Geneva Debut: Rinspeed BamBoo concept

Rinspeed has announced plans to introduce the BamBoo concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

The Rinspeed BamBoo is a 'grown-up golf cart' and as the name suggests, many of its interior components are made from bamboo fibers. However this is not some kind of weight saving measure, as the idea behind the Rinspeed BamBoo was to create an open top vehicle, light and easy to maneuver, reminiscent of the 70s for people who love the summer and the beach.

Since the vehicle is called BamBoo, it’s easy to guess that the material will be found somewhere in the workings of the car. Rinspeed states that bamboo fibers are a part of major components of the interior, but we’ll probably have to wait for Geneva to get more information. In fact, we’ll have to wait until the Geneva Motor Show in March to find out a lot about this open-top vehicle. The only other information we could pull from the press release is that, if produced, this vehicle will more than likely be electric for that little bit of modernization needed for this retro design.

These are about all the details released regarding the Rinspeed BamBoo concept, the manufacturer leaving room for speculation. We're sure the Rinspeed BamBoo will be completely revealed next year.





Press Release

"BamBoo" - the Pure Roots of Mobility

The names of the concept cars from Swiss car visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht are more than marketing-driven slick onomatopoeia that polls well with focus groups. At Rinspeed names often have a deeper meaning. That is also true for the latest creation from Rinderknecht. "BamBoo" is the name of his latest ‘baby' that resembles a grown-up golf cart and is bound to evokes plenty of admiration at the next Geneva Motor Show which runs from March 3rd through 13th, 2011.

Nomen est omen - the name says it all - is immediately apparent: Many interior components are made from bamboo fibers. But the four-seater "BamBoo" takes it to a whole new level - to the Meta level so to speak: This open-top vehicle awakens the longing for sun, summer, for lightness and easiness, the desire to be at the beach. It is a reminiscence of the Seventies, of the south of France and St. Tropez. And one would expect to find Brigitte Bardot behind the wheel with playboy Gunther Sachs at her side heading towards Tahiti beach..

Anyone who might think that this is simple retro design for nostalgia's sake underestimates the boss of the Swiss concept powerhouse. Yes, Rinderknecht incorporates the automobile references of the time. But he doesn't leave it at that. He reinterprets them and evolves them into the future. And he focuses in them the yearning to get back to the roots, paired with the absolute desire to be in harmony with creation. That makes electric drive, also for the onboard foldable two wheeler for the last "mile", a must.

Anyone not blinded by horsepower orgies, chrome tinsel and top-speed frenzy should take a closer look. "BamBoo" pushes the ‘reset' button, clears the mind for a new way of thinking. It sports simple, clean lines. No bells, no whistles. Nothing is superfluous. Plain aesthetics in their purest form. As stated before and even in a figurative sense: Nomen est omen. Simply bamboo.


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Wimmer Ariel Atom

German tuner Wimmer RS has added a few extra horses to the Ariel Atom 3 that go a long way on this very lightweight car.

The vehicle has been targeted by Wimmer RS, receiving a power boost in order to deliver a top experience. The aftermarket developer has played with the turbo, fuel pump, air intake, has installed a new exhaust system that uses Rennkat components and has remapped the ECU. The vehicle’s powerplant now allows the driver to play with 340 hp and 282 Nm (208 lb-ft).

With a total weight of 469 kilos and a two-liter four-cylinder Honda engine with 300 ponies kicking under the hood, the Atom was bound to get some sort of power boost eventually. Winner RS has done that with an engine optimization software, a modified supercharger, fuel pump conversion, and sport exhaust system done together with Rennkat.

The Wimmer RS Ariel Atom is able to get from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and to 200 km/h in just 7.1 seconds. The Wimmer RS Ariel Atom features unique internal shock absorbers, a push-rods operated suspension system, and damper struts. The Wimmer RS Ariel Atom price has not been announced.




Press Release

Extra power - high performance sports car Ariel Atom 3 300 by Wimmer RS
Wimmer RS has tuned the Atom 3 300 up to 340 hp

The Ariel Atom is one of the fastest street cars, maybe the strongest sprint 4-cylinder series car in the world. The standard Atom 3 300 is driven by a turbocharged up to 300 hp two-liter four-cylinder Honda engine. With a weight of only 469 kg, it can easily keep up not only with super sports cars - after the power increase at Wimmer RS it can put some of them in the shade.

A vehicle like a rocket: only 469 kg weight, no doors, no luxury. The Atom is equipped with the unique internal shock absorbers. The suspension is operated via push-rods - the damper struts are at the top. The tube frame replaces the body. This provides rigidity, low weight and maximum safety for corner speeds.

The power increase at Wimmer RS includes the following reconstruction measures: Wimmer engine optimization software, compressor overhaul, fuel pump conversion and sport exhaust system together with Rennkat. Whopping 340 hp and 282 Nm are the result. With such powerful Japanese engine in the rear, this 469-kg rocket accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds - Atom achieved 200 km/h in just 7.1 seconds

Direct air suction sounds like a hissing, and by this modification, exhaust system with optimized back pressure from Wimmer RS allows to hide the entire power behind the seat, so you will hear a wonderful sound.

Photos by: Jordi Miranda

For more information please contact:

Wimmer Rennsporttechnik Solingen GmbH
Löhdorferstr. 231
42699 Solingen
Tel.: 0212 - 264 3000
Fax: 0212 - 264 3488
www.wimmer-rst.de
info@wimmer-rst.de


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2011 Zenvo ST1 Price

Red Sea Distribution, the sole distributor for Zenvo Automotive’s ST1, confirmed that the supercar will be coming to the United States and will carry a starting price of $1,225,000. Zenvo will only produce 15 units of the ST1 annually.

The Zenvo ST1 is powered by a 7.0 liter V8 engine that develops an unbelievable 1104 hp and 1430 Nm of torque, With a top speed of 375 km/h, this supercar manages to get from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.0 seconds. This extreme performance levels of the Zenvo ST1 are also possible thanks to its low weight and high power-to-weight ratio of 802 hp / ton.

The car makes the run to 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds and 120 in under nine seconds. Zenvo plans to make 15 ST1s per year. A Red Sea Distribution representative had this to say:


“We are very proud to be appointed the official US distributor for ZENVO, as a specialist niche market distributor we offer a service to the exotic dealer that has never been seen in the US before. We look forward to appointing new dealers and giving them the status of new car dealer for the ZENVO brand.”




Press Release

Coming to America! ZENVO ST1

The ZENVO ST1 was presented to the public for the first time at Le Mans on 12th June 2009. The overwhelmingly positive response from media, customers, experts and business partners reflects the great interest of the public.

Due to the equally positive feedback from America, ZENVO has extended distribution of the ZENVO ST1 to North America this year appointing Red Sea Distribution www.redseadistribution.com as the sole distributor.

The current model is equipped with a V8 motor. With its 1104 hp, the 1376kg two-seater can accelerate to 0-100 kmh in just 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 375kmh (electronically limted).

The ZENVO ST1 offers supreme handling with comfort levels that make the car an everyday option and a generous choice of optional extras.

Red Sea Distribution www.redseadistribution.com are already in talks with select dealers and can look forward to new dealers being announced in due course. These dealers will service North America from the east to the west coast.

A Red Sea Distribution representative made the following comments "We are very proud to be appointed the official US distributor for ZENVO, as a specialist niche market distributor we offer a service to the exotic dealer that has never been seen in the US before. We look forward to appointing new dealers and Giving them the status of new car dealer for the ZENVO brand"

Numbers to be made 15 Per Year. Pricing $1,225,000.00 US Dollars





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2011 RSC Raptor GT

Manufactured in Germany, RSC’s newest supercar sports a front-mid-engine design and is rear-wheel drive. The RSC Raptor GT is powered by a 2.6-liter rotary engine that's available in four versions, with power outputs ranging from 500 hp, to 1,200 hp. The RSC Raptor GT S is the base model, equipped with Dry Sump, it develops 500 hp. The RSC Raptor GT RS has a water-to-air turbocharger system and develops 800 hp and the RSR has a twin-turbo and outputs a massive 1,200 hp.

The Raptor GT will be sold with different spec-variants called the GT S, RS, RSR and N-spec. Depending on which model, engine configurations vary and include a water-to-air inter-cooled turbo or a bi-turbo system. The engine is coupled to an 8-speed RSC R-Shift transmission with a hydraulic shift mechanism which makes gear changes in 25 to 35 milliseconds.

Inside, the RSC Raptor GT is also said to feature a pair of seven-inch digital displays coupled with a five-inch tachometer, gear indicator and shift lights, the entire package supposedly weighing in at a claimed 2,425 pounds. RSC also plans an all-wheel drive, mid-engine project with similar specs, which seems like a lot to bite off while they still appear to be chewing on this one.

Depending on the model, the body is of 80% glass fiber or carbon fiber and differs in details in the form and aerodynamics. The interior will get two 7" full-graphic-Diyplays, high-quality materials like carbon fiber, brushed aluminum and various types of leather.





Press Release

Rotary Super Cars Germany is a young company with the goal of offering symbiosis of high performance vehicles and active environment to create new benchmarks in the areas, power efficiency, value for money or the use of high-tech materials.

Since there is no vehicle that meets all these requirements, the construction of the RSC Raptor GT™ started in 2009. Systems such as the VAS (variable aerodynamic system) were developed and brought to small series production. This vehicle meets all requirements or exceed them. With enthusiasm and passion of our team involved in the development and production of the Raptor GT™. We guarantee the best workmanship and highest individuality. The selective use of proven components increases the active/passive safety while reducing production costs, which ultimately benefits every buyer.

With the Raptor GT™, we give our customers the opportunity to experience the unique combination of high end components and environmental protection on the roads and racetracks of the world. The Raptor GT™ doesn't follow the standard in many areas, he goes a very unique way with his drive and approach design. Each vehicle is handmade and unique, which corresponds exactly to the needs and wishes of the owner.

Drivetrain:
The RSC Raptor ™ GT S, RS, RSR and N-Spec does not have a conventional drive system as used in most of today's super sports cars. He has a self-developed and heavily modified, based on parts of the Mazda 13B MSP, high-performance engine with four rotors (4-Rotor rotary engine) and, depending on the model, a water-to-air intercooled turbo or biturbo system. This engine is the heart of the RSC Raptor GT™ and gives him his very special temperament. The power output of a rotary engine uniformly grows with increasing rpm. The high-performance engine in the RSC Raptor GT™ has the redline set depending on the selected driving mode, up to 7,500 rpm or 9000 rpm. The fuel E85 is used, which is produced from rapeseed. By using this fuel to reduce the emissions by about 90% is feasible.

The sequential 8-speed RSC R-SHIFT transmission in the RSC Raptor GT™ is controlled by a hydraulic shift system with shift times of 25-35 milliseconds. Furthermore, each RSC Raptor GT™ has a carbon-aluminum drive shaft, and an electronically controlled rear axle differential.

The powertrain is controlled by an engine management system, specifically developed from Bosch Engineering GmbH for the RSC Raptor GT™, including a complete electronic system consisting of ESP, ABS, EBD, VAS, R-TRAC (traction control), R-DIFF (electronic differential) and a Launch Control. The RSC Raptor GT™ RSR and N-Spec also has an active suspension. All electronic systems can be easily operated via the buttons on the steering wheel.

Body/Chassis:
Depending on the model the body of the RSC Raptor GT™ is of 80% glass fiber or carbon fiber and differs in details in the form and aerodynamics. Furthermore a wide range of special equipment is available. Starting with the rims, complete body equipment packages up to the painting - the customer has no limits.

The RSC Raptor GT™ also has the RSC VAS™ (Variable Aerodynamic System), a system that changes the aerodynamics and the aerodynamic properties of the RSC Raptor GT™ to generate more downforce at high speeds. This system include SBS (Speed Brake System).

Interior:
The RSC Raptor GT™ has two 7" full-graphic-Diyplays, where various telemetry data such as speed, mileage, temperatures, pressures, and the chosen vehicle settings and many other data, are available. These displays create exciting visual effects that show the high-tech genes of the RSC Raptor GT™. They are placed on the left and right of the large 5" tachometer with digital gear indicator and shift light. The driver is always looking at the relevant information and driving a RSC Raptor GT™ becomes a special experience.

The cockpit offers an unique combination of high-quality materials like carbon fiber, brushed aluminum and various types of leather. Many interior equipment packages are available. There also no limits for the customer.

Production levels of the RSC Raptor GT range from the base 500 hp 2.6L 4 rotor rotary to 800 hp turbo and 1.200 hp twin turbo variants. The cars are built in Germany. They are available in left- and right-hand drive configuration.

VelociRaptor:
The second car which is currently in the construction phase. The main facts: Mid-engine, AWD, 8-speed sequential RSC R-SHIFT transmission, RSC VAS, 90% carbon fiber, over 1.200 hp and a weight under 1.100 kg.
This car will set new benchmarks...

Rotary Super Cars Germany
(+49)1511 75 500 98


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2010 Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition

English car company Caterham Cars will be releasing a special edition of the Caterham Seven later this year.

The Lambretta Special Edition uses a 1.6 liter Ford Sigma powerplant, which delivers 125 hp and 120 lb-ft of torque. The unit is matted to a five speed manual gearbox and pushes the car to 60 mph in six seconds. The trendy Caterham uses a “purposeful chassis” that allows it to offer exceptional handling.

The Caterham Seven sportcar from Lambretta features a unique body paint, a combination of red, white and blue, based on the Union Jack. The same combination is used on the decals and livery, leather seats, dash, carpets and boot allowing for a proper homage to the heritage of the U.K.


Caterham Special Edition Seven exterior features a unique paints that includes with decals that matches leather seats, dashboard, carpet and boot.

The price for this special edition is £26,995.





Press Release

LAMBRETTA'S TAKE ON A CATERHAM SEVEN

Caterham Cars has teamed up with another iconic British company, Lambretta Clothing, to give its legendary Seven sportscar a visual overhaul for a unique 2010 Special Edition.

The British-owned fashion label, which is based in London's famous Carnaby Street, has drawn on its characteristic flair and rich heritage in popular culture to create a bespoke, custom-tailored Caterham, which screams ‘Britannia'.

The body paint, decals and livery leave you in no doubt of its geographic heritage with the Union Jack's unmistakable hue of red, white and blue dressing the paintwork.

Naturally, the theme continues inside with a matching colour scheme spanning the leather seats, dash, carpets and boot. Hand-stitched seat piping, embossed Lambretta motifs and a stylish Moto-Lita steering wheel finish the interior detailing.

Under the skin, the engineering is pure Caterham.

Powered by a 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine, which pushes out 125bhp, the Lambretta Special Edition can call upon 120lbs ft of torque to propel its lightweight frame to 60mph in six seconds. The marriage of a quick-fire five-speed gearbox, with a purposeful chassis, provides the responsiveness and handling characteristics every Seven is famous for.

Available immediately, the Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition is priced at £26,995 OTR.

Lambretta's managing director, Rob Harmer explained: "Designing the exterior and interior of a car is an entirely different challenge to our core business of fashion and accessories, but there are clearly some shared philosophies between the two companies, which made this collaboration so exciting."

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Geneva 2010: NLV Quant Concept

The second generation NVL Quant made its public debut in front of media yesterday in Geneva, bringing with it what NVL Solar, its creator, calls "a breakthrough the market eagerly has been anticipating for years." While this last statement is a matter of interpretation, the Quant does bring a range of interesting features. The most exciting thing about it, however, is the promise to turn production version rather sooner than later.


Set to be production ready next year, the Quant was designed to prove "cutting-edge supercars can combine speed, comfort and enjoyment with environmental integrity." It features two different battery systems ("a long-life metal-air battery or a rechargeable redox flow cell"), four torque-vectoring electric motors, a full carbon fiber chassis, and a revolutionary thin-film coated photovoltaic body.


The Quant has some initial performance figures which would give a regular, internal combustion engined supercar, a good run for its money: 2.8 seconds 0-100 km/h acceleration time and a top speed of 377 km/h (234 mph).


The latter converts light into electricity to supply the operating electronics and the battery. While it's a bit technical, NLV says the coating has "an average photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 38%, depending on ambient conditions, and a peak performance of over 50%." More importantly, the company believes they can tune the material's absorption characteristics to create multiple layers with their own unique absorption frequency. As impressive as this is, NLV estimates the film will have a degradation coefficient of only 5-6% over 20 years.


The Quant comes with four airbags, ABS and ESP, two infotainment panels for the rear seats, zone Climate Control system, LED front and rear lights and, la piece de resistance, NLV photovoltaic thin film solar coating all over the body of the car.


More Photos



Press Release



NLV Solar AG, a pioneer in photovoltaics and accumulator technology, have joined forces to create the Quant sport. The brainchild of this marriage of power and energy is a four-seater electric car - a breakthrough the market eagerly has been anticipating for years. A prototype is to be unveiled at the Motor Show Geneva 2010, with currently working to scale up for series production.

The NLV Quant is an exciting, revolutionary automotive project. Within the coming year, the NLV Quant will be fully engineered and ready for production. You can follow the last few stages. The design, drive system, range and photovoltaics of the Quant are already spectacular and record-breaking as individual components, and we believe that together they will mark a milestone in automotive history.

Technics

The NLV Quant is proof that cutting-edge supercars can combine speed, comfort and enjoyment with environmental integrity. It implents the mobile energy technology of the future. The NLV Quant has two different battery systems, a torque vectoring with 4 electric motors and a full carbon chassis. A thin-film coated photvoltaic car body supplies the operating electronics and also supports the battery. Gull-wing doors provide easy access to all four passengers.

Carbon Chassis

A reason for the car's low weight is the utilisation of a carbon-fibre monotube backbone chassis, construction, which houses the FAES system safely inside the centreline of the car at the lowest possible position, bringing down the centre of gravity and central mass point.

Using tradition lay-up, the vacuum bag generates the pressure for consolidating the carbon plies. In RTM process there are two moulds and the pressure comes only from the resin pump. The design becomes quite critical as inner and outer skin has to be perfectly defines in order to have a designed volume matching exactly the tooling volume. The risk is to have voids generated by not precise fitting of the inner cores.

Thin Film

The NLV Quant is coated with a thin film made of pyrite, which converts light into electricity to supply the operating electronics and also support the battery. This innovative pyrite technology is cost-effective, efficient and ecological.

NLV Solar AG has developed an iron-sulphur composite semiconductor using digital prototyping, with very promising results. The research indicates:

• an average photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 38%, depending on ambient conditions, and a peak performance of over 50%

• the possibility of fine-tuning the material's absorption characteristics by modification of its crystal lattice structure using ion implantation; stacked in a multilayer thin-film cell, it would be possible to tune each layer to a different target absorption frequency

• as a thin-film cell, the material could be applied to substrates in a transparent, semi-transparent or tinted coating

• the projected degradation coefficient is only 5-6% over 20 years

Electric Power

The NLV Quant allows for the modular installation of either a long-life metal-air battery or a rechargeable redox flow cell. These are both future-oriented, secure energy sources which help give the Quant exceptional power and range.

Speed

The projected curb weight of 1680 kg is very light considering that it is a battery-powered, four-seater, luxury performance car. This is partly due to the four-motor installation- a remarkable achievement which allows the NLV Quant to deliver 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 377 km/h.

Gullwing

The gull-wing doors set the NLV Quant apart from any other four-seaters on the market. As well as being a stylish feature, they also make entry to the car more ergonomic, thanks to the lack of B-pillars. They provide easy access to both the front and rear passenger seats. The unique split side-lite feature allows either passenger to open and close the front and rear side windows separately, despite the fact that there is only one door per side.

Preliminary Specs

• Power: 600 kW ( 4x 150 kW), 800 bhp
• Rotation speed 12'000 U/min
• Torque: 1500 nm
• 0-100 km/h: 2,8 seconds
• Top speed: 377 km/h
• Curb weight: 1680 kg
• Wheelbase 3102 mm
• Track - Front: 1730 mm; rear: 1729 mm
• Wheels/tyres ? front: 245/35 - 23"; rear: 285/30 - 23" - low friction tyres
• Width: 2016 mm incl. rear-view mirrors; length: 4879 mm; height: 1335 mm
• Rear-wheel drive
• Four-wheel brake regeneration
• Minimum 4 airbags, ABS and ESP and torque vectoring
• 2 infotainment panels Adjustable rear seats
• 3 zone Climate Control system
• Generous leg room in the rear
• LED front and rear lights
• Body covered in NLV photovoltaic thin film solar coating
• Accumulator with cooling liquid (weight ca. 500kg)
• Operating voltage 420 V
• Inverter voltage 350 V
• Price: TBD

Features

• NLV Quant has two different battery systems: on the one hand, purely conventional accumulator technology with a transition metal and air mixture, and on the other hand, a pure redox flow cell

• Thin-film photovoltaic coating of car body and windows

• Torque vectoring with 4 electric motors for wheel-specific torque distribution to enhance the vehicle's agility and stability

• Full Carbon chassis and carbon body

• Minimised running and manufacturing costs thanks to new technology

• Optimised safety

• Unique/functional design, vehicle comfort and loading capacity




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Protoscar unveils its electric sports car prototype LAMPO2 at the Geneva Motor Show 2010

LAMPO2 is an electric demonstration sports car conceived by Protoscar (www.protoscar.com), a Swiss company which has been developing CleanCar projects for 23 years including consulting of OEMs, power utilities and governments. The LAMPO2 boasts "quick-charging" capability (up to 100 km range extension in just 10 minutes charging time) and will be presented at the Geneva Motor Show (2nd March 2010) on the e'mobile stand Nr. 5141.

LAMPO2 is an even more energy efficient successor to the LAMPO demonstration vehicle presented in 2009. Weight, aerodynamics and the efficiency of individual components of the BRUSA drive train have been further optimized in order to reach a world-class energy consumption of less than 100Wh/km-ton under real conditions.


LAMPO2 is equipped with 4 different charging modes:


• standard single-phase with up to 3,3kW on board charger for typical overnight home-charge,
• "control-pilot" equipped and (EDF provided) PLC single-phase with 6,6kW on board charger typical for public charging,
• standard three-phase 9,9kW on board charger typical for charging at industrial plugs (fleet-owners) and
• an interface for DC fast charging (able to transmit a max. power of 80kW), where up to 100km of additional range can be charged within just 10 minutes, by an off-board system, so that the different solutions can be compared in terms of usability and efficiency by being demonstrated in real conditions.


LAMPO2 will be shown together with different charging infrastructure solutions: a smart home charge device (developed with ALPIQ), the public charging station E-TOTEM and the quick-charging station (developed with ABB and Brusa).

LAMPO2 impressively demonstrates that electric drive-trains are mature and perform sufficiently well to be a solution for all types of vehicles, not just city cars. This includes premium cars, the segment through which most new technologies have successfully been introduced into the market.


Together with the first LAMPO (which has already been driven over 10'000 km on race tracks and public roads across Europe), LAMPO2 will be used for practical demonstrations and testing. Protoscar has repeatedly been encouraged to develop an advanced electric cabriolet for small-scale production and plans to use the LAMPO2 to evaluate this possibility. The evaluation will include discussions with potential industrial and financial partners, and an assessment of the preferences and desires of potential clients.

In addition to BRUSA, which supplies the components of the whole drive train, the main partners and sponsors of the LAMPO2 project are ALPIQ (the leading Swiss company in power generation and distribution, which is actively promoting the goal of 15% of electric vehicles in Switzerland by 2020), the German Fraunhofer Institute IAO (EV-specific features and MMI, as well as optimization of the ergonomics), ABB (DC fast-charging technology) and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.


Technical details

LAMPO2 has two electric motors (allowing it to operate as a four-wheel drive with variable torque between front and rear axle for optimal handling, safety and efficiency) with a total output of 300 kW (equivalent to 408 HP), 640 Nm (over 50% more than its predecessor!) and over 30 kWh of Lithium-Ion battery capacity. LAMPO2 features real sports-car performances: 5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, 200 km/h of max. speed and a range of over 200 km. More than enough energy for driving is produced by a remote solar plant which is installed on the roof of a farm in Tuscany, allowing a real zero-emission drive on a "Well-to-Wheel" basis.

More Photos

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Detroit Premiere: Revenge Designs Verde Supercar Teased Ahead

This year a multiple powertrain option will be announced, although the optional HP2ge hybrid engine will not be displayed due to time constraints. It is said to return 110mpg through its V8/ electric motor combination. The system makes 678Nm (500 lb-ft) of torque. Power is a respectable 294kW (400hp). But the Revenge Verde super car itself, which has apparently garnered so much interest, is set for a public display regardless.


Revenge, the manufacturer-turned-tuner based in Indiana, Ohio, is poised for its second appearance at the North American International Auto Show. Last year the company showcased the Revenge GTMR at the same event.

According to the company website the Verde will launch at a price of US$180,000 which is quite less than the Gallardo's US$250,000. Sales are scheduled to begin in July.


"That Gallardo's clutch will run US$16,800 to repair," says Peter Collorafi, President and CEO. "Ours will be done with domestic vendors and labour and run US$3,200. That's a niche we want to fill."
Tom Dupont from the Dupont Registry will speak regarding the kind of international interest the super car has had when the Detroit curtains drop.
More Photos


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2011 BMW ALPINA B7 Sedan

BMW returns legendary ALPINA badge to North America

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - January 8, 2010... BMW of North America announced today that the 2011 BMW ALPINA B7 sedan will join BMW's North American product range as the most dynamic 7 Series model. The BMW ALPINA B7 represents the second generation of ALPINA automobiles based on the BMW 7 Series to be offered in the US. The first BMW ALPINA B7 was offered as a limited edition for the 2007 and 2008 model years. Newly interpreted and based on the current BMW 7 Series platform, the B7 will again set the benchmark in terms of performance, refinement, technology, luxury and exclusivity.
Yielding exquisite levels of power and torque from the twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter V8, and in conjunction with the electronically-adjustable suspension with active roll stabilization, the new B7 promises to offer a spectrum of driving experiences so broad as to be unheard of in this class of automobiles. The evolution of the traditional 20-spoke 21" ALPINA CLASSIC wheels underline the fresh design language found throughout the B7 and impart it a distinctive appearance and powerful stance.
Both short- and long-wheelbase models will be offered. The BMW ALPINA B7 will make its North American premiere at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show in February, and go on sale at authorized BMW Centers in Spring of 2010. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.


ALPINA and BMW. A history of synergy.
ALPINA - a name famous in Europe and the wider world for putting a particular performance accent on BMWs, though not yet so well-known in North America. BMW - a name famous all over the world for motor vehicles of performance, quality, luxury and safety.
The two companies, both at home in the German state of Bavaria, have a long history of working together to produce special BMW automobiles. Burkard Bovensiepen, son of the founder of ALPINA Business Machines and an enthusastic racing driver/engineer, began his automotive career path in 1961 by developing a dual-carburetor setup for the just-introduced BMW 1500 sedan. It was a predictive beginning: to take an already fine-performing BMW (which also just happened to be a practical sedan) and making it perform even better.
By 1964, BMW had officially recognized ALPINA's contribution to BMW performance. Not long thereafter, Burkard Bovensiepen founded the ALPINA company - ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen KG - that continues today, creating special versions of BMW automobiles that offer a particular brand of performance for discriminating auto enthusiasts. Yet outside the circle of dedicated BMW enthusiasts, ALPINA has kept a low profile in North America. In addition to racing versions of BMWs, ALPINA has developed a progression of BMW-based cars based on 3, 5, 6, 8, Z4 and Z8 models and offered them on a limited-production basis. ALPINA is located in the small Bavarian city of Buchloe, some 50 miles southwest of Munich, BMW's headquarters city and the capital of Bavaria.
The B7 is the newest manifestation of the unique BMW-ALPINA synergy - once again based on the BMW 7 Series luxury sedan. Currently, BMW offers ultra-performance models of its 3, 5, 6, X5 and X6 Series developed by BMW M, BMW's own performance subsidiary. For an ultra-performance version of the 7 Series - a vehicle defined by luxury and generous interior space - something other than "M" performance character was called for.
In recent models, ALPINA has concentrated on delivering very high levels of performance with moderate rpm ranges and automatic transmission. Most appropriately, the new BMW ALPINA B7 applies this philosophy to the newest 7 Series to produce a luxury sedan of stunning performance. "A 7 Series Beyond," one might say.


Powertrain
The B7 sedan is equipped with BMW's twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter, all-aluminum, High Precision Direct Injection V-8 engine which has been enhanced by ALPINA and is capable of producing 500 (373kW) horsepower and 516 lb-ft (700Nm) of torque. This rear-wheel drive performance/luxury Sedan achieves 0-60 mph in 4.5 sec. With maximum torque available across an unusually broad engine range, from 3,000 to 4,750 rpm, the B7 accelerates effortlessly from virtually any speed.
The two turbochargers operate in parallel, with generously-dimensioned turbine vanes measuring 44mm in diameter. Thorough exploitation of the engine's potential was achieved by means of optimizing the indirect intercooler (air-water/water-air) with its short intake paths and flow-optimized intercooler tracts. All three intercoolers, the low-temperature intercooler integrated into the radiator package, as well as the two near-engine intercoolers are enlarged by approximately 35%, ensuring very high thermodynamic efficiency. High-performance pistons have been specified to withstand the thermodynamic forces created by a 9.2:1 compression and a maximum turbo boost of 1.0 bar. The result is a formidable specific output of 115hp (85kW) per liter, with a maximum average compression of 20.1 bar, a benchmark even amongst established sports cars.
This wide power band coupled with the six-speed sport automatic transmission gives the driver remarkably high levels of power and capability in every driving situation. The ALPINA SWITCH-TRONIC transmission control offers tailored shift characteristics for every driver and situation thanks to its Sport and Manual modes. To manually select the gears of the automatic transmission, the driver may use buttons found on the back of the ALPINA-tailored steering wheel. This results in shifts which take place in a few hundred milliseconds with minimal power interruption.
Ending in two polished double-tailpipes, the stainless-steel ALPINA exhaust system offers up that deep and sonorous yet not intrusive V8 sound that enthusiasts have come to expect from ALPINA.


Chassis & Suspension
The BMW ALPINA B7 builds on the state-of-the-art adaptive suspension technologies of the 7 Series, including tuned Dynamic Damping Control and Active Roll Stabilization, to the demanding requirements of a high performance sedan. Long gone are the days when a purely "hard and sporty" ride was a sought-after attribute of suspension set-ups. Striving for truly neutral handling continues to be the goal, yielding the best of what is technologically feasible. In pursuit of this goal, shorter and uniquely calibrated springs reduce front and rear ride height by 15mm and 10mm respectively. Dynamic Damping Control and Active Roll Stabilization enable the driver to select from three distinct suspension set-ups: Comfort, Normal and Sport. These are intentionally calibrated to provide noticeably different set-ups, influencing the characteristic of the dampers, the Active Roll Stabilization as well as the parameters of the power steering assist, throttle response algorithms and load-reversal damping. The Sport-Plus mode automatically shifts the Dynamic Stability Control system into Dynamic Traction Control (DTC). This allows noticeably more slip at the driven wheels and delayed intervention by the traction control system.
Together with the 21" wheel and tire combination, the suspension is at once sensitive to inputs and direct in its feel, yet free from the harshness of a purely sports-oriented suspension. The light-weight 21" wheels, with their new interpretation of the ALPINA CLASSIC wheel design, are shod with a specially selected staggered MICHELIN PS2 tire set-up: 245/35 R21 front and 285/30 R21 rear.
The result is that the BMW ALPINA B7 captures an agility associated with much smaller sedans, while preserving the ride quality associated with the BMW 7 Series.


Design
The B7 sedan is finished with ALPINA aerodynamic developments, including front and rear spoilers which not only enhance the appearance but also improve stability and performance at high speeds. In true "form-follows-function" fashion, the ALPINA front integrates the fresh-air requirements of the transmission and engine oil coolers, which are separated out of the main cooler module for improved efficiency. The spoilers reduce lift at the front by 30% and rear by15%. The exhaust system's two double tailpipes are seamlessly integrated into the rear bumper. The newest evolution of the traditional 20-spoke ALPINA CLASSIC wheels gives the B7 a distinctive appearance and powerful stance.
The interior of the B7 sedan features ALPINA blue illuminated door sill trims, the SWITCH-TRONIC steering wheel in hand-stitched LAVALINA leather, and the Black-Panel LCD screen instrument cluster branded with ALPINA. Exclusive interior luxury wood trim in the form of Myrtle Burl, a knotted burl of the Laurel only found on the Pacific Coast of the United States, provides a warm and traditional ambience. Optional ALPINA Piano Lacquer interior trim with its silver diagonal rhombs, offers a modern alternative.
The full complement of BMW 7 Series exterior colors remains available, in addition to the signature ALPINA Blue metallic paint.
Discreet metal ALPINA emblems adorn the upper seatbacks of the standard leather Comfort seats and are inlayed in the wood trim. An additional ALPINA plaque indentifying the car is mounted on the inner roof panel just ahead of the sunroof. Even the engine bay carries a subtle signature by tidily presenting itself with a newly-designed ALPINA engine cover.


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