Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept

At this week's Seoul Motor Show, GM unveiled the Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept. This attractive car pays tribute to Chevrolet's sports car heritage and GM said that the concept is "small and open" just like the 1963 Monza SS, while at the same time being "light and purposeful" like the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder. Regardless of its resemblances to classic cars, the Mi-ray (Korean for "future") looks awesome from every single angle you look at it.

Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept

The car packs two front-mounted 15-kilowatt electric motors that are linked to a 1.6-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that is partially charged through regenerative braking. Most of the times, the electric motor is used during initial acceleration and urban cruising, but when higher speeds are required, the 4-cylinder 1.5-liter turbocharged engine kicks in. Mounted behind the cockpit, this engine is linked to a dual-clutch transmission and possibility the most interesting thing about the car is that the driver of the Mi-ray can switch between front- and rear-wheel drive.

Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept

Almost all of the car's exterior parts are made out of carbon fiber. Out in the back, each of the Mi-ray's rear fenders contain individual storage compartments, and spoilers made also from carbon fibers that help with airflow and downforce.

Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept

As far as the cabin is concerned, GM used leather, white fabric "liquid metal" surfaces as well as brushed aluminum in order to create a "sculptural velocity." The driver and the passenger seats are separated by the long center console and all the relevant information about the vehicle is displayed on a back-projected screen. The concept's rear-view cameras are fully retractable and while in city driving, a forward-facing camera works in tandem with the GPS system to overlay navigation info with real-time video.

Source: General Motors via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Seoul Motor Show – Chevrolet Mi-ray Concept

Kia Optima Hybrid

The hybrid version of the Hyundai Sonata was supposed to hit the dealerships in the last month of 2010, but the automaker postponed its launch in order to do some engineering change to boost safety. When the car manufacturer found that that Obama planned to sign a bill that would ban a switch meant to disable a noisemaker that was created for warning blind pedestrians, Hyundai decided to remove this switch. This move delayed the car's launch from December to late this month.

According to Ward's Automotive, the Kia Optima Hybrid will be delayed until late in the second quarter, which is about five months after its market debut which should have occurred in January.

We'll have to see if these delays are going to affect sales, my guess is that they won't. If I wanted to buy one or the other (most likely the Optima) a couple of months of waiting wouldn't have been the end of the world.

Source: Ward's Automotive via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Delayed > Kia Optima Hybrid Delayed

I’d never thought I’d say this, but this is, by far, the best commercial for safe, slow driving I’ve ever seen. It comes from Australia, from the creators of Embrace Life safety belts ad and it’s beautiful. It conveys a message with arguments to why slowing down is good for us and it makes a very good point.

This line sums up the message quite nicely:

Life can be a pleasure, if we don’t treat life like a race.

but I’d like to invite you to see the rest of the commercial, because it is wonderful and it’ll surely make you take a second and reflect on all the speed in your life and how it’s affecting you. If you like it, pass it on.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Autoblog.

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Why slow is sometimes good

Hyundai Blue2 Concept

Here is something more special coming from an automaker that in the past usually rolled out pretty boring cars. Hyundai revealed this week at the Seoul Motor Show the Blue2 concept, which is a very attractive fuel-cell concept car, with which the automaker hopes will help it gain "early leadership of the FCEV" market. What should we understand from this? That a production version based on this concept is in the works? We'll have to wait and see.

Hyundai Blue2 Concept

Anyway, getting back to this concept, Hyundai said that the exterior design features the "Intersected Flow" philosophy, incorporating both innovative and dynamic design elements. Those LED screen panels at the front and rear display images about the car's condition. As you can see, there are no door mirrors as they have been replaced with cameras, something that I believe will happen more and more often on future concepts and most likely, we'll also find them in production models in the years to come.

Hyundai Blue2 Concept

The most important thing about the Blue2 is its hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain, which in my opinion should be the future, not electric cars. Anyway, this powertrain produces approximately 120 hp and will do a whopping 82.1 mpg (34.9 km / liter). The concept has been fitted with low-rolling-resistance tires and benefits from an extremely aerodynamic shape in order to reduce drag and increase overall efficiency.

Hyundai Blue2 Concept

Inside the cabin you'll find a combined center cluster and fascia, using an organic LED monitor and ultra-light tempered glass for displaying the most important information. In addition, Hyundai has fitted this concept with seat-mounted entertainment holders that house gadgets like an Ipad or any other similar device.

Source: Hyundai via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Hyundai Blue2 Unveiled

2012 Kia Rio Hatchback

I must say that I'm a big fan of the new Kia Rio and I'm really looking forward to see the sedan version of this model. According to Autoblog, Kia will bring the car at the upcoming New York Auto Show, joining its hatchback sibling that was unveiled at the beginning of last month during the 81^st edition of the Geneva Motor Show.

Outside the United States, the sedan version is going to be available with a choice of two gasoline and two diesel engines. No word about the model available for the US market, but according to various rumors, it will feature a 1.4-liter engine that develops 108 hp and 100 lb.-ft of torque, linked to either a 6-speed manual or an archaic 4-speed automatic gearbox.

Source: Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

2012 Kia Rio Sedan, Heading To NY Auto Show

It's nice to hear that the automotive industry is recuperating after the damages caused by the tsunami and the several earthquakes that hit Japan several weeks ago. Honda has announced that they will resume their production at their Japanese plants starting with April 11^th. Despite the fact that full capacity at its plants is possible, they are going to keep the production levels at 50% due to shortage of parts supply.

Honda also said that its production at the facilities in the United States will also have to slow down because of the same reason: lack of supplies. These reductions are scheduled to last until April 15^th, but it may go beyond that date, depending upon when the supplies will be back on line. The Japanese automaker said that they are working with the suppliers that haven't resumed production yet and also trying to find new sources in order to fix this problem as soon as possible.

Honda's factory in the UK is working at full capacity at the moment, but there are chances that the productivity level will decrease if this shortage of components is not resolved fast enough.

Source: Honda via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Honda Will Resume Production At Its Plants In Japan

Novitec Rosso Ferrari Scuderia 777 Final Edition

Back in October 2009 the tuning specialists over at Novitec Rosso revealed their upgrade program for the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Dubbed Edizione 747, it featured the same V8 engine as the original car, but it produced 747 hp, hence the designation. Well, now their back with another iteration of their tuning program, that is even more impressive in comparison to its predecessor.

Novitec Rosso Ferrari Scuderia 777 Final Edition

They've called this one 777 Final Edition and yes; it offers 777 ponies from the same V8 4.3-liter engine. To get this extra oomph, they've installed a bi-compressor kit and a new exhaust system. As far as the design is concerned, it looks just about the same as the old tuning program, with a very aggressive body kit that has plenty of carbon fiber components, along with a very sleek new set of rims. While the Edizione 747 model was wearing a yellow paintjob, the 777 comes in Ferrari's traditional red.

Click here to view the embedded video.

More details about this extraordinary car will be revealed in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.

Source: GTSpirit.com

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Novitec Rosso Ferrari Scuderia 777 Final Edition

Surprisingly, he does! The NBA star saves the day in a Smart Fortwo Brabus in the latest ad campaign from Smart, called “Big, In The City“.

Kobe Bryant swings around corners and proves the versatility of this small vehicle and I can attest to its truthfulness. I myself have had the chance to drive one of these Brabus-treaten Smart cars and I can tell you they are furious little things.

Everything in a car tuned by Brabus clicks or roars or makes some kind of distinctive sound. And it’s adorable. it’s like a little furry dog who tries to bark at you. But it’s a great car for driving in the city.

So here is the cute little ad. As cute and as little as the car it advertises.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Autoblog.

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Does Kobe Bryant fit in a Smart for Two?

2008 Dodge Viper ACR

You probably know by now that there is a continuous battle between almost all supercar makers to grab the title for the fastest car on the legendary Nurburgring track. Over the last few years there have been many claims to a lap record for a street-legal production model.

However, while some of these cars are considered street-legal anywhere in the world, others cars like the Ferrari 599XX, Ultima GTR, Gumpert Apollo and the Pagani Zonda R are not considered entirely legal in some parts of the world, which means that they are not eligible to go in the standings.

To figure out which street-legal car is in fact the fastest on the Nurburgring, the track's blog Bridge to Gantry decide to do a little bit of research and they figured out that the 2008 Dodge Viper ACR is actually the fastest car that you are allowed to use anywhere in the world, without having to worry of running into problems with the authorities.

In the "Fastest Production Car Lap of the Nurburgring" standings we find the Viper ACR on the 7^th place, after the aforementioned supercars, together with the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the Donkervoort D8 270 RS. Of all the cars that are in front of the Viper, only the Porsche is eligible for grabbing the title, but according to the BTG blog, the lack of video evidence is the only thing in its way of winning the title for the fastest road-legal production car in the world.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: TopSpeed, Youtube

Post published on Rpmgo.com

’08 Dodge Viper ACR – Fastest Production Car On The Nurburgring

Although the government in England spends a lot of money in fixing the country's potholes, Ford is eager to demonstrate it still tests its automobiles for their ability to resist big pavement gaps. The automaker said that its cars undergo thorough tests consisting of thousands of miles across two proving grounds in order to make sure that the vehicles don not sustain damage when they face uneven surfaces.

In Belgium, the Lommel Proving Ground has an inch-by-inch recreation of a very popular bad English road and even more abusive road conditions are simulated at the company's Dunton Proving Ground, located in Essex, England. Ford stated that between these two facilities, they test every wheel and tire combination sold on its entire European-spec lineup of cars.

If you are thinking that the entire budget for this operation is pretty expensive, you would be right as each test vehicle is strapped with around $2.5 million worth of electronic gizmos that were designed to register and record the effect of each pothole strike. The automaker collects the data and uses it for improving its current suspension systems as well as coming up with new ones.

Source: Ford via Autoblog

Post published on Rpmgo.com

Ford Explains Its Complex Pothole Testing Methods