Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400
Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 will be released in limited edition of just 75 units. The car is the result of one of the most interesting collaborations in recent times. This is the first Cosworth-developed road car since 1996, when Ford Escort Cosworth was discontinued. STI CS400 will be thrill of a lifetime for few happy owners.
Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 is one of the most powerful hatchbacks on the market. It is powered by 2.5 litre four-cylinder turbocharged Boxer engine developing 400ps. Thanks to Cosworth’s extensive Formula 1 experience, this engine produces 33 per cent more power than originally from the factory. The power is put on the road through six-speed manual gearbox. The acceleration is astonishinrg – 3.7 seconds to 100 km/h and top speed of 155 mph ( electronically limited). The car covers a quarter mile in 12.75 seconds at a terminal speed of 107 mph.
All main components in the car are specially tuned from Cosworth. It features revised turbo system, sports exhaust, suspension, brakes and wheels and some improvements to the exterior and interior to make STI CS400 even more exclusive.
Subaru Coswroth Impreza STI CS400 is developed for UK market, so the car is in right-hand drive form. It is available in a choice of three exterior colours – Spark Silver, Dark Grey and San Remo Red.
STI CS400 is priced at £49 995 on-the-road.
Audi A5 Sportback
Audi is presenting a new vehicle concept – the Audi A5 Sportback. The five-door model with the long, flowing rear end unites the best of various vehicle genres: the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. The Sportback joins the Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the A5 model family.
The A5 Sportback will be rolling into Audi dealerships in September featuring an emotion-packed design, high everyday practicality, a sporty character and engines that are as efficient as they are powerful. Sales have already begun, with prices starting at 33,650 euros. A further, specially-priced model to follow in 2010 will make the A5 Sportback the entry-level model in the A5 model series.
Audi, the inventor of the Avant, is setting new trends in design with the A5 Sportback. The five-door coupe is defined by elegant lines. It is 36 millimeters (1.42 in) lower than the A4 Sedan; with its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it is the very picture of sporty elegance.
The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars; the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 480 liters (16.95 cu ft) nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and increases to 980 liters (34.61 cu ft) with the rear seats folded down.
The A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. All of the engines are highly-efficient direct injection models – TDI for the cultivated diesels, FSI for the gasoline engines – and all comply with the Euro 5 emissions standard. All models are equipped with a recuperation system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration and stores it temporarily in the battery.
Audi is initially offering three gasoline and three TDI engines, with three more engines to follow by mid-2010. The gasoline engines – the two-liter TFSI with 132 kW (180 hp) or 155 kW (211 hp) and the 3.2-liter V6 with 195 kW (265 hp) – are equipped with the Audi valvelift system for variable control of valvelift. The intelligent technology boosts performance while simultaneously reducing fuel consumption. The gasoline-powered models are equipped with the innovative, seven-speed S tronic transmission for lightning-fast gear changes.
The 2.0 TDI produces 125 kW (170 hp) and consumes on average a frugal 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 km (45.23 US mpg). It is coupled with the start-stop system, which further enhances fuel efficiency in city traffic. The 140 kW (190 hp) 2.7-liter TDI offers even more power. The 3.0 TDI, which also features the S tronic, puts out an impressive 176 kW (240 hp).
Like the two gasoline engines, the top diesel engine delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The two most powerful engines are optionally available with the newly developed sport differential, which variably distributes power between the rear wheels and provides even greater dynamics, driving pleasure and safety. The two TDI models with front-wheel drive, the 2.0 TDI and the 2.7 TDI, benefit from another Audi innovation: The ESP stabilization program with electronic front differential lock increases agility and prevents understeer.
BMW N55: Turbo, Valvetronic, and Direct Injection in ONE!
You surely must remember the ad wars between Audi and BMW from a couple of years ago! Either that or you probably came by this article opening your older brother’s laptop. Either way, the outcome was somewhat unsatisfying due to Subaru’s spin on the matters, when they took advantage of their International Engine of the Year 2006 Award to rub it in the face of the Bavarian teasers. Needless to say, this caused a mass sleeping disorder in the otherwise peaceful beer-loving town of Munich. Obviously, all of the sleepless nights were spent on activities different from lager-drinking, as BMW won the award the next two years, in big part thanks to one special engine: the N54 Bi-Turbo.
Being the bearers of 47 awards from the above-mentioned contest, BMW have exactly 24 more than the second best in the 11-year history of the competition – Honda. Ironically, the latter has also been branded by some as “the Japanese BMW. ”Ze Germans are so far ahead, in fact, that they already have the replacement for the N54 Bi-Turbo engine, which is an inline-6 with 3.0 liters of displacement, and makes 306 horsepower in its original guise. So that’s it: they are changing a basically three-year old engine, which has won the International Engine Awards consecutively in ‘08 and ’09 and is being used with great success in most of their models? Was?*
Well, it would be strange if the reason was anything less than the new N55 turbo engine, which is going to make its serial debut in the BMW GT 5 series, a 2010 model. It is an engine, which is an inline-6 with 3.0 liters of displacement, and makes… uuugh… 306 horsepower in its original guise. Wirklich? **
Smart fortwo Pulse
Smart fortwo Pulse is a new, sharper and sportier model of the renowned urban mini, which will hit the brand dealerships this April. Fitted with a fresh, newly-styled front and rear aprons and side skirts, the Smart Pulse also hosts a sport s package as standard.
On its outer styling, the customers will be further pleased by the all-new 3-double-spoke alloy wheels with wide tyres measuring 175/55 R 15 at the front and 195/50 R 15 at the rear.
Door mirror caps and radiator grille in black have also boasts a freshened vision, while the car will be offered as both, coupe and cabrio.
Inside the cozy cabin, the Smart fortwo Pulse comes with a 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with additional shift paddles which make shifting with manual softip gearshift a real pleasure. The black fabric/ leather look of the upholstery and the pearl black contrast components underline the dynamic appearance.
2011 Porsche 911 Black Edition
Porsche is expanding its 911 range with the exclusive addition of a new special model – the 2011 Porsche 911 Black Edition. Based upon the renowned Carrera with the 3.6-liters power unit, the new 911 Black Edition will be launched in the spring of 2011 as both, Coupe and Cabriolet. Only 1,911 Porsche 911 Black Edition are scheduled to leave the brand’s assembly line, while the price of the ride in Germany will be 85,538 Euro for the Coup and 96,843 Euros for the Cabriolet version, including VAT.
Painted in black (of course), the 911 Black Edition is highlighted by 19-inch 911 Turbo II bi-color alloys contrasted by black, four-piston aluminum monobloc fixed calipers. The windscreen of the ride has grey top-tint and a title “Black Edition” on the stainless steel door entry guards hints the exclusive character of the athletic beast. The cabin ambience is rounded off with same black as the outer dress and high-quality partial leather seats are also added.
Furthermore, the 911 Black Edition enhanced equipment pack benefits from a BOSE Surround Sound-System, parking assistant, cruise control, automatic anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors and a rain sensor.
In the terms of power, a typical Carrera flat-six cylinder engine is mounted, delivering 345 horsepower (245 kW) at 6,500 revolutions. It is linked to a six-speed gearbox and tops max speed of 289 km/h. Thanks to these values, the Coupe hits 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds flat, while the Cabrio accelerates the classic sprint in 5.1 seconds.
2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible
Chrysler has just released the first photos and details on its 2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible, an exciting drop-top version of its recently premiered, staggering mid-size sedan Chrysler 200. Outlined by the same high-end details inside and out, the new open-air addition offers an abundance of standard safety features and an extraordinary level of standard content.
The new Chrysler 200 Convertible is aimed specially at drivers demanding for both, the benefits of the real coupe and the true open-air freedom of the convertible. It is available with two automatically latching tops, a body-color painted steel, retractable hard top, or a cloth soft top.
The interior ambience of the ride showcases an exclusively high level of detailing and craftsmanship, it packs innovative features including an available media center with voice command that is easy to use and offers SIRIUS Satellite Radio, a 30 gigabyte HDD/CD/DVD/MP3 radio with SIRIUS Travel Link, which provides real-time information.
For the new model year, the fresh convertible also has an enhanced powertrain line-up – a new 3.6-liters Pentastar V6 unit with remarkably balanced figures and the proven 2.4-liters I4 World Gas engine, both linked to a six-speed transmission.
Speed Box Camaro SS Black Cat
Chevrolet Camaro SS Black Cat is the latest conversion made by the Speed Box car workshop, which blends remarkably the exclusivity of the renowned American muscle with the German strength and top quality.
Looking extremely powerful, the Camaro SS Black Cat sports a tweaked 6.2-liters V8 plant that produces the amazing 625 horsepower thanks to the addition of a special Speed Box compressor kit and a Borla stainless steel exhaust half-system. In order to keep up with the new power kick, Speed Box has also fitted the enhanced pony ride with H&R coilovers and stabilizers.
In the terms of eye-pleasing, the modest German specialist has finished the car with matt black body paint emphasizing the cat-like manner of the Chevy, and further has wrapped it in phenomenal 22-inch alloys Schmidt Revolution Rhino with 265/30-R22 and 295/25-R22 tires.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S is the purist sport automaker’s latest addition, which benefits from a long list of newly developed driver-focussed features all aimed at providing customers with more exciting experience, power and dynamics.
Inspired by the 2011 Vantage GT4 race car and already available for order at the Aston Martin official dealer network, the amazing Aston Martin V8 Vantage S sports an enhanced version of the 4.7-liters V8 engine which now delivers the staggering 430 horsepower (321 kW) at 7300 revolutions and 490 Nm (361 lb-ft) of peak torque at 5000 rpm. In addition to the higher figures, the super sport athlete also hosts a new ground-up developed Sportshift II transmission with seven short ratio gears that delivers the most engaging and intense driver involvement.
Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin shares: “The Vantage S epitomises every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before. It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range.”
Besides the new drivetrain upgrades, the “S”-badged Vantage showcases larger diameter front brake disc with new six-piston front brake calipers, all-new springs and dampers, wider rear wheels, as well as new dynamic stability control (DSC) system. Standard features also include Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) which provides assistance in emergency braking situations and Hill Start Assist (HSA).
On its exterior, the Vantage S has a new, lower, carbon-made front bumper with larger air intake, re-styled rear bumper and side sills, extended deck lid and a new 19-inch ‘V’ spoke rims wrapped in high-performance tyres.
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage S is available as both, coupe and Roadster, but unfortunately the price tags are still mystery.