Hot Cars

Porsche: 100,000 Units Of The Latest 911 Generation Built

Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, is enjoying another high in the success story of its 911: a little over three years since production started in April 2004, the 100,000th vehicle in the current Eleven series (Type 997) has rolled off the production line at the company’s main plant in Zuffenhausen.

Porsche has been manufacturing the 911 since 1963, but never in all that time have so many of these sports cars been produced so quickly as with the sixth generation. The “record” Eleven, a guards red Carrera S with manual gearbox, is to be delivered to a customer in the Frankfurt/Main area within the next few days.

Over the past 40 years or so, the 911 has become the quintessential sports car. From fall 2007, a total of 16 different Eleven models will leave the production line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen alongside the newly unveiled 911 Turbo Cabriolet and the racing derivatives, the 911 GT3 Cup and the 911 GT3 RSR. By July 31, the end of the 2006/2007 fiscal year, Porsche will have placed around 36,000 units from the 911 series on the global market – yet another record in the history of the Eleven.

Castagna Aznom

One of the most exciting recent developments in the industry, by this writer’s account at least, is the re-emergence of the coachbuilding industry.

Cars like the Fisker Latigo and Zagato Ferrari 575 GTZ have heralded a revival of the long-lost segment that inherently gives birth to some of the most unique automobiles on the road. It was only a matter of time until the Italians picked up where they left off by crafting unique Corvette-based sportscars.

Italian coachbuilder Castagna Milano, originally founded way back in the 1850s and revived in the 1990s, has created a number of bespoke models, including the Imperial Landaulet concept and a slew of custom Minis.

The carrozzeria’s latest offering, the Castagna Aznom, was previewed in skeletal form back in April at Monaco’s Top Marques show, and the firm has now released further details and images.

Based on the Corvette Z06, the Aznom also draws on retro Corvette styling elements, blended with thoroughly modern design features to create a heart-stopping supercar. The egg-crate grille is drawn from the original ‘53 Vette, slab-sided flanks from the ‘58 Stingray and fenders from the ‘56 SR-2 Sebring race car.

On the contemporary side of things, LED rear lights, retracting rear wing, three-section rear diffuser and F1-style fender-mounted carbon-fiber wing mirrors round out the design.

Those sharp five-spoke wheels measure 20 inches, shod in 285/30 and 335/30 Pirelli PZero rubber front and rear respectively, housing 356mm cross-drilled discs with six-pot calipers fore and 340mm discs with 4-pot calipers aft. The cockpit even features a Google Earth-powered sat-nav system.

Whether you love or hate the unique styling, the Aznom has the “go” to back up the “show”. Castagna has thoroughly massaged the Z06’s 7-liter V8 from 500 horsepower to a whopping 750, and with the use of carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium bodywork, has trimmed the weight down to 1,400 kg.

With that magical formula of more power and less weight, the carrozzeria puts the performance figures at 0-60 in a scant 3.4 seconds on its way to a claimed top speed of 217 mph.

2007 Paulin VR Concept

Paulin Motor Company, founded by well-knowned designer Daniel Paulin launches its first vehicle. This concept car aims to demonstrate Paulins vision of future design directions aiming for the market requirements of 2012 and further.

Daniel Paulin have a background as designer at Ford Motor Company where he among other projects where responsible for the exterior design for the 2004 Ford Focus concept car, the exterior Ford Focus C-Max 2003 and also designer for the FAB1, Thunderbirds the movie.

- I have studied the development of the last decennium and believe this is a logical development where I have tried to create shapes where controlled sculptural surfaces meets dynamic graphical break-ups, says Daniel Paulin, CEO and Creative Director of Paulin Motor Company.

Paulin Motor Company has used Opticore visualization solutions to produce images and real-time presentation environments.

- Opticore Real Time Ray Tracing has helped my product to come to live, Daniel Paulin says. Since there is no physical mock-up, Opticore solutions have given me a great solution to demonstrate my vehicle for prospective partners.

Its very interesting times for the high end visualization business. With Opticores tools, the boundary in-between virtual reality and real life is now removed. The quality has reached a level where many design decisions can be made with out the need of physical prototypes.

Paulin currently involved on several design projects around the globe will continue to launch concepts to highlights trends and ideas of where automotive are and should develop.

The concept car features several creative solutions both from a design and a technical perspective.

With its proportion the car is a pure 2 seated GT concept. Cockpit feeling is inspired by modern jet-fighters. The windshield/roof is hinge in the cowl area. In open position, the doors can be open independently.

The rear wing is integrated in body with a flush condition. In use it moves up and rotates to create appropriate down force. Camera mirrors in the shape of blades, located above the rear fender for best visibility. The view can be seen on a wide display just above the instrument panel.

In the interior, less is more - 2 bucket seats, steering wheel, gear shifter and a control unit. Paulin continues. This concept car is a pure driving oriented vehicle where the design intent is all about simplicity and functionality in true Scandinavian fashion.

Amazing Car Paint

Renault Announces 2007 Megane E85 Launch

Renault UK will launch its first bioethanol car into the UK market when the Mégane Hatch E85 goes on sale at the end of 2007. This will be Renault’s first bioethanol vehicle to be sold in the UK and is in line with eCO2, the company’s commitment to producing environmentally-friendly vehicles for the whole life cycle of the vehicle, from design to their eventual recycling.

With eCO2, Renault provides customers with a choice of vehicles across its range, both kind to the environment and motorists’ pockets, including the new Mégane E85.

The new Mégane E85 uses the 1.6 16V 105 engine. The existing 1.6 16V petrol engine has undergone a number of modifications so that it adapts automatically to bioethanol fuel. The main upgrades have been made to the fuel tank, injection system and combustion chambers.

The new vehicles were developed with input from expertise developed in Brazil, where Renault has been selling FlexFuel versions of Clio and Mégane running on bioethanol E100 since 2004.

The benefits of E85 fuel are widespread and are particularly relevant for the Fleet market. A new tax incentive sees a 2% discount on employees’ taxable car benefits where the car is capable of running on E85 fuel, an ethanol fuel based on a mix of at least 85% ethanol with conventional petrol.

The introduction of the Mégane E85 will offer fleets an innovative, modern, comfortable, spacious and Euro NCAP five-star safety-rated car perfect for user-choosers and larger fleets.

Renault considers biofuels to be one of the most effective solutions in the long-term quest for control over CO2 emissions. Biofuels are ecologically effective, as a diversified, renewable, plant-based energy source.

And they are economically effective because the cost of developing compatible engines is reasonable, and the cars are therefore affordable. Biofuels will also be helping to cut down energy dependency on fossil fuels.

The crops used to produce biofuels absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow (part of the process of photosynthesis). E85 bioethanol can achieve CO2 gains of up to 70% over the so-called well-to-wheel cycle compared to the same model powered by a conventional petrol engine. The figure is about 20% for B30 biodiesel.

Biofuel-compatibility is one of the criteria behind the Renault eCO2 signature. With a Mégane running on bioethanol (E85) alongside other vehicles running on biodiesel, such as B30 powered Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) which are currently being evaluated for the British market and will be tested with some fleet operators, Renault confirms its commitment to this technology, as one of the few carmakers to offer its European customers cars running on both types of biofuel.

Bioethanol is made by distilling fermented vegetable matter, typically in the form of wheat or beet in Europe, sugarcane in Brazil, or maize in the USA. The resulting fuel is then mixed with petrol in varying proportions: 5% for E5, 10% for E10, 85% for E85 and up to 100% for E100.

Prices and full information will be announced when Mégane E85 goes on sale at the end of 2007.

All-new Mazda2 Boasts Exceptional Standard Equipment

When it goes on sale in the UK from 8 September, the all-new Mazda2 range of five‑door hatchbacks will offer customers a three-strong model line-up with a choice of three powertrains and three equipment levels (TS, TS2 and Sport). Prices will start from a highly-competitive £8,499 (on-the-road) for the new Mazda2 TS model undercutting rival vehicles, while boasting excellent standard equipment that is either optional or not available on those competitor cars.

Standard equipment on the 1.3-litre, 75ps Mazda2 TS will include: 15-inch steel wheels, ABS with Brake Assist and EBD, driver and front passenger airbags, remote central locking with deadlocks, electric front windows, driver seat height adjust, CD radio with AUX jack and two speakers, multi-function glovebox with magazine rack, Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser and electric door mirrors.

The new Mazda2 TS2 with 1.3-litre, 86ps petrol engine will be priced from £9,999 (OTR) and will have 12 additional equipment items including: 15-inch alloy wheels, side and curtain airbags, electric folding door mirrors, four audio speakers, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, leather steering wheel and gear knob and air‑conditioning.

Topping the petrol launch range will be the new Mazda2 Sport, with a 1.5-litre 103ps engine and a full sports styling kit, priced from £11,799 (OTR). This model will also gain 12 extra items of equipment, including: 16-inch alloy wheels, dynamic stability control, traction control, cruise control, fog lights, rain sensing wipers and auto lights, electric rear windows, trip computer, speed alarm, six audio speakers and climate control air-conditioning.

The all-new Mazda2 petrol range will be joined by a 1.4-litre 68ps diesel engine a few months after the September petrol launch. The 1.4-litre 68ps diesel will be available with a choice of two equipment levels TS and TS2 and will include the same specification as the petrol models.