Hot Cars

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Interior Goes Two-Tone

Chevrolet has announced that the redesigned 2008 Malibu sedan will be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This teaser interior shot released by the company showed an updated version of the GM brand’s classic dual-cockpit design.

Chevy said the photo showed one of the car’s available two-tone interiors.

“The 2008 Chevy Malibu will offer a number of striking and progressive interiors that use premium materials to demonstrate quality and value not seen before in this segment,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager.

For ‘08, the front-wheel-drive Malibu will get a 6-inch-longer wheelbase than the current model and is expected to be equipped with either four- or six-cylinder engines. Styling is expected to be a bit bolder, with more angular cues patterned after those on the Chevrolet Tahoe.

“GM needs to have a strong presence in midsize cars once again,” GM North America President Troy Clarke told Detroit’s Automotive Press Association in a speech. “And this is the type of design that will lead us to be known as a great carmaker… not only as a great truck manufacturer that also happens to make cars…. That’s another key to improving our net sales.”

The new Malibu is expected to hit showrooms in mid-2007.

Renault Refreshes Kangoo Range For 2007 Model Year

The characterful Renault Kangoo continues to be one of the most popular practical vehicles around, so to maintain its enduring appeal it is being subtly revised for the 2007 model year. The new range offers improved value for money, with extra standard equipment added for free as prices for the new models remain the same as those for the outgoing versions.

The new eight-model Kangoo 2007 range is spread across two trim levels, Authentique and Expression, with the choice of two petrol and two diesel engines, offering between 68hp and 95hp. The 1.2 and 1.6 16-valve petrol engines offer lively performance and excellent combined cycle fuel economy of 40.4 and 37.7mpg, while the 1.5-litre dCi 68 and dCi 84 common-rail diesels offer even greater torque at lower revs and 51.4 and 53.3mpg.

Another string to its bow is that the Kangoo has another unique proposition in its class - automatic transmission. For the 2007 range, this can be allied to the 1.6 16V engine on either trim level, offering even greater ease-of-use and refinement for longer journeys.

The Kangoo’s successful blend of practicality and style remains untouched, with the revisions for the 2007 range focused largely around its interior, including two new interior upholsteries and several new options.

The specific improvements to the Authentique and Expression trim levels sees the former gain £200 of extra equipment, namely a 30W CD player and overhead parcel shelf to complement its new ‘Kaleidoscope’ interior trim. Meanwhile, the Expression receives new ‘Gabor’ interior trim and, when specified with metallic paint, body coloured front, rear and side mouldings, similar to those available on the New Mégane 2006 range.

Like all Renaults, the Kangoo has an extensive options list including a new Easy Pack, which for £125 includes separate boot unlocking function, ’See me home’ headlights and one-touch driver’s side electric window. Other options carried over to the new 2007 range include air conditioning with pollen filter (£525), alloy wheels (£500) and extra tinted glass in rear windows and tailgate (£200).

In addition to its impressive fuel economy, the Kangoo range also features the cleanest engine in its class too, in the form of the dCi 84. Beating each of its rivals such as the Citroen Berlingo Multispace, Fiat Doblò and Peugeot Partner, this engine boasts carbon dioxide emissions of just 139 grams per kilometre which is notable for several reasons as it comes in under the important 140 gram emissions threshold.

The first of these reasons is that it represents yet another Renault driving towards the company’s aim of selling one million cars emitting less than 140 grams per kilometre of CO2 by 2008.

Secondly, it already achieves the emissions standard which automotive manufacturers are voluntarily working towards by 2008, and lastly and rather timely, it will undoubtedly be of benefit to owners living in areas such as Richmond-upon-Thames in South West London, where local councils are beginning to introduce sliding scale parking permit charges based on vehicle emissions.

Volkswagen Touareg Successfully Tows A Boeing 747

A Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI has succeeded in towing a Boeing 747-200 weighing approximately 155 tonnes. Watched by engineers, Volkswagen personnel and bemused passers-by, the Touareg V10 TDI completed seven complete runs on the auxiliary runway at Dunsfold Aerodrome, 40 miles south west of London.

The vehicle was a standard production Touareg fitted with a special towing adaptor to connect it with the aircraft towing link and loaded with 4.3 tonnes of metal ballast to bring its total weight to just over seven tonnes (7,030 kg) including the driver, an engineer from the technical department at the company’s headquarters in Germany.

The car’s engine, self-levelling air suspension, wheels, tyres and structure were all standard. One precaution that turned out to be unnecessary was the fitment of the 4.56 axle ratio from the Touareg V8 model in place of the 3.27 gearing of the V10. This was established as the demonstration was conducted in the second of the Touareg’s 12 forward gears rather than first. The final modification was to change the outer body panels for photographic purposes so that this example was visually the same as the next generation Touareg which is due to be launched next year.

The attempt was designed to demonstrate the reserves of strength and durability of the Touareg V10 TDI. This model won The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year Awards full-size 4×4 category in 2004 and 2005 and has established itself as the benchmark diesel SUV, offering an extraordinary combination of performance and fuel efficiency since it was launched in 2003.

A theoretical towing capability in excess of 200 tonnes was calculated by multiplying the 553 lbs ft of torque generated by the V10 TDI engine through the standard transmission’s lowest ratio and without taking into account the torque multiplication benefits of the torque converter. This however assumed a dry surface and loading the Touareg’s body and suspension well in excess of its rated limits.

An initial trial was carried out successfully in Germany with an operational Boeing 747-400 weighing 190 tonnes but it subsequently became difficult to obtain an aircraft for the length of time and in an appropriate location to conduct a press demonstration. Colleagues therefore requested Volkswagen UK to obtain a suitable aircraft and location.

The result was an ex-British Airways Boeing 747-200 weighing 155 tonnes. The aircraft, first flown in 1980 and retired last year retains its full complement of 500 seats, 11 toilets and complete landing gear, albeit without an operating braking system. The original engines were removed last year to make way for dummy items used in the filming of a recent motion picture. Despite this, the aircraft still weighs 155 tonnes, due in part to the 28 tonnes of water held on board in the fuel and nose tanks.

The changes to the Touareg are more modest. Modifications extend to the addition of 4,345 kg of ballast in the form of steel plates set behind the front bumper and beneath the engine. The balance of the ballast was made up by bags of steel balls weighing 25 kg each. The result is a split of 2,755 kg over the front axle and 4,275 kg over the rear to bring the total to 7,030 kg which includes Uwe Krieghoff, the nervous driver. He was not prepared to say how much his body contributed to the 7,030 kg total.

Conditions for the attempt were far from perfect. A strong headwind combined with torrential rain and resulting standing water prompted concerns over traction on the wet surface. Despite the scale of the attempt the vehicle needed little preparation. The engine was warmed up before a brief visual inspection of the tyres prior to the attempt being given the green light.

The Touareg’s standard towbar (fitted with an adapted towing bracket) was hooked up to the nose wheel collar of a Boeing 747 and the chocks were removed. At the wheel Uwe selected ‘drive’ and the low ratio, second gear setting on the Touareg’s six-speed gearbox. The required tractive effort is at its highest during the initial pull to overcome the static friction of the aircraft tyres on the runway. Flatspots form on the aircraft’s 18 tyres under the 155 tonnes of weight and additional resistance must be overcome to get the aircraft rolling.

Uwe pressed the accelerator around halfway down in second gear before easing off as the aircraft gained momentum. With no visible loss of traction the Touareg began dragging the 231 ft airframe of the 747 along the runway, maintaining an even five mph in the process. Having covered an estimated 150 metres the driver eased back on the throttle before slowly engaging the Touareg’s brakes to slow both the vehicle and the aircraft to a stop.

After the attempt Uwe commented: ‘I was a bit disappointed we couldn’t find something heavier to tow as it was a bit too easy! If anyone could lend us a heavier aircraft then please let us know.’

The vehicle was checked after the repeated runs and no side effects of the demands made on the engine and transmission could be found. The engine temperature remained normal, as did the transmission and the tyres survived without a hint of the forces passed through them.

Japan Beat: 12th-Generation Nissan Skyline

Nissan has launched its new Skyline sedan in Japan, the 12th generation of the Japan-market equivalent of the Infiniti G35.

A company official, acknowledging that minicars are riding the crest of popularity right now in Japan, said he hopes “a new wave [of sales] comes” for sedans with the new model.

The Skyline gets two new Nissan V6 engines, a 3.5-liter that makes 315 horsepower and a 2.5-liter that makes 225 hp, each mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift control. Sporty SP and P models have steering-column-mounted magnesium shift paddles that let the driver select a manual-shift mode. The SP and P models of the Skyline also have, as an option, “the world’s first four-wheel active steering system,” Nissan says.

The new Skyline is lower to the ground, slightly wider and has a sleek design described as “dynamic motion” by the company. There’s a new grille and headlamp design, as well as L-shaped taillights. Sport models of the new Skyline have their own front bumper and body-side sill spoiler.

Inside, there’s aluminum trim with a finish that, in true Nissan/Infiniti style, was “inspired by the texture of traditional Japanese rice paper called Washi,” and optional exotic-wood trim. Seats have been lowered by a little more than an inch for a sportier feeling for the driver.

Volkswagen Designers Create Futuristic Nanospyder Concept

A team of highly creative Volkswagen designers based in California have unveiled their own unique take on the future of modern transportation. The result is the Volkswagen Nanospyder. Futuristic nanotechnology supported by hydrogen fuel cells, solar power, wheel-mounted electric motors and inflatable organic body panels combine to form the unusual shape of the two-seater concept.

Nanospyder is the work of a team of three young designers – Patrick Faulwetter, Daniel Simon and Ian Hilton - based at the Volkswagen Design Center in Santa Monica. They created the Nanospyder in response to a challenge laid down by ‘Design Los Angeles’, a conference set to take place at the upcoming Los Angeles Motorshow in November. The brief – unlike the solution – was simple. To design a vehicle able to make the most of California without harming the environment.

The team met its brief by thinking well beyond current manufacturing techniques. According to its creators the Nanospyder would be formed out of a latticework of billions of tiny programmable nano devices measuring less than half a millimetre in diameter. Each of these tiny devices can be programmed to be as strong or weak as required meaning active crumple zones can be created. The ‘spine’ of the vehicle, onto which the rest of the components are attached, remains immensely strong.

Clothing the nano-lattice are panels formed out of a mix of organic materials some of which can inflate to provide further cushioning in the result of an impact. The material doubles as a power source as polysynthesis generates small amounts of electricity. This coupled with hydrogen fuels generates power to drive the tiny electric motors mounted within the hubs of all four wheels.

The Nanospyder, although purely intended as a concept vehicle, gives an insight into the depth of thinking going into the search for sustainable forms of modern transport.

The concept was created to be entered in the third Los Angeles Design challenge – the winner of which will be announced on November 30th at the Los Angeles Motorshow.

The Volkswagen studios, established in 1991, won the very first challenge in 2005 with the innovative Mobile Lounge concept.

2007 Volkswagen Passat R36 Sedan And Wagon

The Passat R36 will be available as a sedan or wagon. Either has a 300-horsepower version of the 3.6-liter narrow-angle six-cylinder, which is twenty more than it makes in the standard Passat 3.6.

The R36 comes standard with VW’s exclusive DSG twin-clutch transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive, and is available in the same Deep Blue Pearl paint that made its debut on the GTI-based R32.

The R36 receives an exterior makeover with R-specific bumpers, darkened LED taillights, bi-xenon headlights, a rear spoiler, matte-chrome exclusive front grille, chrome side accents, and body-colored side skirts and fender flares. R36-exclusive eighteen-inch “Omanyt” wheels carry 235/40-18 tires, and the rear end is punctuated with twin chrome exhaust tips.

Inside, the instrument cluster, now lit in white instead of blue and red, is visible through an R steering wheel, the shift lever is alumized, and the “Engine Spin” R logo is repeated on the aluminum pedals and front door thresholds. Heated sports seats are fitted all-around, with the fronts 12-way electrically adjustable.

With no mention of any suspension or brake upgrades, the R36 is more of an appearance package than anything. This comes as a bit of a surprise, since the R32 was such a thoroughly integrated package built upon the GTI.