Mercedes-Benz has revealed a heavily revised version of the Smart Fortwo ED (Electric Drive) boasting greater performance and additional range among other refinements to the compact rear-wheel drive plug-in electric car.Planned to make its world premiere at next month’s Frankfurt motor show, the so-called phase three Fortwo ED receives a completely new driveline consisting of a more powerful brushless electric motor supplied by Bosch and a higher capacity lithium ion battery.Peak power increases by 25kW over the phase two Fortwo ED from 30kW to 55kW, with nominal power up by 15kW from 20kW to 35kW. Torque has also risen by 10Nm ft to 130Nm. The increase in reserves cuts the new car’s 0-60km/h time by 1.5sec to a claimed 5.0sec. The 0-100km/h time has also been reduced to under 13.0sec, while top speed increases from 100km/h to 120km/h.The new electric motor draws energy from a new lithium ion battery up in capacity from the previous 14.0kWh Telsa produced unit to 17.6kWh. The new battery is produced by German-based Deutsche ACCUmotive, a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler and German alternative energy specialist Evonik.The increased capacity is claimed to bring about a 25km increase in range at 140km/h. Mercedes-Benz put the nominal recharge time at eight hours on a standard mains socket or under an hour with the on-board 22kW high capacity charger.The new Smart Fortwo ED is planned to be sold in up to 30 markets worldwide – up from 18 markets with the phase two version.Production is also set to be boosted from a limited 2000 with the phase two version to over 10,000 with the new phase three Fortwo ED.Meanwhile, Smart has announced plans to add a new plug-in electric bicycle to its line-up. The new two wheeler, called the ebike and to be revealed in what insiders describe in near-to-production-ready- form at next month’s Frankfurt motor show, uses a 250 watt brushless electric hub motor mounted within the rear 26-inch wheel and produced by BionX to supplement the rider’s muscle power.A handlebar mounted control unit offers four different levels of electric assistance with energy supplied by a 400Wh lithium ion battery mounted within the bike’s frame.
Fiat is set to unveil an upscale Gucci-themed version of the Fiat 500 coupe and 500c at the upcoming New York Fashion Week.
Developed in collaboration with Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini and Fiat’s Centro Stile, the two Fiat versions will be promoted by Russian model Natasha Poly.
Gucci trademarked upholstery and trim accents feature throughout the exterior and interior cabin.
The Fiat 500 by Gucci editions will arrive in limited release at Fiat dealerships by the end of the year, along with assorted Gucci-branded travel accessories to ensure a truly designer driving experience.
The signature moustache may be long gone, but the brummy west midlands accent was still very much in evidence as 1992 Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell helped launch a new sponsorship connection between Lotus cars and the Norwich City Football Club.
The famous British sports car maker and 109 year old football team are based in the county of Norfolk, the latter celebrating its move back to the English Premier League after six years languishing in the next tier First Division.Mansell, who also won the 1993 CART IndyCar title, showed he’d lost none of his aggression behind the wheel, performing some impressively smoky circle work in front of Norwich’s famous Carrow Road stadium in a lightweight (294kW V6) Evora GT4 track special.He also did his bit on the pitch in a show penalty shoot-out with the Group Lotus Allstars, a team including his racer son Greg (elder brother Leo is also an accomplished driver) and Lotus GP ace Bruno Senna. After the match Mansell swapped shirts with Norwich Manager Paul Lambert.
Jay-Z and Kanye West have ‘customised’ a new Maybach 57S – destroying a car that retails for more than $945,000 in Australia.
In the music video to ‘Otis’, the first single from Kanye West and Jay-Z’s new album ‘Watch the Throne’, the two take to the luxury car with a heavy-duty metal cutter and a blowtorch.
The video, directed by Spike Jonze, premiered on MTV this week, with the announcement that the car would be auctioned to benefit a charity in the eastern Horn of Africa.
Reports by theWall Street Journal suggests Mercedes Benz was involved in suppling the Maybach – with a view towards a charity auction.
In Australia, the Maybach is priced from $945,000 to over $1.15 million. The most powerful variant – the 57S – is powered by a 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine with 450kW and 1000Nm of torque.
Malaysia’s number one selling car, and one of the cheapest available in Australia, has been face-lifted. The Proton S16 – known as Saga overseas – will gain dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control (ESC) and an optional CVT transmission when the tweaked model range arrives here in November.
Whether or not Proton can maintain the current $11,990 driveaway starting price is unclear, however given the increased specification, the entry-level S16 will likely move up in price by $1K.
The new continuously-variable transmission is built in Belgium by Punch Powertrain, the company that also supplies gearboxes to Kia, Hyundai, Mini and Volvo. It ties exclusively with the 70kW 1.3-litre engine, the base engine of which was previously unavailable with a self-shifter option. Mid- and top-spec 82kW 1.6-litre S16 variants retain a four-speed torque-converter auto option, though Proton has confirmed the new CVT will eventually replace that transmission in both S16 and Gen2/Persona models.
With ESC mandatory for all Australian passenger vehicles from January 1, 2012, Proton will move to equip the Gen2 and Persona with a stability system before the end of the year, while the Savvy, Satria and Jumbuck utility will all be dropped from the range.
Plugging the gap between mundane light hatch and proper hot hatch is this second-generation Swift Sport, which looks almost identical to the Swift S Concept shown at the Geneva motor show in March. An aggressive front-bar with blacked-out nose, thick horizontal slats around the foglight surround and fifteen-spoke 17in alloys define the new circa-$23K warm hatch.
Suzuki is sticking with the 1.6-litre (M16A) four-cylinder engine, which now produces 100kW at 6900rpm and 160Nm at 4400rpm. Compared with the previous Swift Sport, which launched here in 2007, the new car’s extra 8kW is produced 100rpm higher, but the more substantial extra 12Nm is delivered 400rpm lower.
A new six-speed manual transmission also debuts, replacing the previous five-speed unit.
Wheelbase and track dimensions both mirror the regular Swift range, though the suspension will be firmed-up over the comfort-oriented GA, GL and GLX variants.
With the demise of the Colt Ralliart and Fiesta XR4, and the increased price of the Polo GTI, the new Suzi will virtually have the market to itself. However that doesn’t stop us wanting a truly hot-hatch version to give justice to a Gti nameplate revival…
Audi has released a series of official sketches depicting an urban based concept car it plans to unveil as part of a new city mobility project at next month’s Frankfurt motor show.
The new two seater, referred to simply as the urban concept, brings together contemporary design, construction, packaging and driveline ideas on a compact city runabout reminiscent of the iconic Messerschmitt Kabinenroller with a touch of good ‘ol Lotus Seven thrown in for good measure.
The urban concept is based around a central carbon fibre monocoque, which supports four individual 21-inch wheels mounted outboard and covered by complex cycle guards. But in a move aimed at quashing rumours that it is based around the same structure as parent company Volkswagen’s similarly conceived XL1, Audi says the new car is ”not based on any previous model”.
The exterior styling combines various elements of Audi’s current design lineage, including a prominent single frame grille, trapezoidal shaped headlamps and tornado (or shoulder) line beneath the glasshouse, with new aero industry inspired cues, including a pillar less wrap around windscreen.
Entry is via a jet fighter inspired canopy that slides back towards the rear. The canopy forms part of the body sides, but Audi’s official sketches reveal there is a high sill to negotiate.
Inside, there is space for two on low set, slightly staggered seats in a layout Audi describes 1+1. While spartan in appearance, the interior is constructed from high quality materials, including carbon fibre and aluminium. The dashboard, shaped like an airplane wing, appears to form an integral part of the structure and supports a square steering wheel and pedals that can be adjusted to suit. Audi is not revealing much about its new concept’s driveline or performance prior to its unveiling in Frankfurt next month, saying only that it uses two electric motors in combination with a lithium ion battery.
Further details remain scarce, butWheels can reveal Audi is preparing other less extravagant versions of its new urban concept, which it also plans to put on display in Frankfurt in a bid to gauge public reaction before deciding whether to progress them further.
Recent rumours doing the rounds of the German automotive industry have linked Audi to a new city car brand in the mould of Mercedes-Benz run Smart. Suggestions are it could resurrect the NSU nameplate on a new range of urban based models hinted to by its latest concept. NSU, purchased by then Audi parent, Auto Union, in 1969, was at one time the world’s leading producer of motorcycles.
Four years old, and a consistent top 10 seller in Australia, the Hyundai i30 will enter its second generation next month, with the all-new model to debut at the Frankfurt motor show in early September.
Hyundai has just released this teaser sketch, which indicates that the next i30 will take on the appearance of the company’s i40 mid-sized sedan and wagon. A hexagonal front grille, pulled-back headlights and a bold side character crease are common to both Russelsheim-penned Hyundais.
Obvious engines for the next i30 include Hyundai’s new breed of GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) naturally-aspirated and turbocharged four-pots. The 103kW 1.6-litre DI engine from the Veloster will likely be the entry-level engine, with a 122kW 2.0-litre available on higher grades. The hugely-popular 1.6-litre turbo-diesel is expected to be retained.
Hyundai is unashamedly targeting European favourites like Golf and Focus with its all-new i30. In one of the most competitive market segments, the i30 will need a solid dynamic boost and first-rate interior quality and refinement to push the Korean small hatch into the thick of the action.
Following its debut at Frankfurt, the all-new i30 will arrive in Australia in early 2012.
In use for just over a week – nearly 6,000 motorists have been caught by the state’s newest speed camera during its first week of operation, sparking calls for better signage.
Today, motoring group RACQ urged the Queensland Government to install more warning signs on the M1 at Loganholme after claiming the cameras weren’t clearly visable for motorists.
Figures released by the Queensland Police Service showed 5922 motorists had been detected exceeding the 100km/h speed limit since the cameras were switched on last Tuesday – averaging 737 fines per day.
John Wikman from the RACQ highlighted that ”in this busy traffic environment, it could be quite easy for a motorist to miss a single warning sign on either side of the motorway”.
Police have refused to comment on the feedback regarding the signage.
Known as ‘Ronny C-Rock’, Ronny Wechselberger, a German VW loving stunt driver incredibly managed a record breaking perfect parallel park – with just 26 centimetres to manoeuvre in.
Featured on a German version of Guinness World Records, the incredible feat was made to look like light work as he revved up his black VW Polo – using a hand brake to spin his car into the tight opening.
The footage – released this week – awarded Wechselberger with a Guinness World Record medal and plaque for his parallel parking expertise.
Sadly this was a short lived record held by Wechselberger, with the Guinness World Records in China confirming that Zhang Hua had set a new record.
Just three months after the record achieved by the Wechselberger, Hua had manoevered his car into a parking area that wastwo centimetres smaller than Wechselberger’s record – and is recognised as the new Guinness World Record holder.
