Ford's vehicle to vehicle communication system

It seems that pretty soon our cars will "talk" to each other and they will have the possibility to alert us to threats that we aren't aware of. There is more than just one automaker that is developing such a car and the US government is looking for ideas to expand this promising technology.

The Blue Oval has already shown us that the technology works and can be implemented, launching a crash-avoidance system that will allow vehicles to communicate with each other at distances of more than 900 ft. This system uses the Wi-Fi and GPS signals emitted 10 times / second in order to provide a 360-degree view around the vehicle. The driver gets a warning when the system detects a risk like someone running a red light at the next intersection.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that this technology could address to 4.3 million crashes, or approximately 80% of the accidents that do not occur because of drunk drivers.

The Swedish automaker Volvo managed to successfully participate in the very first successful test of a "road train". These so-called road trains consist of cars that are equipped with sensors that have the capability to monitor the distance, speed and the direction of the car in front and mimic its actions. These semi-autonomous vehicles are "tethered" and follow a lead car which is driven by a professional driver.

Audi will be launching pretty soon a 3-year project dubbed "Audi Urban Intelligent Assist". Through the company's Electronics Research Laboratory, located in Silicon Valley, Audi wants to link drivers to the road through connected vehicles in order to ease the congestion and increase safety in traffic.

The United States Department of Transportation said that this technology "has the potential to save a lot of lives." The idea behind this project is to benefit from short range communications, like Wi-Fi but considerably faster and more secure, in a complex system that allows cars to communicate to each other and the surrounding infrastructure.

The Blue Oval company has been working on this technology for about 10 years and pretty soon it will be rolling out a pair of Taurus sedans in order to demonstrate it. In its plans to accelerate the development of the system, Ford will be creating a task force of scientists, planners and engineers. They said that they will be doubling their budget for researching intelligent cars.

As far as the current crash-avoidance systems are concerned, most of them use radar, but according to Ford; Wi-Fi and GPS are superior because the radar needs a direct line of site to spot the hazards. Wi-Fi technology allows for a 360-degree around the car.

In order to make this system compatible on a large scale, the cars must be able to speak the same "language".  The goal behind this project is to come up with a standardized system that could be used for all cars. Ford is planning to complete the initial research in two years and the technology itself could be implemented within 5-10 years.

Source: Wired.com

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Future Of Automotive – Talking Cars

2000 Ford SVT Cobra R

eBay is the place where you can find just about everything. Being an automotive blog, we are interested in what cars are listed on the website and recently a listing caught our attention – a 2000 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra R in its original factory wrapping. The car is basically new as it shows only 11 miles on its odometer. According to the eBay Motors listing, the plastic you see in these pictures on the fenders and on the hood is the same one that this Mustang had when it left the production line.

2000 Ford SVT Cobra R

More than that, even the brake cooling ducts are in their original bubble wrap and so is the front splitter. Inside, the cabin is swaddled in plenty of FoMoCo plastic. What this means is that this is as close to a factory-new Cobra R you could possibly purchase today.

2000 Ford SVT Cobra R

Back in 2000, the Blue Oval made only 300 units of this special edition. These models were street-legal racers fitted with massive V8 5.4-liter engines that output 385 hp. When it was launched, Motor Trend tested the Cobra R and they did the 0-62 mph sprint in 4, 4 seconds and a skid pad effort of over 1.0 G.

2000 Ford SVT Cobra R

This is the 29th car made and it has a "buy it now" price of $70,000, but you can still make an offer if you are interested.

Source: eBay.com

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Up On eBay – 2000 Ford SVT Cobra R

Lamborghini Aventador

If this isn't your first time on rpmGO, you've probably seen a couple of entries regarding the highly-anticipated successor of the Lamborghini Murcielago, dubbed 700-4 / Aventador. These spy photos you see are the most revealing of the V12-equipped Italian supercar. From the looks of it, the new model will borrow a couple of the design ideas you've seen in the awesome Reventon, especially at the front end, with the crease lines and the stealth fighter trapezoidal shapes.

As previously mentioned, the 700-4 will have a 6.5-liter V12 engine that will produce 690 hp (700 PS / 515 kW) and 509 lb.-ft (690 Nm) of torque. This powerful engine will be linked to a 7-speed automatic gearbox developed by Graziano. The transmission will have a single clutch with dual synchronizers.

Lamborghini Aventador

With a curb weight of just 3,472 pounds (1575 kg), the Aventador with its AWD system will be able to sprint to 62 mph in only 2, 9 seconds, onto a top speed of 217 mph (350 km/h).

Lamborghini Aventador

Our curiosity will soon be satisfied as the Lamborghini 700-4 will be officially unveiled next month at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. Stay tuned for a full coverage of the event, including all the juicy details about the successor of the Murcielago.

Photos: WorldCarFans.com

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Lamborghini Aventador Spied, Again!

The 2011 North American International Auto Show is the first important auto show of the year and this edition at Detroit we've seen some interesting cars announced. Here is a personal top ten in my opinion; the ranking has been done randomly.

Volkswagen Passat

The American-spec Volkswagen Passat was one of the biggest names this year at Detroit. Formerly teased as the new "NMS" sedan, the car will be available in the US starting with this August at a very affordable price of less than $20,000. The new Passat will be available in three different trim levels. The first one will get you the entry-level 5-cylinder power unit that produces 170 hp. The other gasoline engine is the more powerful VR6 6-cylinder unit that churns 280 hp. If you prefer diesel, you will be happy to hear that the car will be available with a TDI unit that produces 140 hp.

Audi A6

One of my personal favorites at Detroit was the new Audi A6. The German automaker unveiled the model prior to the auto show and at its official debut, the car won the "Best Production Vehicle" award, given by EyesOn Design. The new generation of the beautiful A6 will be available with five different engine options – two gas units and three diesel engines. The most affordable model will be the one with the naturally aspirated 2.8 FSI that outputs 204 hp and offers 280 Nm of torque. The other gas engine is a 3.0 TFSI that will be good for 300 hp and 440 Nm of torque. The entry-level diesel engine is the 2.0 TDI which will produce 177 hp and 380 Nm of torque.  The other two variants are based on the 3.0 TDI engine – one of them will output 204 hp / 400 Nm, while the other will churn 245 hp / 500 Nm of torque.

Mercedes C-Class

Another German car made it into the top, the new generation of the Mercedes C-Class, another looker. The new model is drop-dead gorgeous both inside and out. Along with the styling changes, the C-Class will get two new engines, including the 4-cylinder 1.8-liter turbocharged unit that will output 201 hp. The other one will be a more potent V6 3.5-liter that will crank up around 300 hp.

Hyundai Veloster

Design-wise, the Hyundai Veloster was the coolest car this year at the NAIAS. This gorgeous three-door sports coupe was officially unveiled, after years of unconfirmed rumors. The styling of the car was inspired from a sports bike and the car will be available with a brand new engine. I'm talking about a 1.6-liter Gamma 4-cylinder unit which will be the company's smallest GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) unit. Developing 138 hp and linked to either a 6-speed dual-clutch (DCT) gearbox or a standard 6-speed manual transmission, the Veloster will certainly be a hit.

Ford Vertrek

Finally something from the domestic market and by that we mean the Ford Vertrek. It seems that this cool-looking SUV / crossover will be the base of the upcoming generation of the Escape. Under its awesome design, the car has a 4-cylinder EcoBoost 1.6-liter engine that outputs about 160-180 hp. In addition, the Blue Oval will also offer a more powerful 2.0-liter EcoBoost as well as a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder unit. In Europe, the car will probably also get a 2.0-liter TDCI engine. All of these engines will feature the Auto-Start-Stop technology which will lower the fuel consumption by 5%.

Mach7 Motorsports Falcon

We've talked about the Mach7 Motorsports Falcon last week and it had to be in this top as it will be a very potent American supercar. The car will be powered by a massive V8 6.2-liter LS3 Corvette engine that churns 500 hp in its standard version. If you want more muscles, the car can be fitted with either an LS7 or LS9 supercharged power unit that will output 640 ponies. With the LS9 package, the car will do the 0-62 mph sprint in 3.5 seconds, onto a top speed of well over 200 mph.

GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD Concept

The GMC Sierra All-Terrain HD Concept rocked the 2011 Detroit Auto Show with its very powerful 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8 engine that is good for 397 hp and 765 lb.-ft of torque. With many "green" cars launched at the event, this GMC model was an exception to this rule.

Ford C-Max Energi

Speaking of efficient cars, Ford unveiled two versions of the C-Max model, dubbed Hybrid and Energi. The latter has a high-voltage lithium-ion battery, a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle gas engine and of course, an electric motor. The car runs primarily on electric mode with certain conditions – when the battery is empty for instance – allowing the car to switch to a "charge-sustaining hybrid mode for continued optimal fuel efficiency." The Hybrid is like all the hybrids nowadays, packing an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery and the same engine we mentioned before, except for the plug-in component.

Chevrolet Sonic

The Chevrolet Aveo was officially killed in US when the company launched the new Sonic model. The car will be available with a choice of new engines, including 4-cylinder petrol and diesel power units with outputs starting with 70+ hp for the 1.2-liter versions and ending with 115 hp for the 1.6-liter units. With a price tag of only $12,115 – it is the ideal car for taking you from Point A to Point B.

BMW 1-Series M Coupe

We almost forget the highly-anticipated BMW 1-Series M Coupe. The smallest M model ever made comes with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine that cranks up 340 hp. What I love about the car is that the Germans decided to offer only a manual gearbox for it, making it an authentic driver's car.

If I've didn't include a car that you consider to be worthy of this top, I am open to suggestions and opinions. Maybe the 6-Series Convertible or the Chrysler 300 should have made it into the top; I'll let you decide that.

All things considered, the 2011 Detroit Auto Show was pretty interesting, with many production models and concepts revealed, showing us that the future of the automobile looks promising.

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Top 10 Cars At 2011 Detroit Auto Show

2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line

Yesterday, the German automaker Volkswagen announced the 2012 Touareg R-Line which will be first available for the German market. The car will feature both interior and exterior updates. However, the Touareg R-Line will not benefit from any performance mods, at least not at the beginning.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line

As far as the exterior changes are concerned, the R-Line of this SUV will offer a redesigned rear bumper that will feature an integrated matt diffuser along with new oval tailpipes, a new R-Design front spoiler lip and side skirts. The car will roll on new 20-inch light alloy rims and according to VW; the car will have a sportier chassis setting.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line

Inside the cabin, the 2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line will come with stainless steel still pedals and plates, new front sport seats finished in a two-tone color combination with electric 12-way adjustment, aluminum and leather gear knob and a leather multifunctional steering wheel.

The R-Line package will be available with all the engines of the Touareg, except for the TSI V6 Hybrid.

2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line

Here is the price list for the package: V8 TDI 1.840, – € (V6 2.200, – €), the “R-Line package in the eight-cylinder 2935, – € (V6 3670, – €) and the R Line “Plus” package in the V8 TDI 3540, – € (V6 8330, – €).

Source: ZerCustoms.com

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2012 Volkswagen Touareg R Line Announced

Amari Design Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition

If you live in the United Kingdom you've probably heard of Amari Supercars, one of the biggest pre-owned supercar dealers in the country. They decided to join the word of tuning and their first project is based on the beautiful Lamborghini Gallardo.

Dubbed as the "Invidia edition", the car offers a redesigned front bumper fascia, a carbon fiber front lip, complete front fenders, new side skirts and quarter panels, an updated rear bumper fascia with a carbon fiber diffuser, a carbon fiber rear spoiler as well as a new stainless steel exhaust system.

Amari Design Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition

Inside the cabin, this Lamborghini Gallardo was finished in a carbon fiber trim which will be available in a wide array of color weaves while the carbon fiber racing seats are finished in Alcantara.

The tuning program doesn't and here as Amari Design did some serious work to the Gallardo's engine. The production model outputs 513 hp (520 PS / 382 kW) from its 5.0-liter V10 engine and with the performance upgrades made by the tuning company, the same engine is capable of producing 740 hp (750 PS / 552 kW). No details were revealed regarding how this increase in power was accomplished, but they've said that all the work has been done in-house by their own Amari Service garage.

Amari Design Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition

The first prototype of the Amari Design Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition will be launched towards the end of April.

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Amari Design Lamborghini Gallardo Invidia edition Revealed

2009 Audi RS6

In the recent tuning programs launched by Romeo Ferraris, they decide to improve some not-so-fast-cars like the Smart ForTwo and the Abarth 500. A few days ago they announced that they will be offering a tuning kit for the Audi RS6. The model will get a new performance upgrade courtesy of Romeo Ferraris and this power kit will add 140 hp to the engine, allowing the power unit to produce 720 hp, which is quite impressive. The torque will also be improved by 200 lb.-ft, rounding up to a total of 850 Nm. Thanks to these modifications brought to the engine, the Audi RS6 developed by Romeo Ferraris will do the 0-62 mph sprint in only 3.8 seconds, 0.8 seconds faster in comparison to a standard RS6. With this tuning package, the Audi RS6 will be able to reach a top speed of 205 mph.

The tuning company will also offer a more affordable program for the RS6, which will increase the output of the engine with only 51 hp.

The extra juice under the hood will be possible thanks to the two new sports filters, a re-mapped ECU, a new exhaust system and high performance metal catalysts. In order to stop this beast, Romeo Ferraris will offer a new set of Brembo brakes that measure 405 mm along with HP1000 series brake pads.

The kit for the Audi RS6 is already available for purchase, but the price list has not been revealed yet.

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Romeo Ferraris Audi RS6 Announced

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According to various sources, Mini Cooper is working on making a road legal version of the Mini WRC. What the German automaker is trying to do is to follow the recipe of Subaru and Mitsubishi who launched the STI and the Evo a few years ago. Rumors say that the car will benefit from the same All4 all-wheel-drive-system and it would probably get a stiffer suspension and larger brakes in comparison to the current versions that are available.

The road legal version of the Mini WRC might benefit from the same engine as its rally counterpart, which is a 4-cylinder 1.6-litre Di turbo-charged unit. Probably, the power unit will get a smaller turbo. The one on the WRC car is good for 2.5 Bar.

If it will get the green light for production, the car will probably come with a very aggressive body kit with vents and scoops. I for one think that it will be a worthy adversary for the STI and Evo.

There is no info coming from Mini and the guys haven't confirmed or denied the rumors. If it will see the light of day it would probably have a price tag similar with the Subaru and the Mitsubishi. Once more info becomes available we will let you know as soon as possible.

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Possible Road Legal Mini WRC In The Works

Click here to view the embedded video.

The 2011 season of F1 is approaching and the teams have started launching their cars. Last week we've seen Ferrari roll out their new F150 and now the Lotus Renault F1 team launched their R31 2011 F1 car. The presentation of the car was done at the Ricardo Tormo race track and the team is hoping that it will conquer the top spots in the F1 manufacturer's championship.

Apart from the launch of their new car, the team announced that they obtained the services of Bruno Senna who will be the third driver for the Lotus Renault team this upcoming season. He will be the team's test driver and he will take part in the development of the car. As you know, the car's in F1 are in the development process even after the second half of the season, it is a continuous process and attempt to make the cars faster and more competitive on the track.

The car will be driven this season by Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov, who had the pleasure of unveiling it yesterday, along with the team's technical director James Allison, team principal Eric Boullier and chairman Gerard Lopez. Allison declared that the R31 is a step forward from its predecessor, the R30, a car that allowed the team to grab the 5^th place in 2010 in the constructors' standings.

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Lotus Renault 2011 F1 Car Launched

With less than a week left until the Super Bowl, Volkswagen released a teaser video of the “Black Beetle” commercial which will be aired on Sunday, during one of the world’s most viewed sport events. The teaser shows a beetle (the bug) speeding through the forest and it looks like the car won’t be present in the full commercial either, VW only wanting to build anticipation for the model. Enjoy!

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Volkswagen’s “Black Beetle” Super Bowl Ad Teaser