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Thursday, October 29, 2009
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Porsche’s three-year release plan leaked, seven new models confirmed
- BMW M5 CSL revealed, it just won’t be sold
- Ford Focus RS gets even more power from Loder1899
- Google launches free turn-by-turn GPS navigation to all Android 2.0-powered smartphones, video demo included
- Fiat launches limited edition 500 So Pink in France
- BMW’s electric vehicles will target the premium segment, may or may not have radical design
- Stunning drift leaves commentators ecstatic, video is unbelievable
- China’s Geely much closer to buying Volvo after Ford names it the preferred bidder
- Lexus will be selling the LFA supercar at a loss
- Subaru’s version of Toyota’s FT-86 will featured all-wheel drive, turbocharged engine from WRX STI
| Porsche’s three-year release plan leaked, seven new models confirmed Posted: 29 Oct 2009 04:40 AM PDT  Well it seems that someone at Porsche will get a serious payment deduction as the company’s three-year release plan was leaked yesterday to the Internet, revealing seven new models and version that will appear up until 2013. Among them are things we knew, like a new generation Cayenne, but also other things like a crossover or a coupe version of the Panamera. First off, it seems that next year will see two new V6 engines, one petrol one diesel, added to the Panamera lineup, which will become much cheaper, but also, as we revealed a few days ago, a new generation of the Cayenne SUV, which will be more rounded off and lightweight, for a SUV that is. 2011 will be the year of the hybrids, as Porsche is seemingly set to reveal both such a power option for the Panamera but also for the new Cayenne model. The powertrains might come in different styles for the SUV and super sedan, and it isn’t sure what type of engine, either a V6 or V8 would be running in tandem with an electric motor. 2012 will be dedicated exclusively to a new generation of the 911, which, as usual, won’t stray off from the normal design recipe. It is expected that it will grow a bit in dimensions, and that it might receive new, revamped engines, but it won’t be anything to blow the minds of Porsche fans or deter its target audience. 2013 will be the most interesting one, as not only will Porsche be basing a crossover on the platform the Audi Q5 is currently using, in order to appeal to those who don’t want a big cluncky Cayenne, but it will also release a coupe version of the Panamera, in vein of the old 928, largely because it wants to use the platform of the sedan for other purposes, and make more money. Overall, it seems the German company is preparing quite a lot of interesting additions to its lineup. Nothing is certain though about these rumors, but there is a high probability that most of these new models or version will appear at one point or another in time. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| BMW M5 CSL revealed, it just won’t be sold Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:55 AM PDT  BMW has revealed that it will make a M5 CSL version, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the performance saloon. But sadly, before you pop out that champagne and let loose all of the women, the company revealed that it will not be made available to the public, being revealed as “the M5 CSL we never built,” by the head of development from the M division, Albert Biermann. Here are the many changes that the company made to the M5, which makes it “comfortably faster than the stock M5.” First off, the 5-liter V10 has been tweaked and enlarged, nor displacing 5.5-liters and becoming the biggest engine featured by an M model. Other modifications made to it include a carbon-fober manifold and a secondary oil cooler, which now requires an extra air duct in place of the usual license plate support. All of these tweaks to the engine makes the stock figures, 407 HP and 348 lb-ft seem insignificant, as Biermann placed the new figures around 580 HP and 400 lb-ft of torque. The power is fed to the back wheels thanks to a more powerful edition of the M3’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which can be operated via paddles or push-pull gear lever, replacing the old sequential 7-speed manual one  It wouldn’t be a CSL without going on a drastic diet, meaning that the M division’s engineers installed a carbon fiber roof, saving 50 kg, but also stripped the interior, removing the back seat and replacing the front ones with two carbon fiber ones. While it is awesome to see such a model, it’s too bad that it won’t be made commercially available to everyone. Hopefully the next generation M5 will more than make up for it. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Ford Focus RS gets even more power from Loder1899 Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:35 AM PDT  The Ford Focus RS is the most powerful hatchback in its class, with its 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine directing 300 HP to the front axle. But more even is newer a bad thing, at least according to German tuning house Loder1899, which has modified the American hot hatch and added 45 HP to the final output. Among the customizations, the biggest role in increasing the power rating was played by a new stainless steel Y-pipe exhaust system, which added 20 HP to the already powerful RS. Other tweaks included a new air filter and many other optimizations to the electronics. Cosmetic enhancements include the lowering of the suspension by 35 mm and fitting a set of 20-inch Vertigo Viginti wheels made by Loder1899 itself. Source: WorldCarFans Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Posted: 29 Oct 2009 02:21 AM PDT  It seems that another step in eliminating all of the multiple gadgets you own has been made, as Google announced yesterday that it will be bringing free turn-by-turn navigation to its Google Maps service for all of the smartphones that will be based on the Android 2.0 operating system. Currently, the first smartphone to feature such an OS will be the Motorola Droid, which will be exclusive to Verizon in the United States. Other models released before it will be able to upgrade to 2.0, and thus support this replacement for any GPS device. But it wouldn’t be Google if the corporation didn’t add its own unique twist, meaning that you can just type in or even say out loud your destination and the software will figure it out or reveal a list of suggested destinations, you will be able to get up to date traffic reports thanks to the Internet connection, including the ability to select Google Street View in order to better determine the turns you need to do. Overall, this is certainly something which might force GPS manufacturers like Garmin or TomTom to reconsider their business strategy, as having free navigation in an all-in-one device like an Android smartphone would be much better than having multiple devices and swapping between them. Hit the jump to see a video demonstration of the new service in action.
Source: Google Mobile Blog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Fiat launches limited edition 500 So Pink in France Posted: 29 Oct 2009 01:55 AM PDT  Well I don’t know about you, but to me it seems that Fiat has released more limited editions of its 500 city car than actual models. The latest in a vast line of special version of the small and adorable vehicles is exclusive to France and it called the 500 So Pink. As you might have guessed, it boasts a unique paint job in pink, promoting an optimistic view on life, La vie en rose. Only 100 models will be made, an according to the official website of the small city car, 67 models have already been reserved, at the time of publishing this article. Retailing for €14,900, the special edition will be powered by the 1.2-liter petrol engine developing 69 HP, and will include, besides the unique paint job, things like electric windows and mirrors, MP3 player or a Blue&Me system. On the outside, it will be sitting on a set of 15-inch alloy wheels. You can find out more about this special edition by visiting its website. Source: Turbo.fr via Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| BMW’s electric vehicles will target the premium segment, may or may not have radical design Posted: 29 Oct 2009 01:43 AM PDT  BMW, as any respectable carmaker, is preparing to enter the electric vehicle market, largely through its Project i (or iSetta) program, which is currently trying on different ideas to see which will work best with BMW’s history. Among these new plans, one is quite definitive, as BMW will generate only upmarket models, with a certain premium feeling attached to them, as it is currently doing with its conventional cars. By doing so, the company plans to establish itself right off the bat as the go-to manufacturer for exclusive models, which ares scheduled to hit around 2014 or 2015. But one aspect that is still giving a lot of headaches and causing much debate among the engineers is the design of the future models, and where they will fit in the current lineup of vehicles and brands. “Whether Project i cars fit below Mini, between Mini and BMW or above BMW is one of the important things we’re still deciding,” said Marc Gerard, boss of BMW interiors. The representative suggests that people currently interested in electric vehicles are quite open minded, and won’t necessarily be put off by a radical design. But the general direction amongst the team of the Bavarian manufacturer is that the design should be kept more conventional, as to not alienate the mainstream crowd only mildly interested in electric cars. But besides the design choices, BMW is also working on quite a few gadgets and technologies for the interior of future Project i vehicles, including head-up displays, as seen on current BMW and future Mini models, or multi-function TFT screens. We still have plenty of time to wait until a production-ready EV from BMW will appear though, meaning that plenty of other ideas might be adopted. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Stunning drift leaves commentators ecstatic, video is unbelievable Posted: 29 Oct 2009 01:14 AM PDT  I personally love drifting and I get all excited even at the smallest slide that someone can pull off in a car. But you can be sure that a professional commentator for drifting competitions would be much harder to impress by any boy racer which discovered the hand brake. But it seems that there are some things which will make even the most hardcore commentators lose it and scream with joy and admiration. One such thing is this awesome drift managed by M. Kawabata in a Toyo-branded Nissan Silvia RP S13 (or 240 SX) in a D1 Grand Prix event. Hit the jump to see the ecstatic commentators jumping out of their Bride seats and the fantastic drift which got them this way.
Source: Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| China’s Geely much closer to buying Volvo after Ford names it the preferred bidder Posted: 29 Oct 2009 12:57 AM PDT  It seems that a financially struggling Ford will soon sell the Swedish carmaker Volvo, as it has recently announced naming the Chinese automaker Geely as its preferred bidder in the auction to sell the Scandinavian brand.
But while this is great news for those of us who want Volvo to escape its financial problems, the two parts still have a long way to go until an agreement is reached and Ford will sell all of its stocks to the Chinese carmaker. Hopefully we shall see a conclusion in the near future and things will star to get much clearer for the Scandinavian company, no matter who its bosses will be. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Lexus will be selling the LFA supercar at a loss Posted: 29 Oct 2009 12:46 AM PDT  You would think that releasing the new LFA supercar in these troubled financial times with a price tag of around €375,000 means that Lexus will profit extensively from selling all of its projected 500 models, but you would be quite wrong, at least to some sources. It seems that the Japanese company, alongside its parent, Toyota, will be selling the exciting supercar at a loss, with the money earned from it not being able to cover even the research and development work done for the project, not to mention the actual manufacturing costs and marketing efforts. But this project does have a purpose though, as the 4.8-liter V10 will stand as a hallmark for the Japanese brand, showing that anything can be done if you work hard, even a fantastic Japanese supercar, and inspire many to try the mainstream models from Lexus. Don’t forget that this practice isn’t unusual, as Volkswagen is also rumored to produce the fabulous Bugatti Veyron at a loss, with its $1 million+ price tag not covering for the development and manufacturing of the glorious supercar. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Subaru’s version of Toyota’s FT-86 will featured all-wheel drive, turbocharged engine from WRX STI Posted: 29 Oct 2009 12:35 AM PDT  We all know about the joint effort between Subaru and Toyota, which focused on creating a performance sports coupe, with a rear-wheel drive system, in order for Toyota to recapture a segment which it dominated with the Celica, and for Subaru to enter a brand new realm, and to sell more of its Boxer engines. But it seems, as we have seen in a spy video a few weeks ago, that Subaru wants to add its own flavor to this sports coupe, and, according to recent rumors, it will fit it with the famous all-wheel drive system, characteristic of any Subaru model, and in order to be a more enthusiastic alternative to the FT-86 (which might be named Celica), will feature the turbocharged 2-liter Boxer engine currently found on the Impreza WRX STI. This will also prevent the two sports coupes from attacking each other’s potential userbase, as the FT-86 will target those who want pure rear-wheel performance, and the 216A, how the sources are calling it, will tackle those who want safety but also a different type of experience than what the Impreza could offer.  All we know is that we will be getting two very interesting coupes in the near future, and that makes any car enthusiast quite happy. Source: 7Tune via Automarket Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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