Hot Cars

Experts Help Citroen Hit The Competition For Six

Citroën continues to win plaudits from motor industry experts with the presentation of six new honours, half of which have gone to the new Grand C4 Picasso compact MPV, by two specialist publications – What Diesel Car? and Fleet World. In the UK, diesel sales have grown to account for some 40% of all vehicles sold.

Since the launch of the 7-seat Grand C4 Picasso and 5-seat C4 Picasso earlier this year, three-quarters of the 6,000 models registered have been equipped with a diesel engine.

Recognising Citroën’s development of ultra-economical, clean powerplants in this growing sector, What Diesel Car? magazine has awarded the Company a hat-trick of honours in their 2007 Awards, including the overall Car of the Year title. This coveted award went to the groundbreaking Grand C4 Picasso, which was also named Best MPV, while judges chose the C1 city car as their Best Budget Car.

On announcing its Car of the Year, What Diesel Car? commented: “Citroën’s Grand C4 Picasso is a work of art, with plenty of space, pace and a space-age face. With clever technology it will even pick out a parking space for you. A well-deserved winner, miles ahead of the competition in terms of good-value, attention to detail, and dynamic design.”

The versatile Grand C4 Picasso also outshone its rivals at the 2007 Fleet World Awards to collect the Design of the Year title. The 1.6HDi engine, found in Citroën’s Berlingo and Dispatch, received the accolade of Best Engine from sister publication Van Fleet World, which also gave its Editor’s Award to the successful, long-running Citroën/Peugeot/Fiat joint venture, that has seen the introduction of a whole range of agile light panel vans.

Around two thirds of all the Grand C4 Picasso and C4 Picasso compact MPVs sold so far have gone to business customers, helping increase Citroën’s presence in the fleet market.

2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT Goes Topless

Ford has just revealed its super-hot 2008 Ford Shelby GT Cabriolet. Available this August, the convertible’s production will be limited to just 2,300 units, giving the vehicle the delicate taste of exclusivity and justifying the higher price tag.

Although Ford’s press release consists of about 60 percent of PR blah-blah-blah-we-are-the-greatest stuff, there is also some technical information to be found too.

For example, the 2008 Ford Mustang Shelby GT convertible will be equipped with a 4.6-liter V8 engine modified with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Package. The tuned engine delivers up to 319 hp and some 300 lb-ft of torque. Not that it will blow your head off, but I guess it will be just enough to have some fun on the open road.

The car will also feature a standard manual with a Hurst short-throw shifter and an optional five-speed automatic gearbox; a Ford Racing Handling Pack with special-tuned dampers; sports sway bars; a front strut-tower brace and a 3.55:1 ratio rear axle assembly.

2007 Roush Nitemare Ford F-150 Limited Series Pickup

ROUSH tuning specialist has unveiled its new 2007 ROUSH Nitemare Ford F-150 limited edition pickup truck. Based on the highly successful Ford F-150 midsize pickup, the hauler’s production will be limited to only 100 supercharged units.

There is hardly anything more impractical than a souped-up pickup truck. With all those bangs and whistles installed, a dull truck, which is supposed to haul and tow thousands lbs of different sorts of cargo, looks more like a supercharged Mustang that happened to get a separate cargo bed.

Whatever. The Ford F-150’s original 5.4-liter engine, Ford Motor Corp. says in its press release, is equipped with the ROUSHcharger, as well as custom manifolds, intercooler, radiator, and air induction system and delivers up to 445 hp of power output and about 500 lb-ft of torque.

To make the pickup more stable on the road, ROUSH’s engineers have also lowered its center of gravity by two and three inches in the front and the rear respectively. Besides the new suspension, there is also a new set of ROUSH-branded front coil springs, rear leaf springs, front sway bar and specially-valved shocks.

Inside, the trucks will feature new leather seats and instrument cluster, as well as new floor mats, a black dash trim kit, and ROUSH billet aluminum pedals.

The 2007 Roush Nitemare Ford F-150 may be ordered with optional rear wing, hood scoop, locking lug nuts and GPS system.

It will cost about $41,750 and will be available nationwide by June.

Fiat Abarth 500 May Be Marketed In The U.S.

Fiat is reportedly considering supplying its new Abarth 500 mini car to the United States, trying to position it as the Mini Cooper’s direct competition in the niche of The-Cars-That-Came-Back.

The Fiat 500 Abarth is to the standard Fiat 500 as the Mini Cooper S to the ordinary Mini Cooper. While the standard cars will be equipped with not so impressive diesel and gasoline engines ranging from 69 to 75 to 100 bhp, the sporty version of the new Cinquecento will be motivated by a 135 bhp motor making itself a sort of real little crazy piece of a beast.

The Fiat 500 Abarth will presumably be available in the United States “by the end of the decade”, Automotive News is reporting. In Europe the model will be available for hefty price of €15,000.

Alfa 8C Competizione

Car enthusiasts and Alfisti wanting to be among the first to view an Alfa 8C Competizione in the UK should head to this year’s Canary Wharf Motorexpo (11-17 June), where this remarkable and much coveted Alfa Romeo sportscar makes its UK public debut.

Blessed with head-turning good looks and dramatic performance, all 500 of this limited edition model were snapped up long before the first customer cars turned a wheel, including the 42 examples destined for UK owners early next year.

Priced at close to £110,000, the all-carbon-fibre 450 bhp 4.7 litre V8 powered two-seater is expected to be the star of Motorexpo, before it goes on to make its mark on the Alfa Romeo stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed later this month (22-24 June).

Managing Director of Alfa Romeo UK, Christopher Nicoll, says: “This is a perfect example of the new direction for Alfa Romeo on the international stage. The fact that we long ago sold our UK allocation is testament to our rich heritage of producing emotive and exotic performance cars.”

Alfa Romeo will also showcase its brand new Alfa 159 TI at Motorexpo. The TI designation comprises a unique body kit, lowered sports suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, leather sports seats, aluminium sports pedals and a leather-clad sports steering wheel.

Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo’s widely acclaimed Spider convertible will be in attendance to tempt sun worshippers.

Finally, Festival-goers visiting Goodwood this year can look forward to a wide selection of historic Alfa models. In true Goodwood style, Alfa Romeo will be celebrating its long lineage of beautiful high performance cars with the inclusion of classics including the Alfa P2 Gran Premio and Tipo B, plus the Alfa 33 Daytona.

The Volkswagen Eos ‘Individual’

The Volkswagen Eos coupé cabriolet is set to mark its first anniversary in the UK with the introduction of a new range-topping trim level - the Eos Individual.

The Eos Individual is based on the Sport trim, and benefits from unique interior and exterior styling touches. With sports suspension, 18-inch ‘Chicago’ alloy wheels and bespoke leather upholstery it offers buyers a distinctive package and lends extra style to the Eos’s already head-turning looks.

Lowered and stiffened suspension gives the Individual a more purposeful stance and sharper responses. The car’s appearance is complemented by the unique wheels and a selection of four exterior paint colours - Paprika Red, Deep Black pearl effect, Midnight Blue metallic and Island Grey.

Rich two-tone black and cream coloured leather seats finished in contrasting piping lend the new Eos Individual’s interior a distinctive look and feel. The cream leather extends to the door inserts and is contrasted against piano black inserts that continue into the dashboard and centre console. The black leather three-spoke steering wheel features cream stitching.

Standard equipment on the new Eos Individual exceeds the already comprehensive list fitted to the Eos Sport. Advanced 2Zone electronic climate control, two-tone leather trim with heated front seats, piano black inserts and 18-inch alloy wheels are joined by unique ‘Individual’ sill plates. This is in addition to six airbags, ABS and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) which also come as standard.

Powering the Eos Individual are a choice of 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS diesel, 2.0-litre T-FSI 200 PS and 3.2-litre V6 FSI 250 PS petrol engines. The advanced six-speed DSG gearbox is fitted as standard on the V6 model and offered as an option on the 2.0-litre diesel and petrol engines.

As with the standard vehicle, the Eos Individual is fitted with an advanced, five-piece glass and metal folding roof that stows neatly into the boot at the touch of a button. The whole operation takes only 25 seconds. The roof also incorporates a sunroof.

The new Eos Individual can be ordered from Volkswagen Retailers now, with the first UK deliveries set to start in August. Prices start at £24,747 (RRP OTR) for the Eos Individual 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS, rising to £29,527 for the range-topping 3.2-litre V6 FSI 250 PS model fitted with a DSG gearbox.

Volkswagen Individual GmbH was founded in February 2003. Based in Wolfsburg, Individual is responsible for the styling and development of all ‘R’ variants including the forthcoming Passat R36 as well as special models such as the Touareg Altitude.