VOLKSWAGEN PROFITS ALMOST QUADRUPLE IN Q1
Volkswagen AG posted a profit of €1.71 billion (R16.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2011. That is up from €473 million (R4.6 billion) during the same period in 2010. It’s all at the back of revenues amounting to €37.5 billion (R368.2 billion). China seems to be the driving force behind VW’s success, along with former BRIC countries. South Africa recently joined the group to form BRICS.
In the first 3 months of the year, the German company sold 1.97 million vehicles globally. Sales are coming from all fronts, including the Polo, Tiguan, Audi A1 and Audi Q5.
It wasn’t all rose beds though as Bentley and Seat still experienced losses, albeit on a much smaller scale than last year. The super luxury brand posted €25 million (R245.4 million) negative numbers, while Seat, which pulled out of Mzansi in 2008, lost €12 million (R117.8 million), down from €110 million (R1 billion) in 2010.
NEW PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS 4.0 BURSTS OPEN
Porsche has announced that only 600 of its brand new 911 GT3 RS 4.0 will come off the production line. Track-inspired and featuring the most powerful naturally aspirated 911 of all time, the GT3 RS 4.0 features a flat-six engine displacing, you guessed it, 4.0-litres and pushing out 368kW past the centrally-mounted twin exhaust pipes.
Porsche saw it fit to connect it to a 6-speed manual gearbox which sends power and torque exclusively to the rear wheels. The result is said to be a 0 – 100km/h sprint of 3.9 seconds and is claimed to lap the famed Nürburgring’s Nordschleife in a devastating 7 minutes and 27 seconds. Straight line top end is about 308km/h.
Emphasising its sporting prowess are bits like carbon fibre front fenders, a wide track, low suspension, air deflection vanes on either side, a large rear wing and carbon fibre bucket seats.
In the US the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 will cost US$185 000 (about R1.27 million) when it launches later on in the year. Porsche Centre Johannesburg should price it around the R2.6 million mark.
DR DRE "CRASHES" FERRARI 360 MODENA IN MUSIC VIDEO
West Coast hip-hop godfather Dr Dre (born Andre Young) shot the video for his new single “I Need A Doctor” featuring protege Eminem, off his new CD Detox a while ago. Part of the video’s antics included crashing a Ferrari 360 Modena, and that’s exactly what the stuntman did, as you will see on the video.
What’s a little concerning, or even scary about it, is how close the car got to thrashing the good Doctor himself, here shown as a bystander to the whole thing. Of course in the video it’s Dre himself driving along a beautiful snaking coastal road, and his life keeps flashing right before his very eyes. Eventually he loses control of the car and it flips, goes airborne and crashes spectacularly on the road. You can get a good example of this car for about R1.7 million today.
Porsche Cayenne Hybrid and Diesel Specs
The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid will be in India abutting year, according to letters in the media. Like its aeon Ferrari (who employs KERS in the accessible F450) and Lamborghini (who ability plonk a agent agent beneath the Estoque’s bonnet) Porsche is acknowledging greener and another fuels and technology.
4-Cylinder ability with V8 performance
2010 Porsche Cayenne S Amalgam boasts of
A Supercharged Audi 3.0-liter V6 agent with DFI Max Power – 333 Bhp , Max Torque – 324 lb-ft
Also able with 52-HP, 3-phase ancillary electric motor that adds 221 lb-ft of torque.
86 mph top acceleration application aloof the electric motor
Porsche showrooms in India accept bristles variants of Porsche Cayenne in action currently. As they are CBUs they amount advancement of 50 lakh, so don’t apprehend the Cayenne amalgam to be bargain or affordable.
India has not apparent any Hybrid SUVs. The extreme exceptional car makers accept gone in India is alms agent models. If the approaching belongs to amalgam vehicles, the aboriginal planning can accord Porsche a arch alpha in India.
Porsche expects a agent Cayenne to addition sales of the Cayenne in particular. What’s more, Porsche expects this agent archetypal to annual for about 80% of the sales of the Cayenne range. This is all addition it a bit- Let me explain why.
Porsche claims a ammunition ability amount of beneath than 10 litres per kilometer of diesel. The German architect says that the agent Cayenne was alien to lower the all-embracing ammunition burning of the Cayenne range. The aberration in the fairytale starts here-how generally accept you appear beyond a ammunition ability amount claimed by the aggregation that has stood in the absolute world? Aloof think..
The agent adaptation is powered by a 3.0L V6 turbo agent agent produced by the Audi-VW accumulation that produces a bashful 240 bhp and 550Nm of torque. (modest compared to the blow of the range). We accept appear to apperceive that the Cayenne will be the alone agent archetypal in the ambit while the Panamera wont get any agent model.
Whatever said, the agent Porsche Cayenne will be accessible at the Indian Porsche dealership this year.
IAB Comment- We apprehend the 500bhp 5.0 V12 TDI from the Q7 TDi in the Cayenne soon.Stay tuned!
The Porsche 918 production road “2015″?
During the Show, and you walked Porsche we asking customers interested in buying a 918 to fill out a letter of intent to acquire a unit. The thing seems to have led, for statements published in Coach Michael Macht, chief of the house in Stuttgart, where he ensures that the precious concept will become the successor to the 959 and the Carrera GT, since the interest has exceeded firm expectations of the manufacturer.
What has left us a bit cold (after the rush of good news) is knowing that things could take five years, bringing the first 918 would tread the asphalt road registered in 2015. Porsche then you should be running (and possibly winning) at Le Mans with its LMP1 hybrid that appears, presumably in 2011 or 2012, so in some ways, this new vehicle “halo” would serve to bring to market the technique wins in the races, see and say a “race tested technology”. Can we wait that long?
What has left us a bit cold (after the rush of good news) is knowing that things could take five years, bringing the first 918 would tread the asphalt road registered in 2015. Porsche then you should be running (and possibly winning) at Le Mans with its LMP1 hybrid that appears, presumably in 2011 or 2012, so in some ways, this new vehicle “halo” would serve to bring to market the technique wins in the races, see and say a “race tested technology”. Can we wait that long?
Modification Extreme Suzuki Raider
No more powerful features of the 2010 Suzuki Raider. Starting from the front to rear, this bike has changed completely. Instead the result so extreme, with some elements of the technology changes. Like condoms tank lid can be opened using keys, that one is a breakthrough. At the very least, a breakthrough modifications in ...
Modifikasi Simple Yamaha Jupiter MX
In Indonesia, Yamaha Jupiter MX is one of the motor favorite of the young.
OPEL GTC: NEW RENDERINGS REVEALED
Opel’s GTC Concept car, unveiled at the 2010 Paris International Motor Show, is well on its production way. These renderings are just a short reminder of that. They are officially from Opel itself, but as you can see, the badging is Vauxhall which is the UK version of Opel. The GTC is based on the new Astra and is placed beneath the OPC model and it faces off with hot hatches like the VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST, Renault Megane RS and Mazda3 MPS.
We already know how much power the GTC is wielding from that 2.0-litre turbo engine. In case you missed it, it is 213kW sent to the front wheels. What that means for the OPC is anyone’s guess, but I will wager on something close on 240kW for that snort-ripper.
KENNY KUNENE'S ZAR PARTNER GAYTON MCKENZIE SURVIVES HORROR CRASH
It was a mega roadtrip this weekend with several of the ZAR sports cars heading to East London and Umtata for the Zuma-Sambudla weddings, but it was on the way home from Umthatha that disaster struck, about 40km from the town, between Umtata and Ncgobo. Gayton McKenzie, the Chairman of the ZAR brand, was passing a truck on a bumpy road, when the bumps turned into ditches in the road. The white, V10 R8 Spyder began to lose control.
Gayton, an enormously experienced driver, realised the car was going to leave the road and did his best to steer it from the right hand side, where there was a row of trees. He managed to veer left, in front of the truck he’d just passed, then narrowly missed a telephone pole, crashed through the roadside fencing, driving on two wheels for part of the way. The car went through a ditch and crashed into an electricity pylon, catching fire. In the car with him was Moloko McKenzie, former Miss SA teen, who was now knocked unconscious. Gayton, in a rush of adrenaline, managed to free himself from the totaled sports car, pulled Moloko free of the seat and carried her to safety, rolling into a ditch as he was convinced the car might explode. It was only then that he realised he had a broken foot.
The accident was witnessed by several in the ZAR convoy. Kenny Kunene was following the R8 in his black Lamborghini convertible and, when phoned for comment, was inconsolably emotional, as were all the others at the scene.
Gayton, on the other hand, was simply happy to be alive. Realising Moloko was all right and that he had emerged from the incident barely hurt, he was on top form, even joking with the paramedics. The instant rumours of his death, which even reached his mom, are, as Mark Twain put it, greatly exaggerated.
So, to all Gayton’s friends, fans and family, the good news is that the big man is still alive. To all you haters, the bad news is that he’s still alive.
ZAR people, take care on the roads, wear those seatbelts and get home safely. It can happen to the best of us, so appreciate every moment.
We asked Gayton what car he would get to replace the R8. “Something slower,” he said. “Maybe time for that Maybach.”
STORY AND PICTURES COURTESY OF ZAR
JAPAN TSUNAMI: FORD SHUTS DOWN SA PLANT
Ford South Africa is one of three of the company’s plants around the world which shut down this week because of shortages of parts from earthquake-hit Japan. The plants are located in South Africa (Silverton, Pretoria), Taiwan and China. The SA outfit builds the current Focus, Bantam bakkie (pickup), Ranger and Mazda BT-50 bakkies.
NEW NISSAN MICRA SECRET PRICING OUT!
Nissan South Africa launches the all-new Micra 5-door hatch in May. We have some exclusive indicative pricing for the small car. The cheapest one will come in at R108 000 while the most expensive is R143 000. Three engine models will be on offer, according to our secret sources.
Two of these engines are petrol while the one is a turbo diesel. Previous-generation Micra also came in a highly capable and exceptional diesel but was unfortunately overlooked by the market. The new one will be a 1.5 dCi also and cost R143 000. The two petrols consist of the same 1.2-litre 3-cylinder, one naturally aspirated and the other supercharged. The former does 59kW while the latter kicks out 72kW and 142Nm. At these prices you are certainly getting more car for your money than the model it replaces.
VOLVO NORTH AMERICA BOOSTS R-DESIGN ENGINE POWER
Volvo North America has made our dreams come true by not only adding aerodynamic and cosmetic bits to its S60 and XC60 R-Design lines, but also bumping up power. In Mzansi, Volvo recently announced its R-Design models for the S60 and V60. However, no power ups were involved in that exercise.
Specifically for the T6 engine, power has been increased from the standard 224kW to 242kW, making it the most powerful standard mass-production engine ever to come out of the Swedish-Chinese automaker’s factory. Maximum torque is also up from 440Nm right up to 479Nm. There were no figures mentioned but this should be enough to claim a 0 – 100km/h sprinter of 6 seconds flat.
Of course R-Design isn’t just about that but also about suspension tweaks and chassis changes. The cars are without a doubt the most dynamic Volvo created.
“The jump in performance will re-define these two R-Design models,” said Doug Speck, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “Along with styling and suspension features that set them apart from other versions, our two newest R-Design models will have a higher 'fun-to-drive' quotient. I see that as a positive thing, and so will car buyers.”
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Unveiled
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Sport Bikes
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Official Photos
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Images
2011 Kawasaki Ninja 400R Black Series2010 Hamann Sports Cars Ferrari California F149
World premiere at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show - the HAMANN tuning programme for the Ferrari California F149. HAMANN unveiled the 2010 HAMANN Ferrari California program at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show. The HAMANN Ferrari California is powered by a standard 4.3 liter V8 engine that develops 460 hp which 20% more than standard. The extra horses of the HAMANN Ferrari California comes from a re-programmed ECU and a new sport exhaust system.
2010 Hamann Sports Cars Ferrari California F149
The aerodynamics package of the HAMANN Ferrari California F149 includes a carbon fiber bonnet, a new front spoiler, new side skirts, a rear spoiler and a small rear wing. The rear of the HAMANN Ferrari California is completed with a new diffuser.
Refining super sports cars is more than just business for the company HAMANN Motorsport. Their passion for detail, for something special and unique is the main incentive for extraordinary modifications. The latest stroke of genius once again confirms this. The HAMANN interpretation of the Ferrari California F149 with its exclusive and extensive refining programme does not only make the hearts of real Ferrari fans beat faster.
Most of all, the car body kit proves that HAMANN does not only focus on changing the visual appearance. Apart from design elements such as a bonnet made of carbon fibre, specific modifications at the front, sides and back boost the aerodynamics. Thereby, the front spoiler reduces the lifting forces of the California which significantly improves the handling and agility. Moreover, the unobtrusive side skirt set calms the airflow between both axles.
And moreover, a back spoiler increases the contact pressure. Here, the HAMANN engineers agreed on a small wing profile which considerably enhances the car body design. As the combination with the perfectly integrated and three-part rear diffuser renders enough grip for the road. Mainly on country roads with many curves, the HAMANN aerodynamics kit unravels its power and generates pure driving pleasure.
The extra agility and handling gives room for more performance. Also here, HAMANN-Motorsport contributes its know-how. An adjustment for the motor management is in preparation and a sport exhaust system will also be especially engineered for this sports car. This combination will advance the performance of the serial 4.3 litre V8 engine with 460 hp by up 20 percent.
Another technical highlight in the offered tuning programme is the multi-part HAMANN aluminium wheel called EDITION RACE. The black varnished rim star and the titanium bolting of the high-gloss polished rim flange emphasise the racing character. As the wheel is produced in forged technology, it is extremely light.
This reduces the unsprung masses which noticeably improves both the acceleration and the braking response. The recommended wheel-tyre combination measures 9.0Jx21 inches with 245/30ZR21 tyres for the front and 12.5Jx21 rims with wheels measuring 345/25ZR21 are fitted at the back. The wheel-tyre combination is perfectly enhanced by the suspension which is used in order to lower the sports car.
Also in the interior, HAMANN has a lot to offer to its customers. In addition to the serially offered interior, HAMANN Motorsport offers an extensive programme, ranging from personalised floor mats to a perfectly finished complete leather interior.
Citroen C5 Airscape Concept
Looking at some pictures you can also see that the car was build for High Performance and the specs alto tell you that it is enviroment frendly.
Even with its V6 HDi engine with a particulate filter and the ability to run on biodiesel.
Also the UrbanHybrid technology garanties low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.But I must also admit that I really don't like the brown interior, not even in the combination with brown tan cover...
Black would have made it a better design for me, than agian, design is an art and a personal view.. you like it or you don't
Black would have made it a better design for me, than agian, design is an art and a personal view.. you like it or you don't
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
