New Lotus Elise 1.6 Club Racer

True to its heritage, Lotus has unwrapped a new lighter version of its entry-level Elise 1.6 called the Club Racer. Even in stock form, the Elise is one of the lightest production sports cars in the market tipping the scales at just 876 kg or 1,931 pounds, but the company's engineers put the open top model on a crash diet and managed to shed a further 24 kg or 53 lbs.
Lotus says the engineers behind the Elise Club Racer took a stripped-to-the-bare-bone approach and while the company did not reveal all the details, it did mention the motorsport derived lightweight battery and the deletion of noise insulation.

In addition to the weight savings, the Club Racer is the first Elise variant to come with a Sport setting for the DPM (Dynamic Performance Management), which according to Lotus, "allows even the less experienced sports car drivers to feel at the top of their game, while the ability to switch it off completely will please the more established track orientated drivers"
The British automaker's Chief Technical Officer, Wolf Zimmermann, commented:
“The traditional Lotus approach of reduction and purity has lead to one of the most zeitgeist and contemporary sports cars around. For over 15 years the Lotus Elise has become an icon in the sports car market, carving out a niche market with a dedicated following of lightweight fans. The new Club Racer will definitely give these people something extra to get their teeth stuck into. This car epitomises everything that’s cool about the Elise – it’s fast, raw, responsive and a huge amount of fun to drive.”
Power for the new Elise Club Racer is provided by the standard model's 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit delivering 134HP at 6,800 rpm and 160 Nm or 118 lb-ft of peak torque at 4,400 rpm.
The Elise Club Racer is offered with a choice of six colors including Sky Blue, Saffron Yellow, Ardent Red, Aspen White, Matt Black and Carbon Grey, and features some bespoke design elements such as the body colored seats.
The new lighter version of the Elise is priced in Europe at £27,500 / €34,450 / CHF48,900, which makes it the most pocket friendly model in Lotus' range.
photos

Read more In Cars

Land Rover to Premiere Range E Diesel-Electric Plug-in Hybrid

The new Land Rover Range_e diesel-electric plug-in prototype that was first teased back in May, 2010, will make its motor show debut at next month's Geneva Salon. The Range_e is said to be one of several working prototypes currently being developed at Land Rover's design and engineering centre in the UK. It is based on the Range Rover Sport model and features a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission mated to an, as-of-yet unspecified, electric motor and battery pack.
The British automaker said the all-wheel drive prototype can run purely on electricity for up to a distance of 20 miles or approximately 32 kilometers and emits as low as 89g/km of CO2. The Range_e also has a top speed of 120 mph or 193 km/h and a combined driving range of 690 miles or 1,110 kilometers.
The Range_e will be joined at Land Rover's Geneva Motor Show stand by two new Limited Editions, the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate and the 2011 Discovery 4 'Landmark' with Black and White themes.
Land Rover added that it will also be announcing full European pricing (excluding UK) for the new Range Rover Evoque in both 3- and 5-door forms, and will also showing a comprehensive range of accessories and options for the vehicle.
Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said: "Customers like to make their own unique statement with a vehicle and we have provided individuals with lots of opportunity to personalise their new Range Rover Evoque, whilst maintaining the essence of the design."



 photos

Read more In Cars

2011 Lancia Delta Update

The onslaught of new and updated models from Lancia heading to the Geneva Motor Show continues with the unveiling of the 2011 Delta, which comes with a brand-new grille designed to reflect the partnership with Chrysler and the sharing of vehicles between the two brands, plus new proposals in terms of trim options and engine choices.
The first thing you'll notice on the 2011 model year Delta is the new grille design that was penned by the Centro Stile Lancia, and features horizontal instead of vertical chrome bars. It's styling is similar to the one found on Chrysler's latest vehicles such as the 300 and 200 sedans. Lancia also updated the Delta's trim levels which now include the base Steel, Silver, Gold and Platinum versions.
For 2011, buyers can choose from seven different powertrains including: a 120HP 1.4-liter turbo petrol, which is also available in a dual-fuel petrol/LPG version; a 140HP 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo petrol; a 200HP 1.8-liter turbo petrol; a 120HP 1.6-liter Multijet diesel; a 165HP 2.0-liter Multijet diesel; a 190HP 1.9-liter twin-turbo Multijet diesel, and a new base 1.6-liter Multijet diesel.
The new entry-level 1.6 MultiJet turbo diesel is Euro 5-compliant and produces 105-horsepower and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of peak torque, for a 0-100km/h [62mph] acceleration time of 10.7 seconds and top speed of 186 km/h [116 mph]. Matched to a six-speed manual gearbox, the diesel is said to return improved fuel economy (no figures were released) over the 120HP version and CO2 emissions 120 h/km.
The 2011 Delta will go on sale from mid-March across key European markets and from June under the Chrysler badge (like the new Ypsilon) in Great Britain and Ireland.

photos

Read more In Cars

Jeep Adds New 3.0-liter V6 Turbo Diesel to Grand Cherokee

Given that over forty per cent of all cars sold in Europe are diesel-powered, any brand that wants to be successful in the market must have diesel options in its range. Following the presentation of its new 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel on the Chrysler 300's European clone, the Lancia Thema, the Fiat Group is now introducing the oil-burner to the Jeep Grand Cherokee range for Europe and other diesel markets around the world.
The new V6 diesel engine is built by VM Motori and has been developed together with Fiat Powertrain, which is a subsidiary of the Fiat Group. The 3.0-liter unit features Fiat's MultiJet II system which enables up to eight injections per cycle, with the possibility of managing the two main injections in a single modular profile (IRS – Injection Rate Shaping). It is also fitted with a single Garrett VGT 2056 turbocharger with variable turbine geometry.
In the Grand Cherokee, the 3.0-liter V6 diesel is offered in two guises, the most powerful of which produces 241HP at 4,000 rpm and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of peak torque at 1,800-2,800 rpm, with the company claiming a 10 percent gain in power and eight percent more torque than the engine it replaces.
Despite the improved performance, Jeep said fuel economy for the 241HP version returns 8.3 lt/100km (equal to 28.4 mpg US) on the combined European cycle, an improvement of 17 percent over the prior diesel engine. CO2 emissions (are also reduced by 17 percent, now at 218 g/km.
Jeep will also offer a lower-output version of the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel rated at 190HP at 4,000 rpm and 440 Nm (324 lb-ft) of peak torque available from 1,600 to 2,800 rpm. The low-output version of the turbo diesel engine will be standard on Laredo models and optional on the Limited
The new 3.0-liter turbo diesel variants of the Grand Cherokee will receive their world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next week and be available in Europe by the end of the first half of 2011.

 photos

Read more In Cars

KTM Announces 2011 X-BOW R Model

Austrian motorcycle specialist KTM is hard at work on the 2011 model year version of its X-BOW track-focused sports car, which will gain a higher performance R model. The original 790 kg (1,742 lb) X-BOW is powered by an Audi-sourced 240HP 2.0-liter TFSI. Around 500 have been sold worldwide since it was launched into the market in 2008.
The R model will have an additional 60 hp (45kw) over the standard model thanks to the adoption of the more powerful 2.0 TFSI from the Audi S3, which features changes to the engine electronics and peripherals to bump output to 300-horsepower.
It will be available in two equipment packages: a road legal / homologated "Sport" package and a more track orientated "Race" pack.
Many of the parts that go into the R will be available through X-BOW's PowerParts, so owners can tune their existing X-BOW to Sport and Race specifications.
Pictured in our gallery is a prototype version of the 2011 X-BOW R with the new parts installed undergoing testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
More detailed information, including pricing, will be released early next year.

photos

Read more In Cars

Infiniti Etherea Hybrid Concept

This five-door hatchback model is the Infiniti Etherea concept, and it's set to be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March. The Etherea previews the Japanese brand's foray into the compact luxury segment, with the production model scheduled to enter the market within the next two to three years.
Designed under the supervision of Senior Vice President of Design Shiro Nakamura, the 4.4 meter long concept is said to blend elements of coupé, sedan, hatchback and even crossover models "in one highly sculptural, near-mono volume form". The Etherea also incorporates styling cues from the Japanese firm's well received Essence sports car study from 2009 including the...blurry-shaped C-pillar and front grille design.
While Infiniti did not publish any information on the Etherea's mechanical hardware, the logo on the front fenders tells us that it gets a hybrid powertrain. We'll have more on the Etherea concept after its presentation at the Geneva Salon.

 photos

Read more In Cars

New 2012 Infiniti M35h Hybrid

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) fuel economy figures for Infiniti's all-new M35h are finally out. According to the government agency, the Japanese brand's first-ever hybrid model returns an estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg on the combined cycle.
For comparison, the conventional M37 with a 330HP 3.7-liter V6 is rated at 18 mpg City and 26 mpg Highway, while the M56 that is powered by a 420HP 5.6-liter V8, at 16 mpg City and 25 mpg Highway.
The M35h's drivetrain pairs a 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 engine with 306HP to a 50 kW [68HP] electric motor for a system net output of 360 horsepower. Both the gasoline V6 and electric motor deliver their power to the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission. Infiniti says the 1.830 kg (4.035 lbs) luxury sedan can reach 62mph (100km/) from standstill in 5.5 seconds en route to a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).
According to the Japanese automaker, the M35h can drive on electric power alone at speeds up to 62 mph for a distance of up to 1.2 miles at a time.
U.S. sales of the 2012 M35h will start this spring.

photos

Read more In Cars

New BMW M3 Cabrio Cars Wallpapers And Previews

We Are Providing You All Upcoming cars news with New BMW M3 Cabrio Cars Wallpapers And Previews with specification and images reviews hope you find your all cars information from our blog.
The BMW M3 is just awesome. New BMW has done an amazing job giving this car such a high level of performance while making it so smooth and easy to drive

BMW's M division has always produced high performance cars and this M3 takes it to a whole new level. The 4.0L V8 revs to a dizzying 8400 RPM, producing 420 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in the process. Although the torque numbers are relatively low for such a high performance vehicle, when you wind up the power band the M3 shows its colors with breathtaking acceleration and gut-wrenching speed. The M3's cornering ability is even more impressive, with very high levels of grip and a direct steering feel that inspires confidence in every turn.