Fifth Gear: Web TV - Mazda3 MPS
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Mazda 3
Monday, May 16, 2011
Peugeot 207
The Peugeot 207 is a supermini produced by the French automaker Peugeot and unveiled in January 2006. According to JATO Dynamics, an automative market researcher, the model was the bestselling car in Europe in 2007. The 207 was launched in France, Spain and Italy during April 2006 and later on in other European, Israeli and Arabic markets. The UK launch was on 8 June 2006. Amicus and the TGWU, both unions representing workers at PSA's UK manufacturing plant in Ryton, Coventry, chose the same day to launch a campaign calling for the boycott of PSA's Peugeot and Citroën vehicles in the UK. The campaign was in protest against the company's plans to close the Ryton plant. Despite the boycott the sales of Peugeot in UK grew. Not to be confused with the 207 in the Brazilian market. That model is essentially a 206+ sold in some European markets.2011 Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured automobile of a single design platform anywhere in the world.
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production. The car is named after a famous breed of fighting bull. The Spanish word gallardo translates into "gallant". The Gallardo offers two choices of transmissions, a conventional (H-Box) six-speed manual transmission, and an advanced six-speed electro-hydraulically controlled semi-automatic robotized manual, which Lamborghini abbreviates to "E-gear". The "E-gear" allows the driver to make shifts much faster than a manual transmission would. The driver shifts up and down via paddles behind the steering wheel, but also has an automatic mode. For the MY2006 (launched in late 2005) Lamborghini introduced many changes to the car to counter some criticisms garnered by the press and owners. These were derived from the limited edition Gallardo SE. The exhaust system was changed to a more sporty one (including a flap to make it quieter around town), the suspension was revised and a new steering rack was fitted, the engine power was increased by 20 bhp to a maximum of 512 brake horsepower (382 kW), the biggest change was an overall lowering of the gearing especially in 1st to 5th. The result was a much improved car; it handled and turned in better, sounded better under full throttle and the extra power and lower gearing turned an already fast car into a seriously quick one. The Audi R8 sports car, launched in early 2007, is based on the Gallardo platform, and uses a 4.2 litre V8 in place of the Gallardo's V10 to avoid competing directly with the Gallardo. In December 2008, Audi unveiled a V10 Audi R8, with a detuned version of the Gallardo's engine, placed between the R8 V8 and the Gallardo. For the 2008 model year, features added to the Gallardo included an onboard computer, iPod connectivity with USB, heated mirrors, Q-citura stitching that originally could only be found on the Nera model, and a beige soft-top on the Spyder. This is a concept vehicle based on the contemporary Gallardo, but without a roof. The car was designed by Luc Donckerwolke, Head of Lamborghini Design. The car was unveiled in 2005 at the Geneva Motor Show.
Gallardo SE (Special Edition) is a limited (250 unit) version introduced in late 2005. The SE is distinguished from the regular Gallardo externally by having a black-roofed two-tone color scheme as well as specially-designed "Callisto" rims shod with Pirelli tires. Note that the Gallardo SE could only be ordered in a very small selection of exterior colors: two grey shades as well as white (Balloon white), yellow (Giallo Midas), Orange (Arancio Borealis) and green (Verde Ithaca). The Gallardo SE comes with a two-tone interior. All piping and stitching on the ultra-quality leather are executed in the same color as the bodywork of the car. The mid sections of the seats are finished in color-coded upholstery and even the black floormats have a color coded borders. A rear-view camera is also standard issue on the Gallardo SE, as is a multimedia system and a navigation system. The sport suspension and an exclusive cover also came with the car but there are still several other options available, like the E-gear, which featured a 'thrust' mode to offer even more impressive acceleration by improving the gearchange through the different gears. This "thrust" mode automatically revs the car to 5,000 rpm, drops the clutch engaging all four wheels in a controlled burnout, and ensures the car performs maximum acceleration. This "launch" only requires the driver to engage the "thrust" mode and step on the gas pedal, similar to the launch technology in the BMW M3, Ferrari 360 F1 and F430, as well as pre-2008 Formula 1 cars. Gallardo Nera (Special Edition) is a limited (185 unit) version of contemporary Gallardo coupe introduced at the Paris Motor Show. The car was designed to showcase the customization options available to the customer in the Ad Personam program. The Nera features special matte black body panels, and is only available in black—actually a combination of Nero Serapis and Nero Noctis. Brake calipers are painted a special silver, and the taillights are smoked to match the darker paint scheme. The interior is stitched from high-contrast black and white leather in the Q-Citura (lozenge shaped) fashion. Note that the glass engine cover remained an option, even on the Nera. Among the produced Gallardo Nera, 60 were destined for the American market, 91 were sold in Europe.
The production spyder model of the Gallardo was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006. It is considered by the company to be an entirely new model, with 520 PS (382 kW; 513 hp) and a lower-ratio six-speed manual transmission. The soft top is fully retractable. Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer was the first person in North America to take delivery of the Gallardo Spyder. Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson announced on 18 February 2007 that he had bought a Gallardo Spyder, replacing his Ford GT. In 2007, a Lamborghini Gallardo was entered in FIA GT3, as well as the Japanese 'SUPER GT' Championship in the GT300 class, the lower of the two classes in the series. The FIA GT3 car was built with help from German motorsport specialists Reiter Engineering, who previously made the Murcielago GT1 and the Diablo GTR Super Trophy racers. All the extra aerodynamics were bolt-on parts, conforming with cost-effective regulations that meant the finished car had to closely resemble its road-going counterpart. Brembo racing brakes and OZ Racing wheels were also added. It remained All-Wheel-Drive. It produced 512 brake horsepower (382 kW) @ 7800rpm and 376.2 lb.ft of Torque @ 4500 rpm, barely more than the road car, and only as a result of adding an unsilenced racing exhaust system and better cooling. The SUPER GT car had to conform to rather different regulations. It could produce no more than 300PS (295 bhp/224 kW) and must be Rear-Wheel-Drive. The power is limited by air restrictors placed in the engine bay. The gearbox is a sequential 6-Speed twin-clutch setup. The rules regarding aerodynamics are far looser than those in FIA GT, meaning the SUPER GT car has more advanced aero, including a much bigger rear wing. It took a while to be competitive, only being consistently at the top this 2009 season. Lamborghini introduced what it calls the 'Fastest one-make series in the world', featuring a 570 bhp, All-Wheel-Drive race-prepared version of the newer Gallardo LP560-4. The series supported European race series such as Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), FIA GT Series and the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), featuring 18 races overall and having a 30-car grid consisting of privateer teams as well as Lamborghini dealer teams and one factory team featuring guest drivers.Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder supercar review - Top Gear - BBC
Cadillac Cien
The Cadillac Cien was a concept car created by Cadillac and unveiled at the 2002 Detroit Auto Show to celebrate Cadillac's 100th anniversary ("cien" is Spanish for one hundred, which compares the Buick Centieme). It was designed by Simon Cox and was featured in the 2005 film The Island. The Cadillac Cien had a 7.5 L V12 Northstar XV12 engine, which produced 750 hp (559 kW) and 450 lb·ft (610 N·m) of torque. This experimental engine featured direct injection and Displacement on Demand, which allowed the engine to run on only six or fewer cylinders under light load. The Cien was designed at General Motors' Advanced Design Studio in England and built as a fully-working road-going vehicle with the help of the UK-based engineering and motorsport company Prodrive. The Cien's monocoque chassis and body are made of carbon fiber composite and its design was inspired by the F-22 Raptor.
BMW X3
Following the X5, the X3 was the second vehicle marketed by BMW as a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).
The E83 BMW X3 was the first BMW produced that has been cosmetically changed for every model year in production. For example the 2005 and 2006 BMW X5 models are identical, as opposed to the X3 which is visibly different for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Cayman Vs BMW M3
The performance of the Cayman S approaches that of Porsche's flagship sports car, the 911 Carrera. Rally legend Walter Röhrl lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in a Cayman S equipped with optional 19" wheels, PCCB, and PASM in a time of 8 minutes, 11 seconds. The time for a standard Cayman S, as published by the manufacturer, was 8 minutes, 20 seconds. In contrast, Röhrl recorded 8 minutes, 15 seconds in a 911 Carrera. The similarity in performance between the two cars has led to speculation about whether the Cayman S will cannibalize sales of the Carrera, as the basic Carrera's recommended retail price in the United States is $12,400 higher than that of the Cayman S. A Cayman prepared and run by privateers Jürgen and Uwe Alzen finished fourth overall (of 220 entrants) in the 2007 Nürburgring 24 Hour race, ahead of two flagship Porsche 997 GT3 RSR's, a 997 GT3 Cup, and a 996 GT3 Cup. Another two privateer Caymans, entered by CSR and MSpeed, finished 22nd and 117th overall, respectively. Porsche disclaims support for the Cayman teams, while supporting some or all of the 997 teams. A sports car feature which was not offered by Porsche for the manual transmission Cayman, until 2009, was the limited slip differential (LSD). Some commentators have speculated that LSD was not offered, even as an option, because the Cayman S's performance would then be too close to that of the 911 Carrera (see Crippleware). Several tuning companies started offering Cayman buyers the ability to retrofit an LSD. Also the biggest engine (3.8l) or the turbo engine is not available in the Cayman. In the 2009 model, an LSD is available as an option. The base Cayman has received an engine upgrade to 2.9L (265 bhp (198 kW; 269 PS)), and the Cayman S a 3.4L (320 bhp (239 kW; 324 PS)). This is significantly more than the previous models offerings, as even the factory tuned 2008 Cayman S Sport with its special exhaust system only produces 303 bhp (226 kW; 307 PS) from its 3.4L engine.Volvo S60
The Volvo S60 is a compact executive sedan produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo from 2000. Two generations of the sedan have been produced to date. The S60 marked a clean break for Volvo from the boxy design that many associated the brand with in the 1980s and 90s. Its design, done by a design team led by Peter Horbury, built upon the styling of the S80 and was the most marked departure from traditional Volvo styling since Horbury joined the firm in 1992. Accordingly, Volvo marketed the car as heralding a “Revolvolution.” The S60 was built upon Volvo’s P2 platform, which was shared with other Volvo models like the S80, V70, XC70 and finally the XC90. The S60 was refreshed in 2005. The exterior was updated with body-colored side moldings and bumpers, as well as new headlamps. The interior received some updates as well, with new seats, trim, and an updated center console. The Four-C chassis from the S60 R became an option on some S60s. The T5 engine was also reengineered from 2.3 to 2.4 litres and received an increase of 10 bhp (7 kW; 10 PS). Police specification models came about through Volvo’s extensive work alongside the users of the vehicles and Police Fleet Management departments. As a result the Police specification vehicles have a striking difference from original showroom model. Firstly the suspension was up-rated to deal the demands of Police work; this included fitting the front suspension of the D5 model variant (as the suspension was designed to deal with the heavier diesel engine). Nivomat self-levelling suspension was also fitted to the rear to ensure correct geometry of the vehicle, regardless of the weight carried. On early models, the clutch was also replaced with the stronger D5 unit. A larger specification battery and 110A alternator was also fitted to run all the extra equipment, along with a dedicated Police fuse box in the boot. Extra wiring looms are also fitted specially for the Police radios and other equipment, including CCTV cameras. Additional electrical noise suppression has been added so as not to interfere with the sensitive electronics the police use. The speedometers in the vehicles are calibrated from the factory and do not require recalibration unless the wheel and overall rolling diameters are changed. 305 mm (12.0 in) vented front disc brakes were also fitted alongside special brake pads (and wear indicators) specially designed to cope with high-speed pursuits. During 2001–2004 the 2.3 litre T5 engine was used and in 2005-2009 the 2.4 litre T5 engine was used. Also beyond common speculation and myths, the engines are not chipped or modified specially for police use: they are complete factory spec but in 'exceptional cases' the speed limiter (250 km/h) may have been removed.
First introduced in 2003, Volvo's S60 R boasted Haldex AWD mated to a 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp) / 400 N·m (300 ft·lbf) inline-5. The 2004–2005 models came with a 6-speed manual transmission, or an available 5-speed automatic which allowed only 258 lb·ft (350 N·m) torque in 1st and 2nd gears. The 2006–2007 models came with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. The new 6-speed automatic transmission allowed the full torque of 295 lb·ft (400 N·m) in all gears. Other aspects which set the R apart from standard S60s were the large Brembo front and rear four-piston brakes, fully forged engine internals, optional 18" 5 spoke "Pegasus" wheels, blue faced "R" gauges, standard HID headlights, as well as the Four-C suspension system. Four-C (a short name for "Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept") allows the user to select from three modes: Comfort, Sport, and Advanced. "Comfort" attempts to soften the car over bumps, while "Advanced" firms the suspension considerably and gives more aggressive throttle response - a setting Volvo implies is for use on the race track. This is accomplished through a drive by wire throttle, allowing the same pedal travel to result in different performance when the appropriate mode is selected, electronically-controlled shock absorbers that can adjust themselves 500 times a second, and a complex series of sensors throughout the body of the vehicle. Volvo collaborated with high-tech system developer Ohlins Racing AB and shock absorber manufacturer Monroe for the self-adjusting shock absorbers. The S60 R continued the tradition of "R" cars for Volvo beginning in 1995 with the introduction of the 850 T-5 R. Top Gear reviewed the car in episode 9 of series 2. They panned the overly complicated and intrusive traction control system, and it set a slow lap time of 1:35.0. But they also found it to be very comfortable and civilized, and especially recommended the estate version. Jeremy Clarkson noted "More like a miniature version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom than a serious competitor to the BMW M3. In 2006, At Speed Motorsports entered an all-wheel-drive S60R in five races of the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge GT class. It was driven by Michael Galati and finished 14th in the overall standings, including a win at Mosport. Since 2009, K-PAX Racing has fielded two S60s the GT class, with former champions Andy Pilgrim and Randy Pobst as drivers. In 2010, Randy Pobst won the GT driver's championship while securing the GT manufacturer's championship for Volvo. For the 2011 season, K-PAX will debut new S60s using the second generation body style at Miller Motorsports Park. Joining defending GT driver's champion Randy Pobst will be new team mate Alex Figge. For some years the S60 was the car of the factory Volvo team in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, where it finished 2nd in the drivers' championship twice and won the manufacturers' title once.
The second generation S60 began production in Ghent, Belgium on May 17, 2010, with an expected annual production of 90,000 vehicles. Official photos were released in November 2009, and the car was publicly unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. It debuted as a 2011 model in North America. This new sedan will show off Volvo's completely new design language already seen in the Volvo XC60 concept. It will ride on the same platform as the XC60. Volvo has confirmed that the new S60 will become the true new rival for the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and the BMW 3-series, as Volvo is undergoing new product alignment. This new design is though to target younger demographics. Even so, Volvo hopes to keep its high-income customer appeal; from the first generation, a Volvo S60 buyer has had a higher household income than a BMW 3-series customer. New features include the new large Volvo iron symbol, parallel to the grille day running lamps, and larger spaced letters in the brand name on rear. A new safety feature, Pedestrian Detection, will be added to automatically apply brakes if a pedestrian is detected in front of the car and the driver does not react in time. In 2008, Volvo Cars announced the Volvo S60 Concept, which features a four-cylinder 1.6L petrol engine using highly-efficient Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDi) developed by Ford (a mechanical clone of the new Ford EcoBoost 1.6L engine). The concept car was exhibited in several automobile shows in 2009, and SimBin has released a free game based on the GTR game engine that includes the S60 Concept. Engines:T3: 110 kW (150 PS; 148 hp) , 240 N·m (180 lb·ft) , 4-cyl, 1.6 litre, petrol, turbo (2011 - )
T4: 132 kW (179 PS; 177 hp) , 240 N·m (180 lb·ft) , 4-cyl, 1.6 litre, petrol, turbo (2011 - )
2.0T: 149 kW (203 PS; 200 hp) , 300 N·m (220 lb·ft) , 4-cyl, 2.0 litre, petrol, turbo (2010 - )
T5: 180 kW (245 PS; 241 hp) , 320 N·m (240 lb·ft) , 4-cyl, 2.0 litre, petrol, turbo (2011 - )
T5 (US): 186.5 kW (254 PS; 250 hp) , 360 N·m (266 lb·ft) , 5-cyl, 2.5 litre, petrol, turbo (2011 - )
T6: 224 kW (305 PS; 300 hp) , 440 N·m (320 lb·ft) , 6-cyl, 3.0 litre, petrol, turbo (2010 - )
1.6D DRIVe: 85 kW (116 PS; 114 hp) , 270 N·m (200 lb·ft) , 4-cyl, 1.6 litre, diesel, turbo (2011 - )
D3: 120 kW (163 PS; 161 hp) , 400 N·m (300 lb·ft) , 5-cyl, 2.0 litre, diesel, turbo (2010 - )
D5: 151 kW (205 PS; 202 hp) , 420 N·m (310 lb·ft) , 5-cyl, 2.4 litre, diesel, turbo (2010 - )
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