Back in December Zagato announced that they would be working with Bentley on a new project but failed to mention which Bentley. Now we know it will be the Bentley continental GT Speed.
Zagato makes an appearance every year at the Geneva Motor Show (last year we we shocked by the Spyker Zagato C12 and the Diatto Ottovu Project) and this year is no different. The Bentley Zagato GTZ receives quite a make-over with a new Veyron-ish front grille but it is in the rear where most of the personalizing took place with a curved roof and window.
We will all have to wait for the official press release to get into the full details, but until then enjoy the leaked images.
Giorgetto Giugiaro has set to work on a concept car which will both be less environmentally harmful yet still delviver some serious power. The Italian design house used Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to power their idea of a futuristic super car employing state-of-the-art F1 technology.
Giugiaro claims: “It is an “extreme”, ecological, 4WD super-sportscar, the first hybrid car with mid-engine and driving position and a roomy cabin able to accommodate three adults plus a baby in complete comfort.”
Some Numerical Metrics
Displacement: 3.3L V6
Max. power: 155 kw - 207hp @ 5600 rpm
System total power: 200 kw - 272hp
Max. torque: 288Nm - 212 ft lb @ 4400 rpm
Top speed: 250 km/h - 155mph 0 – 60mph: 4.05 sec
Consumption: 7.1 L/100km - combined cycle
CO2 emissions: 180 g/km - combined cycle
A self-confessed Bond fanatic has made an up-to-date version of the wondercar using the Esprit’s spiritual successor, the Lotus Elise, as its base.
This “sQuba” prototype cost €1 million (£750,000), and can dive to a depth of 10m, and will be exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show next month.
It was the brainchild of concept car designer, Founder and CEO of Rinspeed Inc.Frank M. Rinderknecht, who said: “For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now we have made this dream come true.”
His team at Rinspeed replaced the petrol engine with three electric motors, one to power the rear wheels and two for the specially designed propellers. They are capable of taking it to 75mph on land, a more sedate 4mph while cruising in “boat” mode and a positively tranquil 2mph while underwater.
The company also claims that the car is extremely “green” as well, as it is a zero-emission vehicle powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
ZAP (short for “Zero Air Pollution”) of Santa Rosa, California, builds various electric vehicles, and sells gray-market conversions of the gas engined Smart Fortwo in the US. ZAP has distributed over 95,000 electric cars, bikes, ATVs, and scooters since its inception in 1994, making it one of the largest in the world.
The company recently announced the Zap Alias, an electric powered 3-wheeler, designed with Lotus, and to be built in China. Zap says the car should be available for sale in 2009.
Specs:
- A motor in each front wheel
- 320 hp
- 0-60 in 5.7 sec
- top speed 120 mph
- range of atleast 100 miles
- price: USD $30,000
AT Carzi, while we like the design of the futuristic but strange looking car, and definitely think any new electric cars should only have in-wheel motors, we question the likelihood of a 2009 release, or a 30k price range. In any case, here’s a low budget video:
Mazda Furai concept car in action and Franz Von Holzhausen, Mazda’s North American director of design, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Listen to that bloody engine scream, must sound ridiculous in the cockpit. Listen closely when Franz lets off the throttle, you can almost hear some Tie-Fighter type sounds as the engine winds down a bit.
Under that sleek body is a Mazda 20B rotary engine pushing 450 horsepower and a Courage C65 race car chassis.
Ferrari are hardly a brand you would associate with producing environmental energy saving automobiles, but it seems by this concept one could see a new direction for the Italian super car manufacturer. The Ferrari 430 Spider Bio Fuel Concept made what most would call a quiet debut at the Detroit Motor Show with no special press conference called which leads us to assume it isn’t something they are heading into too seriously.
According to Automotive News preliminary data points in the positive direction with power output increased by 10hp to 500 hp with torque up 4% and fuel consumption down by 5%. But there is no need to get your cheque books out just yet, the production is said to be “not close”,whch is backed up by the fact E85 fuel is only widely in areas where Ferrari sales are negligible such as U.S. Midwest states, Brazil and Sweden. However a ferrari official has said that if E85 became widely available in California (where 10% of Ferrari’s worldwide sales are) then this Bio Fuel model would become a viable option.
When the sheets were pulled off of the Audi R8 V12 TDI at the NAIAS in Detroit this week - Audi’s latest study model, the sound of jaws hitting the floor was impressive. About as impressive as the gasoline powered Audi R8 is in real life, I can only imagine what the diesel TDI version can do when it is let loose on the roads.
The Audi R8 is of course a major success for the four-ringed brand from Germany. R8’s are sold out for the remainder of the year and this 500 hp / 1,000 Nm torque steroidal silver monster is sure to be picked up as fast as Audi can make them (should the German Manufacturer decide to proceed with production).
Audi fanatics will spot the RS rhombus-pattern in the air inlet covers, the sideblades are much wider in the bottom third and the NACA duct in the roof which accelerates the air drawn into the engine compartment. The R8 V12 TDI looks wider than its gasoline sibling and shows its core off with pride, the engine is covered by the restyled rear glass lid and is illuminated at night by LED’s. Another little extra are the LED rear lights with 3D look and the full-LED headlamps.
Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear test drives a Volkswagen Golf GTI W12 650
This Golf GTI W12 does 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds with a top speed 202mph.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI W12 gets its 6.0 liter W12 engine from a Bentley giving it the ability to produce 650 some horsepower and performance that is up to par with the Porsche 911 Turbo.
This car doesn’t even sound like it is physically possible. The crazies over at Volkswagen decided to replace the rear seat and trunk in a VW Golf GTI with an unbelievable 6.0L W12 engine, developing 650 raging stallions of power.
The huge air intakes on the side are needed to cool the beast of an engine, bloating out the lower half of the car. It’s six inches wider and three inches lower than a normal Golf.
Jeremy Clarkson took this mild looking monster out for a track run and concluded that while it might look like a regular Golf from the inside, it feels like a totally different animal when you give it a little gas.
RechargeIT is a Google.org initiative that aims to reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use and stabilize the electrical grid by accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid technology (V2G). As a “hybrid” philanthropic venture itself, Google.org can apply a broad mix of resources - investments, grants, policy, public engagement - to addressing the climate crisis.
Google.org is working with A123 Systems and Hymotion to convert it’s growing fleet of hybrid cars into plug-in hybrids and to collect performance data to demonstrate their efficiency.
By demonstrating the technology using Google.org own fleet and supporting others through grants and investments, together we will drive toward a plug-in revolution.
Watch the video featuring Jim Woolsey, Chelsea Sexton, Larry Brilliant and others. This video describes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and the vehicle to grid (V2G) system as part of the Google.orgRechargeIT project.
Plug-In Hybrid Locator:If you have a plug-in car, email them and they will add it to their map of plug-ins across the nation.
This is a super cool initiative. What else would you expect from the “do no evil” company of the millennium? If you have never driven a Toyota Prius, you should go and rent one. They are super fun, not just because of the cool display that shows you (well mostly) the flow of energy, engine usage and recharge state, but the car itself is just freaking cool to drive. Get in one and try it out for a day, you’ll understand what I’m saying within the first 5 minutes.
11:40am - Update This story - Google pushes 100-mpg car from CNNMoney.com was just freshly delivered and was published at 11:20am today. Many thanks to Vinay’s ever watchful eye.
Ace spy photographer Hans Lehmann has captured an undisguised Lexus LF-A prototype lapping the Nürburgring. Lehmann speculates that published images of the upcoming NSX replacement mule have prompted Lexus to let its star be seen too, so as not to fade from enthusiasts’ memories.
For the first time without disguise, the V10 powered Lexus LF-A prototype driving is its rounds at the Nürburgring.
It’s closer to the concept as might have been expected, with some minor changes naturally. The official debut will probably be at the Car Show in Frankfurt during September. In the meantime the guys at Lexus will continue testing and fine tuning suspension and handling. Yes I think we are all quite jealous by now of those testers.
The Japanese super-car war has officially started with the LF-A, next one to fire the guns will be the new NSX.
Buckle up that 3 point harness, its going to be an amazing and surprising show!
One of the best looking concept cars to ever hit the auto show circuit has finally been spotted in production car trim, by none other than Spy Photographer Extraordinaire Brenda Priddy.
The 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione concept car debuted at the Paris Auto Show last fall. Production of the limited edition super sports car (450hp 4.6L V8, 6 speed dual-clutch paddle shifter tranny, 20″ wheels) is to start shortly at the rate of 500 cars per year.
This heavily masked production version was captured during testing in Germany. While some details have deviated from the show car (wheels/ wider A-pillars), overall the final car still captures the spirit and essence of the superb original concept. Hmmmm… those new wheels look familiar. Where have I seen that design before? Oh I remember, on a Maserati MC12 !!!
If this car should make it to North America, expect to shell about $200,000 USD if you can get your stinky hands on a copy. I hope they are sold here; I can’t wait to spot one on the road. In any case, expect the first customer cars to start showing up on MadWhips in a year or so.
If you enjoyed this post, then subscribe to the CarZi RSS Feed.
