//:: BMW Performance Edition

Earlier this month, BMW of North America announced a Limited Performance Edition to close out the remaining E90 3 Series Sedan production.

The limited edition 335i includes Black Kidney Grills and Stage 1 Software that adds 20 horsepower and 32 ft-lbs of torque which brings the performance level .02 faster in 0-60mph. It also includes a Performance Edition badging.

The 335i Limited Performance Edition only available on the 335 sedans in “i” and “xi” models, but requires a Sport package on the “i” and M-Sport on the “xi” models. The option code is ZMZ and will be available to order from the port as well as the dealer level.

Not the actual 335i Performance Edition

Today, BMWNA announces the availability of BMW Performance Edition parts for existing 135i and 335i customers. Pricing to purchase the contents of this edition as a retrofit will be announced in August 2011.

Press Release

Performance breeds excitement and the BMW Performance Edition for the 2011 335i / xDrive Sedan ensures that new car buyers are in for that extra thrill beyond the outstanding performance that can already be realized with these exciting vehicles. Customers can now option their vehicles with a special BMW Performance Edition (option code ZMZ) that includes an all-new Power Kit, black kidney grilles and a “BMW Performance Edition” badge for only $550.

The BMW Performance Edition for the 335i highlights a Power Kit which consists of engine tuning software (no additional hardware):

Increases the engine power output from 300 hp to 320hp and torque from 300 lb ft to 317 / 332 lb ft (manual / automatic transmission); this is the same horsepower rating as the 335is!
Acceleration from 0-60 mph is 0.2 seconds faster than the standard model and 0.5 seconds faster than the standard model from 50 mph to 75 mph.

Emissions and fuel consumption ratings are unaffected by the power upgrade.
Black kidney grilles and a BMW Performance Edition badge will visually identify these Performance Edition vehicles from other 3 Series vehicles.

The BMW Performance Edition is offered only for a limited time on 335i Sedans through the end of 2011 which will ensure that owners of these vehicles will belong to a very special club of performance purists.

BMW is also pleased to announce that the contents of the BMW Performance Edition will be made available to existing 135i and 335i customers. Pricing to purchase the contents of this edition as a retrofit will be announced in August, 2011.

BMW Sports, M, BMW Power, Sports Car //TAGS

//:: Ferrari's secret hybrid tech

Ferrari is preparing the world for its first hybrid supercar — and this prototype looks to be solid proof that the project is well under way.

The Maranello firm has been talking about a hybrid supercar since the 2010 Geneva motor show when it unveiled the Hybrid Concept, based on a standard 599. The firm’s goal is to develop hybrid technology to get its fleet average CO2 emissions down to around 240g/km by 2018, a significant reduction from last year’s figure of 310g/km.

Spied testing in Germany, this two-seater looks at first glance to be a ‘cut and shut’ 599 GTO, running as a mule for the all-new 599 due in 2013.

But its red-on-white German ‘pre-registration’ plates give away its identity as a test bed for Ferrari’s hybrid tech. Ferrari prototypes normally wear Italian ‘Prova’ identification plates, but those have been ditched while this prototype is driven in Germany to throw spy photographers off the scent.

Ferrari is keen to disown any knowledge of its hybrid prototype, but the ‘S’ on this car’s plates means it is registered in Stuttgart, home of German supply giant Bosch, which is thought to be helping Ferrari with the engineering and software set-up.

The cut-about 599 GTO body panels are covering up a well finished car underneath, whose details appear to mark it out as a California, Ferrari’s V8-powered coupé-convertible. The California’s headlamps, wheels, chromed wheel nuts, folding metal roof shutlines, brake caliper position and distinctive instrument binnacle can all be seen.

However, the revised arrangement of the test mule’s exhaust pipes is an important new detail. The standard California stacks its twin rear pipes on top of each other, rather than two pairs of side by side pipes as seen here.

That may be linked to new routings for the exhausts, dictated by the hybrid powertrain and its space-consuming battery.

Ferrari’s chosen design package for its hybrid sports cars can be seen in its patent drawings (see above right). It features two electric motors — a low-capacity one at the front to drive ancillaries when running on electric power alone, and a rear-mounted one rated at 100bhp and 110lb ft — with a pack of slim battery cells spread over the floorpan.

Although the hybrid electric equipment added 100kg to the kerb weight of the 599 Hybrid Concept shown last year at Geneva, Ferrari was confident that its on-road performance was improved, with 0-100mph in 10.4sec, an improvement of 0.6sec. Interestingly, the 599 concept’s centre of gravity — a key factor in determining a car’s dynamic ability — remained the same.

Also under development are a super-fast traction control system that works by reversing the electric motor’s torque rather than cutting engine power, and an ‘electronic torque shaping’ system that feeds in small torque inputs from the electric motor during acceleration. This helps maintain momentum during gear changes and is felt as a more linear throttle response. The California test mule is likely to be running this set-up.

Related Post: Ferrari 599 Hy-Kers

Note: Re-post from http://www.autocar.co.uk/

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Super fast cars //TAGS

top cars wallpapers

Car and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.

All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:

The vehicle must be on sale by January
It must be priced below 2.5 times the average car price for that year
The manufacturer must provide an example for testing
Only substantially changed vehicles and the past year's 10 best winners are nominated

The magazine sometimes selects a specific trim and other times a whole family of vehicles.

top cars

top cars

top cars

top cars

top cars

super cars nice cars

Supercar is a term used most often to describe an expensive high end car. It has been defined specifically as "a very expensive, fast or powerful car".[1] Stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match," "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own".[2]

super cars

super cars

super cars

super cars

super cars nice cars

Supercar is a term used most often to describe an expensive high end car. It has been defined specifically as "a very expensive, fast or powerful car".[1] Stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match," "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own".[2]

super cars

super cars nice cars

Supercar is a term used most often to describe an expensive high end car. It has been defined specifically as "a very expensive, fast or powerful car".[1] Stated in more general terms: "it must be very fast, with sporting handling to match," "it should be sleek and eye-catching" and its price should be "one in a rarefied atmosphere of its own".[2]

super cars

super cars

super cars

super cars

super cars

ferrari california wallpapers

The Ferrari California is a grand touring sports car that was launched by Ferrari at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It is a two door "2+2" hard top convertible. The California is powered by front-mid mounted gasoline direct injection 4.3 L (260 cu in) V8, sending a claimed 460 PS (340 kW; 450 hp).[2] The car revives the "California" name used for the late-1950s Ferrari 250 GT.

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california wallpapers

The Ferrari California is a grand touring sports car that was launched by Ferrari at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It is a two door "2+2" hard top convertible. The California is powered by front-mid mounted gasoline direct injection 4.3 L (260 cu in) V8, sending a claimed 460 PS (340 kW; 450 hp).[2] The car revives the "California" name used for the late-1950s Ferrari 250 GT.

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

ferrari california

The Ferrari California is a grand touring sports car that was launched by Ferrari at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It is a two door "2+2" hard top convertible. The California is powered by front-mid mounted gasoline direct injection 4.3 L (260 cu in) V8, sending a claimed 460 PS (340 kW; 450 hp).[2] The car revives the "California" name used for the late-1950s Ferrari 250 GT.

ferrari california

ferrari california

pajero car nice cars

The Mitsubishi Pajero (pronounced /pəˈdʒɛroʊ/, Spanish: [paˈxeɾo], Japanese パジェロ [padʑeɽo])[1][2] is a sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. It was named after Leopardus pajeros, the Pampas Cat which is native to the Patagonia plateau region of southern Argentina.[3] However, since pajero is an offensive term for "wanker" in Spanish,[2] alternative names have been used for many markets overseas. It is known as the Mitsubishi Montero (meaning "mountain warrior") in Spain, India, and the Americas (excepting Brazil), and as Mitsubishi Shogun in the United Kingdom.

pajero car

pajero car

pajero car

pajero car

pajero car

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

The Maserati GranCabrio will make its debut on September 15 at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The Maserati GranCabrio is a four-seat convertible that promises to offer enough space for all its occupants, completes Maserati’s product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio.

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

The open-top Maserati GranCabrio is pure Maserati. It is a Maserati in the truest sense, with an unmistakable Pininfarina design, spacious interior, handcrafted details, driving pleasure and high performances. The Maserati GranCabrio touches all five senses in an open-air experience that retains all the typical comfort and performance brio. Like all Maserati's open-top models, the Maserati GranCabrio is a special car intended for true connoisseurs.

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

The Maserati GranCabrio continues in the footsteps of the Maserati tradition in open-top models, and adds to a line-up of models that has made the history of the Modena manufacturer, such as the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, the 3500GT Vignale Spyder (1960), the Mistral Spyder (1964), the Ghibli Spyder (1968) and the 2001 Maserati Spyder, the car Maserati chose for his comeback to the United States.

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

True to its tradition, the Maserati GranCabrio yet opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory in Modena. There are four proper seats are provided, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.

2011 Maserati GranCabrio Sports Car

The Maserati GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 liter V8 engine paired with the fluid 6-speed automatic transmission. In Sport mode, the V8 gives the driver and passengers the full power of its 323kW, with a thrilling roar that becomes even more exciting with the top down, as it becomes one with its surroundings.

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept Debut At The Chicago Auto Show

January 26th, 2010 Honda has confirmed that it will show the next generation of its Odyssey minivan at the Chicago Auto Show on February 2010. Honda today gave us the first look at the next-generation of its award-winning Odyssey minivan with the new Honda Odyssey Concept, which is on display at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, introduces a sleek and distinctive exterior styling direction for the next generation of the industry's best-selling minivan, set to debut this fall, American Honda Motor Co., Inc..

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept

The Odyssey Concept dramatically departs from conventional minivan styling with its low and wide stance, highlighted by a "lightning-bolt" beltline that further distinguishes the vehicle's profile. Compared to the current Odyssey, the Concept's slightly lower roofline (-1.0 inch) and wider stance (+1.4 inch) contribute to a sleeker, stronger and more dynamic presence with improved aerodynamics that help increase fuel economy. Forthcoming improvements to the production Odyssey's interior are designed to further enhance the current model's accommodating space for people and cargo.

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept

The steeply raked front and rear roof pillars, unique side-glass profile, chamfered roof line, and tapered rear cabin shape combine to create a dynamic and distinctive appearance from any perspective. The lightning-bolt beltline dives toward the rear of the vehicle emphasizing the new Odyssey's sporty appearance while enhancing outward visibility for third-row passengers. Aggressive body-to-wheel proportions reduce the perception of vertical height common to most minivan designs. Fender flares further accent the vehicle's securely planted and stylish persona. The concept vehicle's projector beam headlights, LED taillights and form-fit fog lights further heighten the sophisticated quality of the design.

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept

Enhanced aerodynamics and advanced powertrain technologies will contribute to the next-generation Odyssey's increased fuel efficiency. The all-new 2011 Odyssey is expected to achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating(1) of 19 city/28 highway miles-per gallon on select models (preliminary estimate determined by Honda).

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept

Currently in its third generation, the Odyssey's unique array of features, including its superior driving dynamics, 3rd-Row Magic Seat(R) and efficient i-VTEC(TM) V-6 engine with three-mode Variable Cylinder Management(TM) (available) all combine to offer a sophisticated environment with room for up to eight people (seven on Odyssey LX). The Odyssey has been America's best-selling minivan(2) since 2008 and is produced exclusively in Alabama by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (using domestic and globally sourced parts). Both the concept and production vehicles, along with all development activity for the 2011 Odyssey, are being designed at Honda R&D Americas in Torrance, California, and Raymond, Ohio.

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept

The Odyssey has won numerous awards and critical acclaim. Recent accolades include the Edmunds.com 2010 "Top Recommended" minivan award, U.S. News and World Report 2010 "Best Minivan for the Money" award, Automotive Lease Guide 2010 "Best Minivan for the Money," the Kelley Blue Book award as one of the ten "Best New Family Vehicles of 2009" and "2009 Best Resale Value Award" in the van category, which recognizes vehicles that are expected to have segment-leading resale value after five years of ownership.

 

2011 Honda Odyssey Minivan Concept