C4-Picasso-Overview

All new Citroën Grand C4 Picasso is Citroën's interpretation of a people mover. It is set to make Australian car buyers take an entirely fresh look at what they need from a car and how those needs can be met as fuel prices reach new levels.

This new model offers the space and versatility of a four wheel drive, with the fuel consumption and ease of use of small hatchback. It is loaded with features that make it the ideal family car or business partner.

Boasting a unique combination of versatility and style, only Citroën's engineers could have provided such an advanced, safe and economical form of transport.

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso is based on the award-winning Citroën C4 and is certain to set a new benchmark for family motoring in Australia.

Natural or artificial, light plays an integral role inside the Grand C4 Picasso. There are a range of controls to create your own internal ambience whilst large windows and the super-wide panoramic windscreen and glass sunroof all combine for a brighter journey.

The Grand C4 Picasso has lots of bright ideas. For those times when you simply must have a fully charged torch, reach for your rechargeable boot lamp come hand-held torch in the boot.

Optional reading lights are positioned on the backs of the front seats. Passengers simply fold down the aircraft-style tray and switch on, without the need to disturb the driver or other passengers.

New-Model-Cars-Latest

The first official photographs have been published of the Ferrari California, the latest addition to the new generation of Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and added to more recently with the 430 Scuderia.

The Ferrari California joins the Prancing Horse's 8-cylinder family which has always been defined by power and performance. It also flanks the flagship 612 Scaglietti in the prestige sporty Grand Tourer segment.

The new Ferrari California will satisfy even the most demanding of owners in term of its superb vehicle dynamics and driving pleasure. The new model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminium, in line with the rest of the current range. The California will be powered by a new V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque's history in the mid-front position.

In line with Ferrari tradition, the new model also features several innovations. Apart from its folding hard top, these include the original 2+ concept which guarantees exceptional versatility of use in the rear of the car. The California's 4,300 cc V8 engine features direct fuel injection and a "flat" crankshaft. It generates 460 CV at 7,500 rpm with a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics and provides maximum driving pleasure which is typical for Ferrari.

As per the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout, the engine, which allows the Ferrari California to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.0 seconds, will be coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission that boosts the car's performance while enhancing the driving pleasure, improves ride comfort and reduces fuel consumption and emissions (c.310 g/km CO2). The comfort is further enhanced by a new multilink rear suspension system. The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and has been further honed to suit the typical driving conditions expected for this new GT. Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material disks as standard guarantee superbly efficient braking.

Mercedes-Benz-Clk-Sport-Edition

With its sporty appearance and sumptuous level of appointments, the immediately available Sport Edition is a new highlight among the Coupés and Cabriolets of the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class. 18-inch light-alloy wheels in an exclusive design, AMG styling features in the exterior and bi-xenon headlamps as standard give this special model a particularly distinctive appearance. The sporty, exclusive atmosphere of the interior is especially characterised by the grippy AMG ergonomic sports steering wheel, aluminium-look sports pedals and special velour floor mats.

The letter combination CLK has denoted excitement and driving pleasure for many years. The new “Sport Edition” special model now makes the Coupés and Cabriolets of the Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class even more desirable. Both externally and in the interior, the Sport Edition further upgrades the CLK models and makes them even more attractive and dynamic.
he exciting design of the CLK-Class is accentuated by muscular AMG styling features for an even more dynamic appearance. These include a front apron with more pronounced contours, as well as the rear apron and side skirts which typify AMG models. Large, 18-inch light-alloy wheels in a new, six twin-spoke design (front 225/40 R 18, rear 255/35 R18) further enhance the sporty appearance and contribute to driving pleasure. The same applies to the perforated front brake discs. The brake callipers of Sport Edition models bear the lettering “Mercedes-Benz”.

Alfa-8c-Competizione

The '8c Competizione' concept car, designed and produced by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, stands as an icon of the brand, its very name evocative of Alfa's great motorsports tradition. This is borne out by the code '8c' used to identify cars (racing and on-road) of the Thirties and Forties equipped with the revolutionary eight-cylinder engine produced by the famous designer Vittorio Jano. The second term 'Competizione' is intended as a homage to the 6C 2500 Competizione, a sports coupé driven in 1950 by the team of Fangio - Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race.
he '8c Competizione' concept car, designed and produced by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, stands as an icon of the brand, its very name evocative of Alfa's great motorsports tradition. This is borne out by the code '8c' used to identify cars (racing and on-road) of the Thirties and Forties equipped with the revolutionary eight-cylinder engine produced by the famous designer Vittorio Jano. The second term 'Competizione' is intended as a homage to the 6C 2500 Competizione, a sports coupé driven in 1950 by the team of Fangio - Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race.
So '8c Competizione' is not an invented name, but a clear reference to Alfa's racing history. The Alfa Romeo legend was in any case born out of victories won on circuits throughout the world.

Alfa's many successes make a long and fascinating story on their own, a story of men and their competitive passion, engines and cutting-edge engineering.

The protagonists of the inestimable human and technological heritage that is responsible for today's beautiful cars, full of character and, above all, capable of combining the beauty of the styling with the pleasure of driving them.

Let us admire then the captivating, original lines of this prevalently carbon fibre 2-seater, with its aggressive proportions: 1900 mm wide, 4278 mm long and 1250 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2595 mm.

The body is given extra dynamism by the horizontal furrow cut into the side above the front wheelarch.

In addition to this, the large tyres (245/40 - R20 at the front and 275/35 - R20 at the rear) and the powerful, muscular rear wings accentuate the impression the model gives of a strong, forceful personality. This does not detract in any way from the elegance of the lines that run smoothly from front to back, to the light clusters set into the front bumper. A stylistic balance that has its maximum expression in the daring design of the rear window and the whole rear mudguard.

The front elements have been repositioned as they were on the most important Alfa racing cars of the past: the 'whiskers' and shield are aligned at the same height - a decision of historical and evolutionary significance. But a rapid glance will reveal that the styling of the whole exterior is full of classical references, an ideal opportunity for a modern interpretation of traditional Alfa styling cues. A quick glance tells you everything. For example, the front end recalls the former 33 Coupé Stradale. While the rear sports the characteristic round light clusters of the Giulia TZ.

Laugh-At-High-Gas-Prices-With-235-MPG

With gas prices going through the roof and regulators requiring cars to be ever more miserly, Volkswagen is bringing new meaning to the term “fuel efficiency” with a bullet-shaped microcar that gets a stunning 282 235 mpg.

Volkswagen’s had its super-thrifty One-Liter Car concept vehicle — so named because that’s how much fuel it needs to go 100 kilometers — stashed away for six years. The body’s made of carbon fiber to minimize weight (the entire car weighs just 660 pounds) and company execs didn’t expect the material to become cheap enough to produce the car until 2012.

But VW’s decided to build the car two years ahead of schedule.


According to Britain’s Car magazine, VW has approved a plan to build a limited number of One-Liters in 2010. They’ll probably be built in the company’s prototype shop, which has the capacity to build as many as 1,000 per year. That’s not a lot, but it’s enough to help VW get a lot of attention while showing how much light weight and an efficient engine can achieve.

VW unveiled the slick two-seater concept six years ago at a stockholder’s meeting in Hamburg. To prove it was a real car, Chairman Ferdinand Piech personally drove it from Wolfsburg to Hamburg. At the time, he said the car could see production when the cost of its carbon monocoque dropped from 35,000 Euros (about $55,000) to 5,000 Euros (about $8,000) — something he figured would happen in 2012. With carbon fiber being used in everything from airliners to laptops these days, VW’s apparently decided the cost is competitive enough to build at least a few hundred One-Liters.

VW’s engineers — who spent three years developing the car — made extensive use of magnesium, titanium and aluminum to bring it in at less than one-third the weight of a Toyota Echo. According to Canadian Driver, the front suspension assembly weighs just 18 pounds. The six-speed transmission features a magnesium case, titanium bolts and hollow gears; it weighs a tad more than 50 pounds. The 16-inch wheels are carbon fiber. The magnesium steering wheel weighs a little more than a pound. How much of the concept car’s exotic hardware makes it to the production model remains to be seen.

Low weight only gets you so far in the quest for ultimate fuel economy; aerodynamics plays a big role. The One-Liter is long and low, coming in at 11.4 feet long, 4.1 feet wide and 3.3 feet tall. It features an aircraft-like canopy, flat wheel covers and a belly pan to smooth the airflow under the car. The engine cooling vents open only when needed, and video cameras take the place of mirrors. The passenger sits behind the driver to keep the car narrow. The car has a coefficient of drag of 0.16; the average car comes in around 0.30 and the Honda Insight had a Cd of 0.25.

As for the engine, the concept had a one-cylinder diesel engine producing 8.5 horsepower and 13.5 foot-pounds of torque. Car says the production model will use a two-cylinder turbodiesel for a little more oomph. Doubling the number of cylinders is sure to cut fuel economy, so VW may install a diesel-hybrid drivetrain. The engine turns off at stop lights to save fuel, then automatically restarts when the driver depresses the accelerator pedal.

(Update: The car reportedly has anti-lock brakes, stability control and airbags. According to Canadian Driver, “Volkswagen says the One-Liter Car is as safe as a GT sports car registered for racing. With the aid of computer crash simulations, the car was designed with built-in crash tubes, pressure sensors for airbag control and front crumple zones.”)

Lexus-Is-F-Launches-In-Japan

Lexus has released six new images of the the IS-F luxury sedan, which was first shown in January at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The car is expected to arrive in showrooms in the coming months.

The all-new 2008 IS-F will target the BMW M3 and Audi RS4, delivering more than 400 horsepower and 350 ft.-lbs. of torque from a 5.0-liter V8 engine. It will eventually be offered as a two-door coupe, as well.

Much of the development of the new IS-F took place at Fuji Speedway and the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan. The IS-F is based on the rear-wheel-drive Lexus IS, which is equipped with a double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. The IS-F engine is mated to the world’s first eight-speed “direct sport-shift” transmission. A new torque-converter lock-up control was developed that allows for a direct, crisp gear change through the constant lock-up of the torque converter in second through eighth gears.

In Drive mode, the IS-F transmission performs smoothly, and the torque converter allows for quick 0-60 acceleration in less than 4.9 seconds. The transmission also features a manual mode operated via a pair of paddles. Downshifts are accompanied by automated throttle blips to match engine RPM to vehicle speed. Heavy-duty Brembo brakes with 14.2-inch discs and six-piston calipers ensure all the power is kept under control. The IS-F features custom-designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels as standard

The-Worlds-Ugliest-Cars

A recent survey selects the worst designed cars of all time. The top pick? The AMC Pacer
By Chris Palmeri

Car geeks are generally an outspoken group. But they really put the pedal to the metal when Hagerty Insurance, a specialist in collector cars, surveyed its policyholders for their picks of the worst car designs of all time.

Here's what one connoisseur had to say the about the top pick, American Motors' Pacer: "0 to 60 in four-and-a-half hours. AMC's only conceivable excuse for this stylistic horror would be if their design crew was tripping on massive quantities of acid...and even then...it wouldn't be a good excuse."

McKeel Hagerty, CEO of the company, ordered up the survey after noticing that several of what he calls "nerd cars" were increasing in value. He says he was surprised when the Pacer-a notorious dud from the days of disco-topped the list. Hagerty bought himself a dark green 1976 Pacer three years ago for $2,300. "If anyone thinks I'm picking on Pacer owners, guess what-I am one," he says.

Here are the top 10 worst design picks, with comments, from the nearly 2,500 Hagerty customers who participated.