Hot Cars

New BMW M3 Coupe Revealed

Within the BMW M GmbH model range, the BMW M3 has always been that very special model living up in full to its motorsport heritage. Indeed, this already applied to the very first BMW M3 launched in 1986 and continued throughout the two subsequent model generations. And now this supremacy comes out once again most clearly in the 2007 version of the BMW M3.

Although the latest generation of the BMW M3 was based in its development on the new BMW M3 Coupé, the new high-performance model differs from the “regular” coupé in terms of both looks and technical features. Apart from the car’s unique design as well as its drivetrain and suspension technology conceived from the start for supreme performance, lightweight technology came right at the top in the brief given to the engineers at BMW M. And just how consistently this development target has been translated into reality in terms of intelligent lightweight engineering is borne out by the car’s power-to-weight ratio of only 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) per horsepower.

One of the reasons for this low weight is that the new BMW M3 is the first production car in its segment to boast a roof made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFP). And in all, the new BMW M3, with the exception of just a few components, is indeed completely new in its engineering and design concept, clearly reflecting the successful tradition of BMW M GmbH.

Apart from the load-bearing structure of the car, only the two doors, the bootlid, the windows, the headlights and rear lights have been carried over from the 3 Series Coupé. All other body components, by contrast, were specially developed for the new BMW M3.

The unique character of the new BMW M3 is obvious at first sight: Over and above the engine compartment lid with its striking powerdome and the two air intake openings, the function-oriented design of the front and rear air dams, the so-called gills in the front side panels, the side-sills also in distinctive design, the roof made of clearly visible carbon fibre, as well as the exterior mirrors and light-alloy wheels in BMW M design clearly characterise the new model from the ground up.

The exterior, in turn, through its athletic and aesthetic appearance, powerfully underlines the sporting qualities of the car. The exterior paintwork likewise adds an individual touch, offering the connoisseur not only numerous additional colours, but also four special paintwork options exclusive to BMW M.

Volvo Safety: Twenty Years with SRS

Today all passenger vehicles have some form of airbag. In many cases airbags are even selling points. Statistics support the value of these safety devices. According to the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the lives of nearly 20,000 passengers have been saved directly attributed to airbags, since 1987.

Volvo had worked with airbags and automatic seat belts for many years (the world’s first three-point seatbelt was also a Volvo innovation). As early as the 1970s, Volvo engineers were experimenting with the airbag as a way of reducing fatalities, even producing a fleet of cars with airbags as part of their research. At the same time, the U.S. the government was struggling with legislation regarding the use of seat belts.

However it wasn’t until 1984 that Volvo formed a project team of engineers, system developers and suppliers to begin its first SRS project. That same year, 1984, then Secretary of Transportation Elisabeth Dole issued a final rule mandating air bags and/or automatic seat belt restraints in all automobiles built after 1990. Volvo rolled out its airbag-fitted production model three years ahead of U.S. law.

Throughout the process, FMEA analysis and component testing were implemented to minute detail. Working with Petri AG, the supplier of the steering wheel and airbag unit, Volvo refined the foam in cover, the split line. Volvo designed the shape, and size of tablets, which provided for proper gas generation with a sodium azide (NaN3) chemical mix.

A gas generator screen/filter helped maintain a proper balance with the pure nitrogen gas and helped collect the inert, but very hot, residue within the gas generator - not in the bag itself. Facilitating deployment of the apparatus, Volvo worked with the igniters and bags as well as the weavers of the fabric and the manufactures of the yarn.

With Bosch, the supplier for the electronics, Volvo developed a unique sensing device - the piezo electric. Contrary to most mechanical sensors of the time which were located in the bumper area, this new technology enabled a system where sensing could be positioned inside of the vehicle under the driver’s seat. The sensor mechanism could be shorter and the cables and connectors were better protected.

The basic concept is still intact at Volvo. However the main sensor has morphed through technology and research to a position behind the gearshift lever, which first appeared on the 1991 Volvo 850.

In 1999, Volvo continued to lead the field by installing a new generation of airbags. These devices, now known in the industry as “smart airbags,” sense such things as body weight, speed at impact, and impact angle, to adjust the force of airbag deployment automatically. These “smart bags” offer yet another level of protection above conventional bags by automatically “sensing” when to step down the force of impact, thereby reducing the risk to the vehicle’s most important cargo - the people riding inside the car.

Volvo Cars are currently equipped with a dual threshold system based on impact position relative to the part of the body being protected. Airbag technology, and the obvious safety the systems represent, has evolved to not only include driver and passenger front, but various forms of rear seat passenger, side-impact and roll-over protection as well.

These sophisticated systems constantly monitor all kinds of data, preparing the motorist for an impact which, in the life of most motorists, never occurs.

Statistics show that when airbags deploy during a crash, the likelihood of fatalities is significantly reduced when the airbags are combined with lap/shoulder restraints.

Volvo maintains that the airbag is a supplement to the seat belt in driver and passenger protection, and is representative of the holistic approach to safety that characterizes the brand.

Beginning in April 1987 the first Volvos with airbags were sold in the U.S., and many of those cars are still in use. An estimated two million Volvos with airbags have been sold in the U.S.

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR Revealed

Launching next spring, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR model features a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts engine output to an estimated 540 horsepower.

Produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, the Shelby GT500KR coupe comes with a custom carbon composite hood with scoops and stainless steel twist-down hood pins, a lower front air dam with chrome-trimmed functional brake ducts and large 14-inch Brembo front brakes. The suspension has been modified with an emphasis on race-inspired handling.

Drawing inspiration from the classic 1968 KR model, the Shelby GT500KR also features 40 th Anniversary exterior badging, unique striping and a distinctive interior with Carroll Shelby-signature embroidered seats and a 40 th Anniversary numbered dash plaque.

New Tigra Exclusiv Red edition

With spring just around the corner, every driver dreams of catching some rays in a stylish and dynamic drop top. Now there is a way to get the most Exclusiv roadster on the street at a surprisingly affordable price. The new Tigra Exclusiv Red edition is based on the Sport model, but features an extra £1,350 worth of goodies for no additional cost.

Perhaps Tigra Exclusiv Red’s most distinct feature is the bold interior. The two seats and door trim inserts are trimmed in scarlet leather, and the red treatment is even mirrored in the gear lever surround. This is complemented with the usual classy fixtures you would expect from Tigra such as a leather covered steering wheel, alloy effect centre console and gear knob insert.

It’s not just the interior which gets the Exclusiv look. This special Tigra is available in three metallic or pearlescent colours, Metro Blue, Star Silver and Black Sapphire, each with the distinctive silver-finish targa roof bar. The Tigra Exclusiv Red also sits on uniquely-finished 17-inch alloy wheels.

As with all Tigras, it’s not just the sunny weather which makes the Exclusiv Red shine. The hard top roof raises up in just 20 seconds to make the car as snug and secure as a coupe, and the leather seats are heated to make open top driving even more comfortable during cooler months. If the sun gets too hot, then air conditioning is standard to make sure you can keep looking – and feeling – cool.

A choice of two petrol engines are available, a nippy 1.4-litre and a punchy 1.8-litre. Both are available now from Vauxhall retailers, with prices starting at £15,515.

VXR Styling Kit For New Corsa

Vauxhall’s highly acclaimed new Corsa hatchback looks great from any angle, but now thousands of customers who rushed out to buy one soon after launch can add extra flair and excitement inspired by the manufacturer’s VXR racing team.

The aftersales experts at Vauxhall have come up with a VXR styling kit that provides more than a flavour of the factory model, but will not break the bank. It’s available from Vauxhall retailers throughout the country now.

Made to fit both three and five door versions of the latest generation Corsa, the kit consists of a front lower spoiler, rear roof spoiler, side sills and rear lower skirt to recreate the dramatic styling cues of Vauxhall’s race-inspired range of high performance cars.

The full VXR styling kit can be supplied and fitted to match body colour for £1249. If your funds will not run to that, the rear roof spoiler can be supplied and fitted on its own for £269.

No car customising is complete without a set of stylish alloy wheels. A whole new range of Irmscher alloys specially designed for the new Corsa are available from Vauxhall retailers, with prices starting at £391 for a set of four 14 inch wheels.

2008 Bentley Brooklands Limited Edition Coupe

Calling the new Bentley Brooklands “the world’s most exclusive coupe”, Bentley is planning to limit the vehicle’s production to only 550 units for the model’s lifetime.

Despite 2008 Bentley Brooklands’ retro styling, the coupe features one of the most advanced and powerful engines in its class. The new 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V8 unit mated to six-speed gearbox, sports impressive 530bhp and mind-numbing 775 lb-ft (1050 Nm) of torque.

The vehicle not only very powerful, it’s larger than its predecessor - Bentley Continental R coupe - giving more leg, knee and headroom for the rear passengers.