Hot Cars

Saturn Prices Sky Red Line

General Motors has put a value on its 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line, just days after doing the same with its Pontiac Solstice GXP twin. The 260-horsepower droptop will start at $27,895– $1,900 more than its platform mate.

For the extra outlay, buyers receive the same 2.0-liter Ecotec Turbo powerplant, generating 260 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, which the General notes is the company’s highest specific output engine ever, at 2.1 ponies per cubic inch.

All Sky Red Lines come equipped with a five-speed manual, limited slip differential, retuned suspension, and traction and stability control systems as standard-fit.

2006 Audi R-Zero Concept

The Audi R- Zero concept is the work of a transport designer and two digital designers from the International Design School, France. Franck Levivier, Rémi Marchand and Pierre-Olivier Wagner’s collaboration centered around a desire to create a concept supercar for a time when the world could no longer rely on oil for a source of power.

Essential to the R-Zero’s design was a belief that despite the cars environmentally friendly credentials it should have the ability to excite.

A projected 1091 horsepower comes from four individual in-wheel electric motors powered by a row of batteries positioned just forward of the rear axle.

One of the advantages of the electric drivetrain layout is that it has allowed the R-Zero’s designers to capitalise on the cooling airflow provided by the front grille. Running the length of the Audi R-Zero is a hollow backbone frame which channels airflow in though the front grille, distributes cooling air to various temperature sensitive components - like the brakes, and then expels the air out the central rear grille.

Despite its gorgeous lines and innovative engineering, the Audi R-Zero is only a concept. There are no plans to build a working one-off. Let alone put the vehicle into production.

2007 Chrysler Sebrings

After months of grainy spyshots depicting partially-clothed 2007 Chrysler Sebrings, DaimlerChrysler has come good, releasing the first official images of the company’s bread-and-butter sedan. The company will officially roll out the replacement for the aging mid-sizer later this morning at the company’s Chelsea Proving Grounds in Michigan as part of its “What’s New for 2007” media event.

The new Sebring is an interesting pastiche of cues, drawing heavily from the Chrysler Airflite concept of 2003 and with a particularly Crossfire-esque front clip (similar grille form and creased hood like the new Chrysler Aspen and revamped Pacifica). While not everyone is likely to find the design attractive, divisive styling has worked well for the company in the past (most notably, with its LH-platform offerings).

The new Sebring gets improved firepower, as well. In North America, consumers will find one of three drivetrains underhood: the company’s new 2.4-liter ‘World Engine’ four; a 2.7-liter V6, and at the top-end, a 3.5 liter V6 tied to a six-speed Autostick transmission (the lesser engines make do with four-speed automatics). Outside of its domestic market, DaimlerChrysler will fit also fit the Sebring with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel.

Interesting options including a Harmon/Kardon infotainment system (including touch-screen navigation), a 20 gig hard drive-based Music Juke Box, heated/cooled cup holders, rear-seat DVD (rare for a sedan) and Bluetooth should go some way toward enticing buyers.

Naturally, Sebring will need as many unique selling points (USPs) as possible, because the mid-size sedan segment hasn’t exactly gotten any easier to crack since its last redesigned for 2001. Not only have perennial contenders like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord continued to evolve, new competitors like the Ford Fusion and the pending Saturn Aura are clogging the family sedan with competent product.

2006 Prodrive P2 Sports Car

Prodrive has unveiled P2, its unique two-seater sports car, which has gone from concept to reality in just nine months. P2 is a fully working car featuring Prodrive’s latest technology and which has been entirely designed, engineered and built by the motorsport and automotive specialist at its operations at Banbury and Warwick in the UK.

Prodrive’s philosophy behind the design of the car was practical performance. Weighing just 1100 kg and with a power to weight ratio of more than 350 bhp/tonne, P2 is expected to reach 100 kph from standstill in under four seconds and carry on to 280 kph. Yet, despite the focus on weight reduction, P2 has all the comforts of any modern car, with a six speaker stereo system, power assisted steering and electric windows.

P2 uses a modified Subaru Impreza STi engine and all wheel drivetrain, which incorporate two of Prodrive’s innovative technologies to enhance performance – ALS (Anti-Lag System) and ATD (Active Torque Dynamics).

The two-litre flat-four engine is fitted with Prodrive’s ALS . This has been derived from the same system currently used on the Prodrive-designed Subaru World Rally Car, but modified for use on the road. ALS can keep the turbo on boost at low engine speeds, giving the car immediate throttle response and improved performance by using more of the engine’s 575 Nm of torque throughout the rev range.

P2’s exterior and interior styling were created by Peter Stevens, who has worked with Prodrive on numerous road car and motorsport projects. His team produced a full scale clay model of the car to develop the styling and from this P2’s composite body panels were formed.

The P2 chassis was originally based on a Subaru R1 (a four seat mini car), which was completely reengineered to give P2 its coupe styling and to accommodate the new engine and drivetrain.

While P2 is a fully working car, Prodrive itself currently has no plans to put it into volume production. However, should a vehicle manufacturer approach the company to do so, it is expected that it would have a retail price of approximately £40,000.

Toyota Planning Hybrid Sports Car

Toyota is aiming to revive its sports car line-up, the Dow Jones Newswires reported, citing Toyota executives in Japan and Europe.

“The sports car will come, but I don’t know exactly when. Since we stopped production of the Celica and the MR2, there’s a gap in that end of our range where we don’t get the full impact of our participation in Formula 1,” said Masahide Yasuda, president of Toyota France.

One new model is “going to be global project, not one aimed at one region more than another. The concept is a hybrid,” said Tokuo Fukuichi, the head of Toyota’s ED2 design center in southern France.

“We made a proposal to the head office for a hybrid sports car. We’re not sure that we’re going to proceed with that, but every time we develop a new car we consider a hybrid system. We have limited resources,” Fukuichi said.

Lotus Exige S

Despite its visual similarity to the popular Elise, the Exige uses a super-charged version of its stablemate’s Toyota-sourced 1.8-litre engine, which develops 218bhp… and improbable thrust. And where the Elise thrives on revs, the supercharger provides plenty of low-down torque, making it a blistering performer.

Direct steering and ultra-stiff suspension provide pin-sharp handling, and body roll is virtually absent. However, the firm set-up produces a crashy ride over uneven tarmac. The permanent top doesn’t offer much in the way of noise insulation, but it looks the part, while the rear diffuser produces genuine downforce at high speed.

Admittedly, there’s not much of a view out the back, and all you can see through the rear view mirror is the top of the engine. However, the cabin does boast the improved seats of the Elise, making it a reasonably comfortable place to spend time, although it’s worth specifying air-conditioning, as it can get hot inside, even on cool days.

Due to the lack of storage, cramped interior and firm ride, few Exiges will be used as daily transport. But when they find the right road, buyers won’t care.