With Volvo’s legacy of producing safe, solid cars for the market, it’s really no surpise that the Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) gave the Volvo XC60 top marks.
Volvo XC60
Euro NCAP recently started using a new test that determines how much whiplash protection passenger vehicles provide during rear-end collisions. The initial testing in Europe included 25 cars. The evaluation process involved various tests, with different degrees of impact severity. A testing rig is used to simulate a rear-end collision on the car, from a standstill. After the test, the car is given a score of poor, marginal, or good.
The Volvo XC60, along with 5 other cars, received the highest ratings. The XC60’s Whiplash Protection System probably helped the car make its way to the top.
Audi’s celebrations for its centennial are expected to peak on Monday, when the carmaker reveals the 2010 A8 at the Design Miami art fair in Florida.
The car make has built a pavilion, which doubles as a museum, on Miami beach. “The Art of Progress” exhibit at Design Miami, inspired by the A8 and the car maker’s corporate philosophy, will be unveiled simultaneously with the A8.
Rupert Stadler, chairman of Audi’s board of management, says, “Since our inception, Audi has embraced progress in the quest to create groundbreaking technologies and deliver new ideas to the road.
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has taken BMW on board as the official automotive partner for the 2012 London Olympics. The German auto make is expected to provide over $50 million in the form of services. 4,000 BMWs will transport athletes, officials, and media during the Games and the Paralympics.
LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe has shown his pleasure at having BMW as a partner. Coe says that BMW shares LOCOG’s vision to stage sustainable games in 2012, and that having a Tier One partner is an achievement that illustrates the inspiration brought by the Olympic and Paralympic games.
Because of increased demand, special sales programs, and a newly-revised model, BMW’s looking to make a 10% increase in sales by next year.
The German auto make’s hoping that anticipation for the redesigned 2011 5-series sedan will help boost sales. The sedan’s exterior and interior panels will be reworked, and a new engine might be put under the sedan’s hood.
BMW’s executive vice president of sales, Peter Miles, said, “BMW hopes to end 2009 with sales of 198,000 down from 249,113 in 2008.”
With 4.4 million cars rolling out of its factories since January this year, Volkswagen-Porsche managed to edge Toyota out of the top spot in terms of production.
Volkswagen-Porsche’s success can be contributed to several factors. In July, nearly a quarter of the group’s global sales came from a range of VW models made specifically for the Chinese market. China lowered sales taxes on cars, effectively boosting demand for this vehicles. The group also benefited from cash-for-clunkers programs in Germany and Britain.
According to IHS Global Insight, though, Toyota may have indirectly had a hand in VW-Porsche’s vicory. Producing just 4 million cars this year, the Japanese auto make decided to halve its output during the first quarter of 2009.
“That extremely hard brake has been keeping Toyota behind Volkswagen by quite a margin. Due to government incentiveas, Volkswagen was not forced to decelerate so hard,” said Christoph Stürmer, director at IHS Global Insight.
The reasons behind the rumors are that the technology used to build the e-Tron was too expensive, and that the market isn’t ready for an electric sports car.
I just want to ask, who in the world wouldn’t want to be behind the wheel of an electric sports car?
Audi e-Tron concept
The e-Tron definitely won’t have any problems satisfying the speed demon in any driver. The car can jump from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 124 mph.
And all that power is produced by 4 electric motors (a pair at front, and a pair at the rear axle), so you don’t have to worry about excessive, toxic exhaust emissions.
The Audi e-Tron could very well be the link between high performance and environmental awareness, in my opinion.
Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen has confirmed that the e-Tron would be debuting in 2012. Yours truly’s crossing her fingers that the e-Tron would be headed for mass production.
The global economic recession had and still have most large companies on their knees. Porsche is no exception. The German automaker’s sales have suffered over the past few months. To make up for the downturn in sales, though, Porsche is planning to introduce seven new models in the coming years.
Included in Porsche’s future offerings is an all-new Cayenne SUV for 2010. The SUV’s promising high-powered performance, thanks to a direct-injection V8 engine under its hood.
The Panamera model range will also be expanded by 2010, with gas and diesel V6 models hitting the market next year. According to British magazine Autocar, the coming V6 Panamera models will take a price cut of at least $15,000.
We can also expect to see a couple of Porsche hybrids in 2011: the Panamera Hybrid and the Cayenne Hybrid. The two will share hybrid systems, but the Cayenne will have an all-wheel drive system. The Panamera will be offered with rear-wheel drive features.
Following the hybrids is an all-new 911 for 2012. The new 911’s body will be completely restyled and will be longer and wider. To support the upsized body, an improved suspension system will come with the all-new 911.
2013 sees three possible offerings from Porsche: a “Roxster” SUV based on the Audi Q5, the Panamera coupe, and the Panamera convertible. The Panamera coupe and convertible will likely be offered under the “928″ line, though.
Apparently, the folks at German tuning company Novitec Rosso thought that the Ferrari F430 Scuderia could still be improved on. The result of Novitec Rosso’s efforts: the Ferrari F430 Scuderia 747 Edition.
Ferrari F430 Scuderia 747 Edition
By “747″, Novitec Rosso means that the supercharged, tuned Ferrari F430 Scuderia comes with an engine capable of producing an astounding 747 hp. Thanks to two superchargers, the original F430 Scuderia’s engine got a 239-hp boost, allowing the 747 Edition to jump from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds. The 747 Edition’s top speed is at 218 mph, meaning it’s the fastest F430 Scuderia in the world.
Interior trim options include leather or Alcantara, as well as carbon fiber for the trim panels. Novitec’s also offering to give the interior a two-tone trim, to match the 747 edition’s exterior.
Depending on where you live, the limited-edition Exige Lotus is rolling out may be called Scura or Stealth.
2010 Lotus Exige Stealth
The Lotus Exige Stealth will be headed for Japan, while the Lotus Exige Scura will be releaed in Europe, Australia, and other select countries. Either Exige would still have a 1.8-liter, inline-4 engine that allows the car to jump from 0 to 60 in 4.0 seconds.
What makes the Stealth/Scura noteworthy is its rubberized matte black finish. The “soft-touch” finish reportedly resists chipping and scratching. Three “phantom black” stripes adorn the car’s exterior.
But, sadly, if you live in the US, neither Scura nor Stealth will be headed your way. Lotus is planning to produce only 35 of these limited-edition beauties, and none of those are destined for US shores.
If you happen to be both a videogame racing junkie and a hardcore sports car fan, then you’re in luck.
The Ferrari 458 Italia and the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG are set to be featured in Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation 3. Personally, I’m excited as hell. Since the Italia and the SLS AMG are way out of my league, then getting behind their videogame counterparts is definitely the next best thing.
Gran Turismo 5, according to Reuters, will be launched in 2010.
Watch the video to see the Italia in virtual action.
