Latest News

Jun 27, 2006

New Mercedes CL

Mercedes' big coupe CL has been renewed. As usual, the CL is a coupe version of S-class. The main difference is a stylish 2-door body which is lower and slightly shorter in wheelbase. However, don't expect it to be lighter and quicker than the S-class. In fact, for reasons only Mercedes knows, CL500 is 55 kg heavier than the the short-wheelbase S500, while CL600 is 5 kg heavier than the long-wheelbase S600. The company claims performance figures identical to the S-class, but you know in real world which one is actually faster.

Codenamed C216, the new CL-class is more stylish than its predecessor C140 but probably not as timeless as my favourite C126 of the early 80s (by then it was still called SEC). It is characterized by a wide grille, pronounced wheelarches (like S-class) and a higher bonnet which needs to comply with European pedestrian safety law. The rear view is closer to the last generation. This is a civilized and feminine design, but in my opinion not as beautiful as Bentley Continental GT.

Ironically, its principle rival will be the Bentley. Some may say the 3-pointed star brand is not as prestigious as Bentley, some may feel its cabin design not as exclusive. In return, the Mercedes big coupe should provide a roomier cabin, especially for rear passengers, and more comfort features. It has a climate control adjustable independently for 4 zones (one zone for each occupants). It has an airy cabin thanks to the absence of B-pillars and the frameless windows. Of course, it has many comfort features, such as the super-comfortable seats with integral massager and ventilation, the COMAND in car control / entertainment system and the PRE-SAFE system (tighten seatbelt and close windows before collision).

While Bentley Continental GT provides all-wheel-drive and a twin-turbo W12 engine, the Mercedes is more traditional. It sticks with the S-class platform, i.e. rear-drive only, powered by V8 or V12. CL500 has the now familiar 388hp 5.5-litre 32V V8 and 7G-Tronic gearbox. It powers from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds. CL600 also gets the S-class' 517hp twin-turbo 5.5-litre 36V V12, good for 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. For comparison, the Bentley does that in 4.9 seconds.

AMG models will include a CL63 AMG. Of course, it is powered by the new AMG 6.2-litre V8 with 514hp on tap. Besides, there will be a CL65 AMG sharing the same 612hp twin-turbo 6.0 V12 with the last generation car. But if I can afford it, I will probably choose Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. All CL coupes will employ Active Body Control, but their sheer size and weight mean they can't challenge the Ferrari 4-seater for handling.

Model	CL500	CL600
Layout	Front-engined, Rwd	Front-engined, Rwd
L / W / H / WB (mm)	5065 / 1871 / 1418 / 2955	5065 / 1871 / 1418 / 2955
Engine	V8, dohc, 4v/cyl, VVT, var intake.	V12, sohc, 3v/cyl, twin-spark, twin-turbo
Capacity	5461 cc	5513 cc
Power	388 hp	517 hp
Torque	391 lbft	612 lbft
Transmission	7A	5A
Suspension (F/R)	4-link / multi-link active anti-roll	4-link / multi-link active anti-roll
Weight	1920 kg	2110 kg
Top speed	155 mph (limited)	155 mph (limited)
0-62 mph	5.4 sec (c)	4.6 sec (c)

Comparison with Bentley

Model	Bentley Continental GT	Mercedes CL600
Layout	Front-engined, 4wd	Front-engined, Rwd
L / W / H / WB (mm)	4804 / 1918 / 1390 / 2745	5065 / 1871 / 1418 / 2955
Engine	W12, dohc, 4v/cyl, VVT, twin-turbo.	V12, sohc, 3v/cyl, twin-spark, twin-turbo
Capacity	5998 cc	5513 cc
Power	560 hp	517 hp
Torque	479 lbft	612 lbft
Transmission	6A	5A
Suspension (F/R)	double-wishbone / multi-link air spring, ad damp	4-link / multi-link active anti-roll
Weight	2385 kg	2110 kg
Top speed	155 mph (limited)	155 mph (limited)
0-62 mph	4.9 sec	4.6 sec (c)

More photos here: Mercedes CL gallery

Jun 23, 2006

New Chrysler Sebring revealed

Yesterday Chrysler announced the new generation Chrysler Sebring. It is built on the common platform shares with the next generation Mitsubishi Lancer – a fruit of the DaimlerChrysler-Mitsubishi alliance before they split. Obviously, the Chrysler is a class larger than its Japanese relative. In North America, it will compete with Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima etc. In Europe, it will rival Ford Mondeo, Opel Vectra, Peugeot 407 and the like.

The styling is very much like a sedan version of the Crossfire coupe, especially the front end and the grooved bonnet. It has a long roof and a short tail, thus expect to have a roomy cabin. The sitting position is SUV-like, some 65mm higher than the old car. Seat layout is quite flexible: the front passenger seat can fold down to be a table. The rear seats are 60/40 split and can be folded flat. An optional sound system provides a 20GB harddisk for storing digital music.

The Lancer-based chassis is believed to ride on MacPherson struts up front and multi-link suspension at the rear. 3 gasoline engines are offered: 172hp 2.4-litre DOHC 16V (from Caliber), 190hp 2.7-litre V6 (from 300) and 235hp 3.5 V6 (detuned from 300). They couple to 4, 5 and 6-speed automatic transmission respectively. For Europe, a 140hp 2.0 turbo diesel (from Caliber) will be offered along the petrol four and smaller V6.

As before, Chrysler Sebring will have a twins sister called Dodge Stratus, expected to unveil later this year. The twins will continue to be produced in Michigan, USA. The old generation has ceased production last month, totaling 1.3 million units during its 6 years life span. The new car will need to be very good, or very cheap, to repeat that performance.

Jun 20, 2006

Proton new Satria Neo

Proton has released the new generation Satria Neo. The original Satria was born in 1994 based on Mitsubishi Colt. It was an outdated design by all means, but fortunately in 1998 Lotus developed it into the GTI version. Its good handling won praises from British press and since then caught the world's attention.

According to Proton, the new Satria Neo is built on its own platform. But everybody can have his own definition of "platform". In fact, the car has many components shared with or derived from the Gen.2. Like the latter, it rides on MacPherson struts front and multi-link rear suspensions, steered by hydraulic assistance and powered by the Lotus-developed CamPro DOHC 16V engines. The engines come in 2 levels: 1332cc with 94hp and 88lbft, 1597cc with 110hp and 109lbft. Both mate to 5-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic transmission. Note that Proton will launch the GTI version later.

The chassis of Satria Neo is shorter than Gen.2 in both overall length and wheelbase. Its body is available in 3-door form only. The styling was done by Lotus, which is modern enough to let you forget the car comes from Malaysia. The drag coefficient of 0.35 is as bad as you can get nowadays, but at least the body generates little aerodynamic lift. The monocoque chassis is said to be made of many high-strength steel to provide world-class crash protection, plus there are twin impact bars in the doors. The suspensions were tuned by Lotus, so handling should be a strength.

Those journalists having driven the car reported the car handled well, if not outstanding (we still wait for the GTI). The 1.6 CamPro engine does not feel as powerful as figures suggested, and it is quite noisy. The minimalist cabin looks Spartan, the plastics feel softer than Gen.2 but still far from world-class. The rear seats are flat and cramped.

However, build quality and reliability are hopefully better than Gen.2, as the car gets a redesigned power window and it had undergone an extensive aging test in Spain.

These days Proton is no longer setting ambitious targets. It plans to sell 2,000 to 2,500 Satria Neos a month at its home market. It will be exported to RHD markets like the UK, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand, but the numbers are likely to be limited. By the way, in the first quarter this year, local arch-rival Perodua has already taken the market leadership from Proton, with 44% market share against 30%. Undoubtedly, Proton needs some good products to improve its image desperately.

Model	Satria Neo 1.3	Satria Neo 1.6
Layout	Front-engined, Fwd	Front-engined, Fwd
L / W / H / WB (mm)	3905 / 1710 / 1420 / 2440	3905 / 1710 / 1420 / 2440
Engine	Inline-4, dohc, 4v/cyl	Inline-4, dohc, 4v/cyl
Capacity	1332 cc	1597 cc
Power	94 hp	110 hp
Torque	88 lbft	109 lbft
Transmission	5M	5M
Suspension (F/R)	strut / multi-link	strut / multi-link
Tyres (F/R)	All: 195/55R15	All: 195/50R16
Weight	1146 kg	1159 kg
Top speed	112 mph (c)	118 mph (c)
0-62 mph	12.1 sec (c)	11.5 sec (c)

Jun 20, 2006

Mazda MX-5 offers retractable roof

Mazda is to introduce a retractable metal roof version of the MX-5 roadster. Mazda is yet to release details of the car (except pictures), but Autocar reported the car adds 30kg to the kerb weight and around 10% to the price. The standard MX-5 has a manually operated fabric roof.

Jun 20, 2006

Porsche Boxster gets Cayman engines

Porsche Boxster is getting the more powerful engines from Cayman. The company has announced that the base Boxster 2.7 will be upgraded to 245hp and 201lbft (up from 240hp and 199lbft) like the recently introduced base Cayman, while Boxster S will have its 280hp / 236lbft 3.2-litre engine replaced by Cayman S' 295hp / 251lbft 3.4-litre unit. Both engines are benefited by 911's VarioCam Plus system, i.e., with the addition of 2-step variable valve lift.

The Boxster 2.7 is now capable of 160mph and 0-60 in 5.8 sec, while figures for Boxster S are 169mph and 5.1 sec.

Jun 20, 2006

Daihatsu Sonica

Daihatsu's K-cars are often function-first, so it could be a surprise to see the new Sonica. From the sporty look (note the height is only 1470mm, lower than the Kei-car's norm of 1550mm) and the lack of cabin utilities, you can see this car is designed to lure young male drivers. The same goes for mechanicals: a 64hp turbocharged 3-cylinder is the only engine on offer. Transmission is a newly developed 3-shafts CVT which is said to be more compact and more efficient.

Jun 20, 2006

Subaru Stella

Subaru Stella is expected to replace the long-serving Pleo as the company's practical Kei-car. Its tall and boxy body lacks the visual appeal of the R1 and R2, as it is clearly designed to maximize space and functionality. In the mechanical side, there are little surprises – powered by 4-cylinder engines rather than the fuel saving 3-cylinder as Suzuki and Daihatsu opted for, mated with intelligent CVT and drive either the front or all wheels. The engines are either turbocharged (64hp) or naturally aspirated but added with variable valve timing (54hp). Subaru emphasizes the Stella has all independent suspensions, unlike rivals which use torsion-beam at the rear axle. The interior looks more expensive than regular Kei-cars. It should, as Subaru charges premium for the car.

Jun 20, 2006

Diesel Audi R8 won Le Mans

Audi's R10 has become the first diesel race car to win the Le Mans 24 Hours. Driven by Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner, the R10 lapped the French circuit 380 times in 24 hours, breaking the previous record of 379 laps set by Audi R8. Now Audi has dominated the French historical event for 6 times in a row – if you take into account the 2003 winner Bentley Speed 8 which was developed by Audi.

The R10 is powered by a 5.5-litre TDI V12 with twin-turbochargers. It produces 650 horsepower and over 811 lbft of torque. The tremendous torque requires an especially strong transmission. On the plus side, the strong mid-range torque requires less gearchanges, thus improve reliability. Moreover, the fuel efficient engine (with 1600 bar common-rail direct injection) requires about 5 fewer refuels than its competitors, hence reducing pit stop time of about 6 minutes during the whole race.

In fact, Audi is not the only car maker seeing the potential of diesel engines in motor racing. Peugeot has announced it will enter next year's Le Mans with a V12 turbo diesel good for 700hp+ and 885 lbft.

So, are diesel engines really better than petrol engines in motor racing? not really. Note that the regulation of Le Mans allows diesel engines to displace 5.5 litres while petrol engines are restricted to 4.0 litres. If they are governed by the same rules, or laws of physics, petrol still has an upper hand.

Jun 20, 2006

TVR stays in Blackpool

The uncertainty over the future of TVR has been cleared, at least for now. TVR has accepted a lease deal offered by the local city council to say stay in Blackpool. The new site is only 5 miles from the old one. The move is believed to be an interim solution, as Smolenski is planning another location for the company's headquarters and a new factory capable of building 100 cars a week ( ! ). However, he said the new headquarters and factory will remain in the Blackpool area. This mean TVR will not sub-contract the production to cheaper overseas countries as suggested earlier.

Jun 12, 2006

SLK55 AMG 400hp

Surprise ! while SLK63 AMG is just around the corner, AMG has launched the final and ultimate version of SLK55 AMG. Thanks to improved intake and exhaust breathing, the 5.5-litre sohc V8 pumps out 400 hp instead of 360hp and 383 lbft instead of 376 lbft. Besides, by replacing the automatic retractable metal roof with a carbon-fiber fixed roof, accompany with racing bucket seats and the deletion of side air bags, the so-called "Special Series" is 45 kg lighter than the regular SLK55 AMG. 0-100kph (0-62mph) now takes just 4.5 seconds. (see comparison table below) Top speed remains regulated at 250kph (155 mph), but customers can pay extra to raise it to 300 kph (186 mph).

The special series also has bigger wheels, wider tires, ceramic composite brake discs (front), suspensions with stiffer springs, lower ride height and height adjustable dampers, and a tower brace in the engine compartment to strengthen the chassis. Its front fenders are wider and made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CRP). The CRP roof also lower center of gravity to benefit handling. The front bumper has larger intakes and additional side vents to feed the enlarged oil coolers

Undoubtedly, this car biases towards track use, no wonder it is priced at an eye-watering € 107,000, versus the € 65,000 regular SLK55.

Model	SLK 55 AMG 400hp	SLK55 AMG
Engine	V8, sohc, 3v/cyl, VVT, twin-spark, var intake.	V8, sohc, 3v/cyl, VVT, twin-spark, var intake.
apacity	5439 cc	5439 cc
Power	400 hp	360 hp
Torque	383 lbft	376 lbft
Transmission	7A	7A
Suspensions (F/R)	strut / multi-link	strut / multi-link
Tyres (F/R)	235/35ZR19 / 265/30ZR19	225/40ZR18 / 245/35ZR18
Kerb weight	1420 kg	1465 kg
Top speed	155 mph (limited)	155 mph (limited)
0-62 mph	4.5 sec (c)	4.9 sec (c)

Jun 9, 2006

Lotus Elise S: new entry-level engine

Since the collapse of MG Rover Lotus has lost the supply of the 120hp 1.8-litre K-series engine for its entry-level Elise. Now the engine is substituted by Toyota's mass production 1.8-litre VVT-i engine, good for 136 horsepower. 0-60 is claimed to take 5.8 seconds while top speed is 127 mph.

Now Lotus calls this entry-level car as Elise S. In UK, it is priced at £24,000. Although not quite as affordable as the original Elise (less than £20,000 in 1996), it undercuts the 190hp Elise R (previously called Elise 111R) by a substantial £6,000. The Elise R is powered by Toyota's Yamaha-built 1.8-litre VVTL-i engine with variable valve lift. In normal driving its peaky power delivery does not make a big difference from the Elise S. Both cars weigh 860 kg in dry.

Jun 9, 2006

Industry News

A6 and A8 gets FSI V8

Audi A6 and A8 now get the upgraded 4.2-litre FSI V8 from the new Q7 SUV. It produces 350 hp, up from 335 hp of the previous non-FSI version.

Prius passed milestone

At the end of April, Toyota delivered the 500,000 th Prius to customer. Born in 1997, the Prius took 9 years and 2 generations to reach this milestone. Including all other models, Toyota has sold more than 600,000 Hybrid cars worldwide, far more than its closest rival, Honda, at 150,000 units.