In unveiling the Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel concept – a car powered by either natural gas or conventional petrol – at the Geneva Show, engineers have combined the seemingly contradictory virtues of performance and economy.
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The Opel/Vauxhall Meriva Concept, due to be unveiled next week at the 78th International Motor Show in Geneva (March 6 – 16, 2008), illustrates how the new Opel/Vauxhall design language can be adapted to create bold, fresh design solutions for this segment.
Citroën is taking the Compact MPV to new levels of luxury with the introduction of the Lounge, a very special edition of the Company’s multi-award winning C4 Picasso, created uniquely for the UK market. The marque’s popular family car has been given a prestigious upgrade to create a stylish and distinctive vehicle that combines a sleek and dynamic exterior with a spacious and luxurious interior.
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Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., returns to its compact pickup truck roots with its latest concept vehicle A-BAT. The environmentally advanced A-BAT provides modern versatility, roominess and style in a compact pickup architecture. The A-BAT will be on display at the Toyota exhibit in Detroit at the 2008 North American International Auto Show beginning Monday, Jan. 14.
“Driving from beyond the suburbs to the city is a way of life for many people,” said Kevin Hunter, president, Calty Design Research, Inc. “We’ve taken Toyota’s truck heritage to a different level by envisioning a vehicle capable of manoeuvring the suburbs as well as dirt roads. This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips. It can accommodate outdoor toys and home improvement supplies. Plus, customers benefit from the hybrid powertrain’s low emissions and fuel economy.”
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At the official opening of Aston Martin’s first ever dedicated design centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire, on Tuesday 11 December, Dr Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive Officer, thrilled an audience of more than seven hundred VIP guests with a surprise unveiling of a stunning new 600bhp performance concept car; the V12 Vantage RS.
The V12 Vantage RS concept is based on Aston Martin’s critically acclaimed V8 Vantage coupe, but the company’s design and engineering team have fully exploited the design flexibility of their unique VH architecture and the motor sport development of their 6.0 litre V12 engine to create a dramatic and production feasible concept car focussed on extreme performance and dynamics.
In a speech to the assembled guests, Ulrich Bez said: “Over the last five years, we have established a reputation for presenting fully functional, feasible concept cars, and the V12 Vantage RS is no exception. We will listen with interest to feedback on this concept and, as ever, if there is sufficient demand then we will seriously consider a low volume production run in the near future with a price that will reflect the exclusivity of the car.
“With our dedicated production facilities, our own engine plant, our own unique vehicle architecture and now a dedicated design studio, we have the ideal framework to bring new models such as this to market and to further establish Aston Martin as the ultimate independent luxury sports car company.”
Although the 600bhp power output of the V12 Vantage RS concept will be the focus of attention, just as significant is the level of weight reduction achieved by Aston Martin’s engineering team. With a kerb weight of less than 1600kg, the RS concept underlines Aston Martin’s continued commitment to intelligent use of materials and weight reduction as a means of achieving improved efficiency and performance. In common with the recently launched DBS, the bonnet and trunk lid are moulded in carbon fibre and the concept also adopts motor sport-inspired carbon ceramic brake discs.
The subtly aggressive exterior appearance is driven by function. The dramatic bonnet louvres extract air from the fully ducted cooling pack and the trunk lid features a deployable spoiler that rises automatically at high speeds to increase rear down force. The front bumper features cooling ducts for the carbon ceramic brakes and a carbon fibre splitter to balance down force.
Director of Design, Marek Reichman, commented: “Much of Aston Martin’s recent success has come from the ability of our designers and engineers to work hand-in-hand to optimise form and function. Our new dedicated design centre will take this process to a new level and I am delighted that the V12 Vantage RS is the first car to stand on the turntable in the studio.”
The 600bhp 6.0 litre engine featured in the V12 Vantage RS concept has benefited directly from the race development of this acclaimed power unit. It features a dry sump lubrication system, tuned length exhaust manifolds, forged pistons and steel con-rods, revised lift and duration camshafts and modified cylinder heads. Peak power is achieved at 6250rpm and peak torque of 690Nm is at 5000rpm.
With a power-to-weight ratio of over 375bhp per ton, the V12 Vantage RS concept is the fastest accelerating road car ever built by the company, capable of reaching 62mph (100km/h) from rest in 4.0 seconds and 100mph (160km/h) in just 8.5 seconds.
The unveiling of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS concept concludes a remarkable year of new product announcements for the British manufacturer. In the last 12 months the company has launched two of the most eagerly anticipated sports cars of the year – the DBS and Vantage Roadster – and announced details of the DB9 LM and V8 Vantage N400 special editions which celebrate the company’s racing successes at Le Mans and the Nϋrburgring. All of these models now join the award-winning V8 Vantage, DB9 and DB9 Volante models in production at the company’s Gaydon headquarters.
Following the launch of its acclaimed fourth world strategic model, the Splash, at the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, the company is developing the fifth exciting model in its strategy. It will be showing some of the forthcoming model’s design themes at Auto Expo 2008 in New Delhi (9-17 January) in the form of the Concept A-Star.
The new model is an A-segment five-door hatchback reflecting a focus on world-class environmental compatibility and comfort. It will have an all new Euro 5-compliant 1.0-litre aluminium petrol engine with CO2 emissions lower than those of European competitors (target: lower than 109g/km). And like all new Suzuki world strategic models, it will prove that sporty and exciting performance can be enjoyed together with outstanding fuel economy.
SMC attaches great importance to India. Suzuki’s efforts have greatly contributed to the Indian motor industry’s development and have earned Suzuki more than a 50% share of the market there for passenger cars.
Having been early to recognize India’s potential, Suzuki partnered with the Government of India to establish Maruti Udyog Limited (now named Maruti Suzuki India Limited, and an SMC subsidiary) whose Gurgaon plant began producing cars in December 1983.
The production model of the Concept A-Star will be manufactured at Maruti Suzuki India’s Manesar plant, and will be marketed mainly in Europe and other countries including India. Production is scheduled to start in October 2008.
The new 1.0-litre aluminium engine will be produced by Maruti Suzuki India, and a manual transmission for it will be manufactured by Suzuki Powertrain India, another SMC subsidiary that’s based beside Maruti Suzuki India’s Manesar plant.
Suzuki Powertrain India also produces a 1.3-litre diesel engine, but SMC does not plan to use it in the new production car as the new 1.0-litre petrol engine is environmentally superior. SMC is studying options for small diesel engines for production by Suzuki Powertrain India in the future.
Given the importance of India to the Suzuki world strategy, the Corporation is investing substantially in Maruti Suzuki between 2007-2009. It plans to expand production capacity to 960,000 units per year by March 2010.
Concept A-Star is the first concept car in which designers from Maruti Suzuki India’s research and development division have been involved from the initial stage of its styling. As such it is an excellent showcase of Maruti Suzuki India’s capabilities.
Round the world in 14 weeks: before their group appearance at the 2007 Bologna Motor Show, Volkswagen sent the New Small Family on a whistle-stop tour around the world. Today it’s showdown in Italy as the three Up! concept vehicles are revealed side by side for the first time as ambassadors of a new range and as a family.
“For both my team and for me, it was a dream to design these concept vehicles” confirmed Walter de Silva, Chief Designer of Volkswagen Group, at the start of the press conference, “because these cars embody the emergence of a new era. Anyone looking at the New Small Family will immediately see how friendly and neat these Volkswagens are. Cars of this sort are fun. No explanation is needed - they speak for themselves.”
Before their joint debut in Bologna, Volkswagen sent the New Small Family on a whistle-stop tour around the world, starting at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt on 10 September with the two-door Up!. Just six weeks later, the larger Space Up! microvan made its debut in Tokyo – they impressively demonstrate how every millimetre of space can be exploited using intelligent packaging while at the same time creating an emotional design. Twenty days later and 9,000 air kilometres further eastwards, Los Angeles was presented with the third variant of the New Small Family – the zero-emission Space Up! Blue van. The response was extremely positive all around the globe.
That was perhaps also “because every Up! also demonstrates commitment to protecting our environment” according to Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member with responsibility for Technical Development at Volkswagen. “After all, extremely clean petrol and diesel engines and electric motors will be working in the backs of these cars.”
The Concept-RA fuses together three elements of Mitsubishi’s core DNA - a passion for dynamic driving, stunning design and a heightened sensitivity for the environment - thanks to clean, efficient high performance diesel power.
This coupe concept features the S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system driveline and the Twin Clutch SST used in the Lancer Evolution X, is powered by a new high-output, high-efficiency clean diesel engine.
The vehicle’s S-AWC driveline adds Active Steering and Active Suspension control to the ACD, AYC, Sport ABS and ASC component systems that comprise the system used on Lancer Evolution X. S-AWC integrally manages all of these systems to realize advanced levels of control over drive torque and braking, thereby upgrading traction, cornering and vehicle stability. All this adds up to intuitive, on-demand vehicle behaviour that faithfully reflects driver intent under all driving conditions, from everyday use to emergency avoidance situations.
Power comes from a new high-efficiency, low-emission 2.2-litre 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve turbo diesel engine with MIVEC - continuously variable valve lift and timing control. With piezoelectric injector common-rail direct fuel injection that allows a lower compression ratio and with a Variable Diffuser / Variable Geometry turbocharger, the clean diesel unit delivers a maximum output of 150 kW (204 PS) and maximum torque of 420 Nm (42.8 kg-m).
For compliance with U.S. emissions standards, the engine utilises a new catalytic converter system that brings together diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), NOx trap catalyst (NTC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) technologies. The new diesel engine will deliver exciting driving manners with a high degree of fuel efficiency.
For improved crashworthiness and to reduce vehicle weight, the Concept-RA features a new body structure using an aluminium space frame made from extruded aluminium sections and die-cast aluminium members, as well as engine bonnet, bumpers and other outer panels made from high impact-resistant and easily recyclable plastic resin.
Say hello to the rather striking Citroën Nemo Concetto; a concept for a people carrier version of the Company’s soon to be released new compact van. The visually arresting model will take its first public bow at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy (7-16 December 2007).
Not only does the Nemo Concetto share its name with the rather cheeky, yet resourceful clown fish from the Disney film, “Finding Nemo”, but also the animated star’s equally conspicuous orange, black and white colour scheme. Inside, the theme continues and includes images of Nemo and some of the film’s other characters, on the seats.
Little brother to Citroën’s best selling Berlingo, the Nemo van joins the Company’s successful commercial vehicle line-up - which is set for a record sales year - during the second quarter of 2008.
Like its screen star counterpart, the Nemo is nimble, compact and clever. Designed for the urban environment, Citroën’s latest van takes to town like a fish to water, nipping in and out of traffic with ease, whilst potentially avoiding congestion charges. It may be a mere 3.86m long, but its intelligent design, both inside and out, cleverly maximises the space available. The stylish front-end boasts high mounted headlamps, to avoid minor knocks, as well as large bumpers to offer excellent protection.
The Mitsubishi Outlander Commercial has been named ‘Best 4×4 Van’ at this year’s prestigious What Van? Awards, firmly establishing Mitsubishi as the 4×4 commercial vehicle supplier of choice, regardless of the job in hand.
What Van?’s Neil McIntee commented that the Outlander Commercial is “capable in the rough and user-friendly around town and on rural routes and high speed intercity runs”. He also noted that its specification, handling on-road and off-road and faultless reliability make it “a handy package for everybody from the construction site foreman to the local vet”.
The Outlander commercial costs just £16,999 CVLP, and has sold out across the UK in both car and commercial variants since launch in March 2007. Mitsubishi recently announced that it will be adding an additional 20,000 units of production to its Nedcar plant in Holland for 2008 to help satisfy UK and pan-European demand.
Toby Marshall, General Manager of Fleet & Used Car Sales at Mitsubishi collected the award, stating that “the Outlander’s easy-to-use four-wheel drive system and Active Stability Control make it a positive asset for corporate health and safety concerns, and with an mpg of 42.8 (combined) and an incredibly low CO2 rating of just 174g/km means that businesses can reduce their carbon footprint as well”.
Mitsubishi also collected the ‘Best Pick-up’ Award for the 11th time since 1993 with the L200.
