Chevrolet has unveiled the production version of the Volt hybrid car ahead of General Motors' second century in the automotive industry.
Evolving from the original concept that was first unveiled at the 2007 NAIAS, the Volt "delivers up to 40 miles of gasoline- and emissions-free electric driving" courtesy of its aerodynamically efficient design and electric drive unit delivering the equivalent of 110 kW (150 hp) of power and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft.) of torque.
Known as the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or E-REV, electricity is used to power the Volt at all times and speeds - for trips up to 64 kilometres (40 miles), the Volt is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. When the battery's energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator provides electricity to power the Volt's electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This mode of operation extends the range of the Volt for several hundred additional miles, until the vehicle's battery can be charged. Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Volt eliminates "range anxiety," giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.
When charging the Chevrolet Volt, all that is required is plugging the car's battery either into a standard household 120v outlet or use 240v with charge times of three hours and eight hours on a 240v outlet or 120v outlet respectively.
The Volt's aerodynamically efficient design features a closed front grille, a rounded and flush front fascia, tapered corners and grille for air to move easily around the car while the rear is designed so that air flows off and away quickly.
The new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport has made its international debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance over the weekend and claims the mantle of the world's fastest and most exclusive drop-top.
In order to make open-top driving a reality in the ultra-fast Veyron, Bugatti engineers had to incorporate a host of new and innovative safety and equipment features and optimum rigidity and lightweight engineering to ensure near identical performance to the 'standard' Veyron. This includes extensive use of carbon fibre - to keep weight gain to an absolute minimum - to 'cross-stiffen' the B-pillars, doors, and many other components to maintain vehicular rigidity with a unique removable roof in place. A higher windscreen has been fitted to stop excessive wind noise from entering the cabin.
As a result, the 736 kW quad turbocharged W16 engine powered Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport can reach 407 km/h and 360 km/h with the roof on and off respectively. Should the heavens open up unexpectedly, an innovative folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be opened up like an umbrella at any time to keep the plush interior and the occupants - their toupes too - shielded from the rain. When this folding roof or umbrella is in place, the car can travel at up to 130 km/h - well above the legal limit for Australia roads anyway.
The hand-assembled Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport goes on sale from March 2009 with a price tag of 1.4 million euros (excluding tax) or AUD$2.4 million. Just 150 examples of this exclusive targa will be made.
The main challenge in developing the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport with removable roof resulted from the unique structure of the fixed-roof Bugatti Veyron. An optimum combination of rigidity and lightweight engineering ensures the monocoque passenger cell of the original model is extremely strong while weighing an absolute minimum – it is a central element of the vehicle's structure. As the roof is an integral part of this, removing it meant the load paths had to be completely redesigned to maintain the vehicle's rigidity and crash safety, and to offer additional protection from side impacts and rolling.
As a result, the monocoque structure has been reinforced around the side skirts and the transmission tunnel. The B-pillars have been cross-stiffened using a carbon fibre support, and a central carbon plate has been positioned beneath the transmission tunnel to ensure the vehicle suffers from less torsional flexing than any other roadster.
The doors of the new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport are made of carbon fibre, and house an integrated longitudinal beam.
In the event of an accident, this transfers the load from the A to the B-pillar, thereby dissipating impact energy. Furthermore, the two redesigned air intakes for the 16-cylinder mid-engine now feature 10-centimetre wide carbon-fibre elements to offer protection should the car roll.
Along with moisture-resistant, backstitched leather, a range of new equipment features has been added to the interior, including a reversing camera with 2.7-inch monitor in the rear-view-mirror, and the "Puccini" sound system with digital signal processor. When the roof is closed, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport can reach 407 km/h, while speeds of up to 360 km/h are possible with roof off. Should it rain, an innovative folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be opened up like an umbrella at any time. When this
folding roof is in place, the car can travel at up to 130 km/h. Assembled by hand at the company's headquarters in Molsheim, Alsace, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport will be available from March 2009 at the price of 1.4 million euros (excluding tax). Just 150 examples will be made, with the first 50 of these going exclusively to registered Bugatti customers. The first vehicle is certain to be highly sought after, and Bugatti has taken the decision to donate this specific car to charity. It will be sold to the highest bidder at the Pebble Beach Auction presented by Gooding & Company.
The rather stunning Pininfarina Hyperion is a one-off custom-built car derived from the Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe and made its world debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance over the weekend.
Named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology, to underline its architectural and figurative power, it was commissioned by Roland Hall, a collector and the owner of a Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, who wanted a custom-built car that would evoke the appeal of the sumptuous cars of the 1930s. The famous Italian design house, Pininfarina, was chosen to deliver a car with even more presence than the standard Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupé and the result speaks for itself.
Sporting a short tail end and majestic bonnet that “surges” forward, the donor RR had to have its roof extended and rear shortened to evoke the appeal of a classic 1930s automobile. The designers also gave the Hyperion soft, fluidly flowing surfaces and a slightly more modern and inclined version of the classic Rolls-Royce grille and a front end featuring recessed Bi-xenon headlights and the latest in LED technology.
The spectacular "surging" bonnet is underlined by the muscular, taut wings, while the line that embraces the front wheels is drawn back until it disappears into the hood cover, giving a sense of movement even when the car is stationary. This feature is counterbalanced by a small tooth under the door that runs towards the rear wheel. The shape of the rear end recalls Pininfarina’s legendary sports “berlinettas” of the Fifties and Sixties, with their cut-off tails, strongly inclined downwards, with a flat closure borrowed from boat-building.
The interior remains unchanged from the standard Drophead coupe (it's hard to get anymore luxurious than a standard Rolls-Royce) but features a special watch designed specifically for the Hyperion by renowned watchmaker, Girard-Perregaux, which can be removed from the dash and attached to a bracelet to be worn on the wrist.
The Pininfarina Hyperion is powered by a 6.75-litre V12 engine developing 333 kW (453 hp) and 696 Nm (513 lb-ft) of torque.
French car maker Peugeot has acknowledged the importance of the Australian car market bringing the all-new 308 CC (Coupe / Convertible) to Sydney for its southern hemisphere debut at the Australian International Motor Show, just a week after its international debut at the prestigious Paris Motor Show.
The 308 CC, powered by either a 140bhp 2.0HDi or a 150bhp 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, boasts seating for four adults, capitalising on all the inbuilt strengths of the 308 range whilst still embodying the "307 CC spirit" and Peugeot's coupe / cabriolet expertise since the 206 CC emerged over seven years ago to bring a hard-topped convertible to the masses.
The majority of convertibles, especially the hard-top variants, are show-stoppers in one or more ways and you'll often see people stopped dead in their tracks admiring the engineering behind these vehicles.
Despite sporting a rather awkwardly styled rear quarter, the three-piece aluminum roof on the new Lexus IS 250C is still expected to attract plenty of attention when in action, especially when the luxury car maker has laid claim to the mantle of the world's fastest folding hard-top roof. In just a mere 20 seconds, the coupe is transformed into a convertible to deliver exhilarating open-air driving with the safety and comfort of a hard-top roof when required.
Australian sales have yet to be confirmed but when it is, don't expect to see the IS 250C before the third-quarter of 2009. Fortunately, you won't have to wait that long to see the folding mechanism of the IS 250C in action with the release of this new promotional video clip.
The latest Lexus model will take on BMW's 3 Series convertible range which also happens to feature a folding hard top of its very own. Now the question that begs to be asked is will Mercedes-Benz introduce a new hard-top roof for the new generation CLK-class?
Chevrolet has unveiled the production version of the Volt hybrid car ahead of General Motors' second century in the automotive industry.
Known as the Extended-Range Electric Vehicle, or E-REV, electricity is used to power the Volt at all times and speeds - for trips up to 64 kilometres (40 miles), the Volt is powered only by electricity stored in its 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery. When the battery's energy is depleted, a gasoline/E85-powered engine generator provides electricity to power the Volt's electric drive unit while simultaneously sustaining the charge of the battery. This mode of operation extends the range of the Volt for several hundred additional miles, until the vehicle's battery can be charged. Unlike a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the Volt eliminates "range anxiety," giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery.
