Latest News

Feb 11, 2006

Lotus Exige S adds supercharger

From these pictures, the new Exige S looks no different from the existing Exige, apart from a centrally located oval exhaust. In fact, it adopts a supercharged engine derived from the track car 240R - base on the Toyota 1.8 VVTL-i engine, added a Roots type supercharger to boost output to 218 hp at 7800 rpm (up from 190hp) and 159 lbft (from 133 lbft). As a result, performance improved to 148 mph and 0-60 in 4.1 sec.

Unlike the limited edition 240R, the Exige S is a production car and fully type approved for sold in EU countries and Asia countries. However, it won't be available to the US.

Feb 10, 2006

Ghosn to tackle Renault's own problems

After leading Nissan a successful revival, Carlos Ghosn is now tackling the problems at the parent company Renault. On Wednesday, Renault announced its 2005 financial results. As expected, it lost market share in Europe, dropping operating profit by 37% to EUR 1.32 billion. As a result, the once outstanding operating margin fell from 5.2% to 3.2%.

To revive Renault, Carlos Ghosn announced a revival plan called "Renault Commitment 2009" at the same time. Like his former "Nissan Revival Plan" and "Nissan 360", he set out some very clear targets to motivate his people:

1) By 2009, achieve an operating margin of 6%.
2) Increase sales by 800,000 cars by 2009.
3) Reduce reliance on the European market, increase non-European sales from 27% to 37% of total sales.

To realize these targets, Ghosn plans to introduce 26 new models (including variants, of course) during the period 2007-09, doubling from the current pace. This will bring down the average age of its product lineup and hopefully be more attractive to buyers. It will expand the low price Logan range and the Samsung range to attract more sales outside Europe, while its weakest mid-size and luxury car segment will be strengthened - an uneasy task, good luck !

Of course, Le Cost Killer won't forget to include cost cut in the revival plan. He plans to push the suppliers to reduce purchasing costs by 14%, push his people to reduce manufacturing costs by 12%, lift the factory capacity utilization from 60% to 75%, reduce distribution costs by 8% and logistics costs by 9%. Reduce cost will keep price low and make customers happy, but less pleasing to us is that Ghosn will limit the R&D spending to 11.5% of revenue, meaning the future Renault cars will continue to be conservative in technology.

Now I am guessing whether Renault will abandon its F1 program. It had no image linking to Renault's civilized cars, and Ghosn has never been a supporter to motor racingâ€¦

Feb 9, 2006

Dodge Caliber SRT4 boosts 300hp !!

The outgoing Neon SRT-4 was a pocket rocket. Now as Neon has been replaced by Caliber, the new SRT4 is also revealed. At a glance, the Caliber SRT4 seems using the same engine as its predecessor - both of them are turbocharged 2.4-litre four-pot, but in fact they have no relationship at all. Like the regular Caliber, the new SRT4 employs the new World Engine jointly developed by Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Hyundai. It differs from the old Mitsubishi-based engine by using all aluminum construction, twin-cam, dual VVT and twin-balancer shafts. A turbocharger and intercooler boosts its power to an astonishing 300hp at 6000rpm, while a flat torque curve returns 260 lbft continuously from 2000 to 6000rpm. This is far more than Neon SRT-4 (215hp initially, then upgraded to 230hp finally).

The new engine mates with a 6-speed gearbox instead of the previous 5-speeder. Best of all, it finally got a limited-slip differential to help transferring the power through its front wheels to the road. Yes, this is the most powerful front-drive hot hatch in the world. For comparison, Alfa Romeo 147GTA has "only" 250hp.

Brakes are equally impressive because they come from the 300C Hemi. The front discs measure 340mm diameter while the rear discs measure 302mm. 19-inch wheels are shod with 225/45 tires.

At 1447kg, Caliber SRT4 is about 100kg heavier than its predecessor, but its superior power allows it to do 0-60 in just 5.9 seconds. Nevertheless, top speed is likely to be compromised by the horrible Cd of 0.40.

Feb 9, 2006

Lexus ES renewed

The Lexus ES has been renewed. Sadly, it continues to be a repackaged, more upmarket version of Toyota Camry rather than a real Lexus. This mean it continues to ride on all-strut suspensions like its sister car. Apparently, Toyota wants to retain its civilized manner to serve the more conservative and older customers. This differ it from the similarly sized and priced Lexus IS, which appeals to keener drivers. Toyota expects to sell 70,000 units annually in its main market, the North America. Adding this to the 50,000 units of IS could exceed the BMW 3-series sold there.

Like the new Camry, its wheelbase is boosted by 2 inches compare with the old car, while width is increased by 1 inch. Expect the cabin to be more spacious. NVH level is reduced further by employing an electronic-controlled engine mount which reduce vibration at engine startup, and the use of new suspension-mounting subframe made of stamped steel instead of cast iron.

Like Camry and Avalon, the ES is now powered by a 3.5-litre VVT-i V6, giving it the name ES350. It produces 272hp and 254 lbft, slotting between Camry (268hp) and Avalon (280hp), but noticeably less powerful than IS350 (306hp). This is partly because it does not have direct injection. Anyway, mating a standard 6-speed automatic it can do 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, quick enough for its civilized buyers.

Feb 9, 2006

Lincoln Zephyr 3.5 becomes Lincoln MKZ

Lincoln Zephyr is now available with Ford's new 3.5 Duratec V6. The all-aluminum engine has 2-stage variable intake manifolds and intake VVT to produce 250hp and 240lbft, superior to the existing 3.0 Duratec but not very impressive for its size. It mates with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and drive the front wheels, or optional Haldex AWD system.

Well, we have learnt this long ago. What makes the headline is the change of name. Instead of Zephyr, Lincoln will call it MKZ - or pronounced "Mark Z". This reveals the brand is to resurrect its old nomenclature which gave birth to nameplates such as Mk II, MK III, Mk V, Mk VII, Mk VIII etc. However, the new nomenclature will use an alphabetic letter instead of Roman number. (Another example is the MKS sedan recently shown in Detroit motor show) For the current model year, the 3.0-litre Zephyr will still be called Zephyr, but from next year all Zephyr will be renamed to MKZ.

Feb 9, 2006

Daewoo Tosca / Chevy Epica

The outgoing Daewoo mid-size car Magnus / Evanda has been renewed. The new car is called Tosca at Korea, or Chevrolet Epica in the US and European market.

Measuring 4805mm long, 1810mm wide, 1450mm tall and with a 2700mm wheelbase, the Tosca falls in the same segment as Ford Mondeo, Opel Vectra, Volkswagen Passat, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Magentis and Samsung SM5 (Nissan Teana). However, at its home market it was sold even cheaper than the Sonata, no wonder initial sales is found very good. It helps Daewoo overtaking Kia as the country's second best selling brand in recent months.

Mechanically, the Tosca differs little from its predecessor. There is no discernible difference in their sizes, nor the powertrain layout. It continues to employ a transversely mounted straight-6 engine displacing 2.5 litres and producing a modest 155hp. However, the smaller Holden-sourced 2.0-litre four-cylinder has been replaced by a 2.0-litre version of the straight-6, which produces 142hp. Besides, it got a competitive common-rail turbo diesel 2.0-litre four-cylinder from Italian diesel engine specialist VM Motori. The unit employs variable geometry turbocharger to produce 150hp. Gearbox is either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic.

Feb 9, 2006

Industry News

Galant Ralliart

Everybody knows the American Mitsubishi Galant is hardly a driver's car. Mitsubishi also know this. That's why it has released a Ralliart version with sportier tuning. The iron-block 3.8 V6 has been tuned from 230hp to 258hp, thanks to MIVEC variable valve timing and lift (like Eclipse). The automatic gearbox has been upgraded to 5-speed plus manual control. 235/45R18 tires and sport suspensions complete the package. Is that enough? probably not.

Ford GT and Lincoln LS to end production this year

Ford announced it will end production of the slow-selling Lincoln LS this April, as its Wixom assembly plant will be closed as part of the "Way Forward" rescue plan. On the other hand, the low volume Ford GT will also phase out within this way. So far only 1500 cars were built since its introduction in late 2004.

2005 USA best selling cars and trucks

1.	Ford F-series (truck)	901,463 units
2.	Chevrolet Silverado (truck)	705,980 units
3.	Toyota Camry	431,703 units
4.	Dodge Ram Pick-up (truck)	400,543 units
5.	Honda Accord	369,293 units
6.	Toyota Corolla	341,290 units
7.	Honda Civic	308,415 units
8.	Nissan Altima	255,371 units
9.	Chevrolet Impala	246,481 units
10.	Chevrolet Trailblazer (truck)	244,150 units

Proton back to seek help from Mitsubishi

After the joint venture plan with Volkswagen vanished, Proton is back to seek help from its ex-partner Mitsubishi. It has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi for technical partnership (espect the latter will transfer technologies and supply components like it did before), but no more share holding due to Mitsubishi's own financial problem.

Feb 3, 2006

New Volvo S80 arrives !

The new Volvo S80 arrives ! From the first pictures the new car looks more dynamic than the outgoing S80 and simultaneously more elegant. Its exterior design is an evolution of the company's current styling theme, with strong resemblance to S40 around the nose and S60 at the fast C-pillars and square tail.

Inside, the cabin continues to emphasize an inviting and user-friendly environment. The "floating" center console from S40 looks cool yet functional, matching the "Scandinavian luxury" claims. The S80's cabin is expected to excel in ergonomics and safety. Its crash safety is guaranteed by a strong survival cell and the transverse engine which enables a large crumple zone. Active safety features include steering headlamps and cruise control with collision warning.

In the company's tradition, the large Volvo is built on a transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive platform. Like the outgoing car, it offers an optional AWD system using a Haldex electromagnetic clutch to deliver power to the rear wheels in case of need. The suspension is similar to S60 - struts up front and multi-link at the rear. The Four-C continuous adaptive damping of S60R is also available in S80.

For the first time, the big Volvo is available with a V8 engine. It is the Yamaha-developed-and-built 4.4-litre V8, already seen in XC90. Good for 315hp and 324 lbft, it is even more punchy than PAG's Jaguar V8. Moreover, the special, 60-degree V8 is very compact thus fits into the S80's engine bay transversely.

New inline-6 engine

However, the biggest news is not the V8, but a new 3.2-litre straight-6. While other car makers had switched to V6s long ago, Volvo persists in straight-6 because from which the next generation straight-5 engines can be derived cost effectively. Moreover, transversely-mounted straight-6 occupies less length in the engine compartment thus allows better crash performance.

Transverse straight-6 are normally very wide, in addition to the transverse gearbox they are usually impossible to be fitted into the car. Therefore Volvo designed the new straight-six to be especially compact. On the one hand, it employs small bore (84mm) and long stroke (96mm) to reduce the distance between cylinders. On the other hand, it relocates the ancillaries such as power steering pump and air con compressor to above the gearbox and drive them via gears by the end of the crankshaft, thus eliminating the front-end drive of ancillaries. The gear system employs an intermediate shaft inside a hollow drive shaft to save space. One of them feeds the ancillaries and the other feeds the camshafts via chains. In this way, the entire engine measures just 625mm in transverse direction, just 3mm wider than the existing 5-cylinder engine. It therefore allows the use of a 6-speed automatic gearbox - the old S80 employed only a 4-speed automatic because of space problem.

The 3192cc engine has aluminum head and block, twin-cam 24 valves, a 3-stage intake manifolds and variable valve timing. It produces 238 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 236 lbft at 3500 rpm.

Note that the variable valve timing system is not a normal one. Its design is EXACTLY the same as Porsche's Variocam Plus system. This consists of a continuous variable cam-phasing and a 2-stage cam profile switching system. Each intake valve is driven by 3 cam lobes (see the illustration in the photo gallery), the inside lobe has low lift, slow timing profile while the outer two lobes have high lift, fast timing profile. They are used at low rev and high rev respectively. For its theory you can see the Porsche Variocam Plus section in AutoZine Technical School. Is that meaning Porsche gave a helping hand in the development of the engine? very possibly. Remember, the outgoing modular inline-6 / inline-5 engine family was also developed by Porsche.

The inline-6 will be built at Ford's Bridgend engine plant in the UK. Its presence won't be limited to S80, as its size fits even the S40 ! expect the next generation S60 could also be benefited by the engine. Earlier report said there will be two turbocharged derivatives to be produced, one pumps out 285hp and another 350hp. It seems that the Yamaha V8 is only an interim solution. It could be eventually replaced by the turbocharged inline-6.

Apart from the V8 and inline-6, the new S80 is available with two smaller engines: a 200hp / 221 lbft 2.5-litre light-pressure turbo inline-5 and a 185hp / 295 lbft 2.4-litre turbo diesel inline-5. Both are derived from the existing engines.

The new S80 will make debut in next month's Geneva motor show. Volvo hopes to sell 50,000 units a year.

S80 photo gallery

Feb 3, 2006

Brera Cabriolet: Spider

This is Alfa Romeo Spider, the cabriolet version of Brera. It will be powered by either a 185hp 2.2 JTS engine or 260hp 3.2 V6 like Brera, but without turbo diesel. More details will be available when the Spider is shown at Geneva motor show.

Feb 3, 2006

Opel GT is Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice GXP

Left: new Opel GT; Right: the original 1968 Opel GT

Opel is reviving the "GT" label, which sold 100,000 cars from 1968-1973. The new Opel GT replaces the Lotus-built Speedster to be the company's only sports car. From the picture you can easily see it is a badge-engineered Saturn Sky, which in turn is a badge-engineered Pontiac Solstice. Underneath all three cars are the same Kappa platform, thus with little surprise the Opel is built in the USA together with its sisters. The Opel version employs a 260hp 2.0-litre turbocharged Ecotec engine with dual VVT and direct injection like the high-power Solstice GXP, but its exterior styling is the same as Saturn Sky except the badge. In fact, both cars took inspiration from Simon Cox's 2003 Vauxhall Lightning concept car.

Feb 3, 2006

SL55 and SL65 AMG facelifted

The AMG models of SL, SL55 AMG and SL65 AMG, have received a facelift recently. SL55 has its engine uprated to 517hp and 531 lbft (from 500hp and 516 lbft) by reprogramming. SL65, on the other hand, has its 612hp twin-turbo V12 unchanged. Both cars now features restyle aero kits and ceramic composite brakes.

Feb 3, 2006

Industry News

Fiat back to profit

After 17 consecutive quarters of loss, Fiat Auto finally returned to profit in the fourth quarter last year. Though the E21 million profit is slim, it signals the revival of the Italian giant.