than this.

The full press release is available after the jump.

Continue reading Geneva Motor Show: Peraves Monotracer… live!

 

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Filed under: New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai

Hyundai’s working on a rear-wheel-drive successor to its home-market Equus luxury sedan. The car’s expected to debut at the New York Auto Show in April, and these most recent spy shots show it with less camouflage than we’ve seen it wearing in the past. You can’t see the front end, but you get a really good look at the clean flanks. The roofline pays homage to the Euro iron Hyundai undoubtedly has in its sights; not to mention the high-end Japanese makes like Infiniti and Lexus. The kink in the lower portion of the C-pillar is a nod directly to BMW - though Infiniti copied it first. Power will be provided by the Azera’s 3.8 liter V6 at the bottom end, while there’s a 4.6 liter V8 reportedly generating over 300 horsepower for the top-of-the-line car. This looks like a large vehicle, and we car nuts welcome more RWD platforms with available V8s - they’re a hoot to be irresponsible in. Rumors have the entry price in the $30,000 range, which is a mighty deal if it continues with Hyundai’s recent formula. Expect to find styling that’s pleasant in an inoffensive, non-polarizing way when the wraps come off, and we’re sure that equipment levels will be high and suspension calibrations will tend toward the softer side. How soft it goes will determine whether it’s a spiritual successor to the Crown Victoria, or if it plays in more rarified air occupied by the aforementioned lux-marques.

[Source: The Car Blogger via GM Inside News]

 

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Suzuki

Click image for a gallery of Suzuki’s offerings at Geneva

Geneva was a quiet show for Suzuki, as the most impactful vehicle on display, the SX4 sedan, is something we’ve all seen already. Still, we have to say that as hatchbacks-turned-notchbacks go, we like the way the 4-door looks with its new protruding booty. The SX4 sedan gets the same powerplant as its hatchback brother, but will be offered in a front-wheel-drive config as well. Generally, sedan versions of hatchbacks don’t fare so well in the looks department (see Nissan Versa), but between this new Suzuki and the recently-introduced Astra four-door, there’s reason to be optimistic that the days of the ugly small sedan are waning. We’ll wait and see.

Among the vehicles joining the SX4-door on the stand was the WRC Concept version of the hatch, a Swift Group N rally car, and the Lambo-doored Swift Sport seen above.

 

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Filed under: Coupes, Geneva Motor Show, Lotus

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Is it possible to make the Exige any more purposeful? Lotus Sport answered that question with a resounding “Yes!” when they debuted the Lotus Exige GT3 concept last week in Geneva. Although only billed as a concept, the GT3 may see production in limited numbers for a select group of track day aficionados.

As a refresher from our original post, the GT3 had the output of its supercharged 1.8-liter boosted up to 271 HP and comes equipped with a wider rear track to fit uprated wheels, a large spoiler, a smoothed out front clip and new brakes and pads at all four corners.

Check the original post here and take a gander at the live gallery, shot by our own Mr. Joseph.

 

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Filed under: Motorsports, Euro, PSA

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As you can see above, Peugeot has unveiled the official race livery for the fantastic-looking 908 Le Mans prototype that the automaker will campaign as a two-car team in the European Le Mans Series and the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans. Those of you who’ve been following the car’s development know that it’s driven by Peugeot’s HDi FAP V12 diesel engine, which should produce upwards of 700 horsepower and an monstrous 850 ft-lbs of torque. Le Mans will provide motorsports fanatics with the ultimate showdown, as the closed-roof French racer takes on Germany’s world-beating Audi R10 TDI pair in what’s sure to be match for the ages. It will be the first time the cars compete against each other, as the Audis remain stateside competing in the American Le Mans Series while the Peugeots campaign in Europe. This is gonna be a lot of fun to watch.

Three more shots of the Pug in its race threads can be found in the attached gallery, which also contains a slew of other images ranging from the HDi FAP V12 to the unpainted car undergoing testing.

[Source: Peugeot]

Related Items:

• Peugeot developing diesel racecar for 2007 Le Mans classic
• Paris Motor Show: Peugeot 908 Le Mans
• Diesel Le Mans challenger Peugeot 908 HDi gallery
• French Connection: Villeneuve to drive Peugeot 908 at Le Mans

 

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BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time

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Filed under: Spy Photos, SUVs, Jeep

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AB reader John M. Sullivan emailed us this morning with the photos you see here. During a ski trip to Colorado, John made a stop at the Coors Brewing Company for a tour and noticed what he believed to be a pair of disguised Dodge Nitros outside. He said the drivers were pretty tight-lipped, which comes as no surprise, and since the Nitro’s been out a good while now, it struck us as being odd that they’d be tooling around under cover. A closer look at the photos reveals that the camoed-up SUVs in the parking lot are none other than the forthcoming ‘08 Jeep Liberty, which shares its genetics with the Nitro, likely undergoing high-altitude testing.

Note the trademark Jeep grille and round-look headlamps behind the front bra. From the looks of things, the red one’s a Limited, given the chrome trim on the liftgate and roof rails. The Liberty should be making its debut soon (New York, perhaps?), and we’re looking forward to seeing the finished product minus all the coverup.

Thanks to John for sharing his find with us! The enclosed gallery contains high-res versions of both his photos.

 

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Filed under: Etc., Safety, Tech

We’ve all been there, you’re pressing on, but you know you’re dangerously close to falling asleep while behind the wheel. Rolling down the window, blaring the radio, and frequent shakes of the head just aren’t doing it. Those jumping jacks you did at the rest stop a few miles back helped for a little while, but you can feel sleep creeping up on you quickly. Driving while drowsy is a big danger, and researchers from the University of Tokyo, Oita University, the Shimane Institute of Health Science have teamed up with Delta Tooling, to develop a seat that can detect a tired driver. Hiroshima-based Delta supplies dies for industrial presses and equipment to industry for the manufacture of products, mainly automotive seats.

The team first had to target what they were going to detect with the seat, so they set out to study the signs of sleep onset, paying particular attention to pulse and respiration. Once they determined what they were looking for, a sensing system was designed for integration into an automotive seat. In the seatback, sensors monitor the driver’s pulse, while the bottom cushion has sensors that keep track of breathing. Testing in a variety of conditions was carried out, and the system is reportedly effective even through layers of thick clothing, such as winter coats. There have been drowsiness detection systems in the past, but this system requires no action from the driver, which is a new development. As long as there’s a posterior in the seat, it’s keeping vigil against the Sandman.

Now that the detection system has been dialed in, work can progress on just what to do with that information. There’s currently no alarm tied to the sensors, but that’s the obvious next step. Many safety ideas come and go, but we think this one, like ESC before it, has legs.

[Source: Pink Tentacle]

 

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Geneva Motor Show, Euro, Volkswagen

Click image for hi-res gallery of the facelifted VW Phaeton

It appears that the VW Phaeton will make a return to the Unites States market, according to Volkswagen CEO Dr. Martin Winterkorn. In an interview with Financial Times Deutchland, he essentially stated that to be successful with a product, it has to be something sold worldwide. (We’re paraphrasing from a Google Translation of the FTD article, so be advised that the wording may be off a bit.)

The other thing we took from the translated article is that the car earmarked for a return to the States is the “successor” to the Phaeton. That has us thinking that the facelifted car introduced at Geneva last week is not the one Winterkorn’s talking about. The Phaeton story is well known by now; poorly marketed and just as poorly received by car shoppers, the VW super sedan is a beautiful, handbuilt machine that tanked thanks in large part to an idiotic campaign at the car’s launch (remember the TV commercials where VW showed still photos of the car with the logos covered while a voiceover clown said things like, “No question…that’s a BMW”?) and a price tag that was incongruous with what people were willing to pay for a Volkswagen. The 8-cylinder Phaeton stickered at over $64K, and a gargantuan $94K was the price set for the range-topping W12. For that kind of money, people could go shop at Audi (or BMW, or Mercedes), and that’s likely what many of them did. The Phaeton was pulled from our market in 2005.

Assuming this actually happens, it’ll be interesting to see what Volkswagen does to help make round two a success for the Phaeton. If any readers have a proper command of German and can better elucidate what the FTD article says, please chime in with your own comments. The Financial Times piece can be found here. If you don’t read German, this will come in handy.

Thanks to all who sent tips.

[Source: FT Deutchland]

 

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Filed under: Honda

Unless your current residence is beneath the Earth’s crust, you probably know about the beating Toyota has been laying on the domestic automakers. Almost every month, Toyota’s sales rise by double-digits while the Detroit-based competition endures losses. It seems there’s constant debate over which US location at which Toyota will build its next assembly plant, and the gang from Aichi has a good chance to become the world’s largest automotive manufacturer by sales volume in 2007.

Honda, too, has seen a steady climb in US market share with volume rising 50% in the past 10 years. Overall volume in the United States is now at 1.5 million units and Honda doesn’t even have full-size trucks and SUVs like the competition. It’s looking to expand its offerings with a planned V10 supercar and a new, more powerful Accord coming stateside by year’s end. Incentive spending has been right around Toyota’s levels also, with total spend at about 1/3 of the competition. Honda is also the technological leader in many non-automotive areas, with 12.7 million motorcycle sales in 2006 in addition to other businesses including robots, power equipment, and aircraft.

The automaker is also scoring high marks for quality. In the Consumer Reports 2007 Top Picks, Honda scored winners with Fit, Civic, and Accord — a sweep in the volume passenger car categories. Positive results in JD Power initial and long-term quality studies have also helped keep resale values much higher than the domestic competition.

With domestic automakers taking aim at Toyota in a bids to gain back lost ground, they’d be well advised not to forget about Honda as well. Each year, it takes a little more share away from Detroit while flying under the radar asToyota registers as the 800 lb. bogey.

[Source: Detroit News]

 

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