Sunday, April 14, 2013

How a Texas Tuner and a Technicality Took Down the World’s Fastest Car


The former reigning world champion. Photo: Bugatti Automobiles
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport’s three-year reign as the world’s fastest production car has ended. Not with a bang, but with a whimper. Or, rather, a technicality.
The arbiters of such things at Guinness World Records invalidated the $2.5 million land rocket’s 267.857 mph v-max run in 2010 because of a speed limiter. More specifically, the fact the car, which boasts enough power to literally shred the tires, didn’t have the speed limiter enabled, unlike the cars sold to those with the coin to afford one. And that was enough for Guinness to declare that the Super Sport was not, strictly speaking, a “production” car.
“There was an oversight in its adjudication of the ‘Fastest production car’ which was set in 2010 by the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport,” Guinness said in a statement. “As the car’s speed limiter was deactivated, this modification was against the official guidelines. Consequently, the vehicle’s record set at 431.072 km/h is no longer valid.”
This is really about bragging rights for the people making these cars, and the few dozen buying them.
While being knocked off the top of the top-speed list is a blow to Bugatti, it’s just the latest in a series of pointless, if compelling, questions surrounding what is ultimately a pointless, if compelling exercise — declaring which car is the fastest on the planet. The biggest of these is, of course, what exactly constitutes a “production” car, and if a handmade machine cobbled together in a Texas garage and sold to eight — yes, eight — people can really be counted among the vehicles built by major automakers. This is really about bragging rights for the people making these cars, and the few dozen buying them.
But that doesn’t make it any less entertaining for the rest of us, especially when the record is undone by fine print.
What the speed limiter in the Veyron does is curb the 1,200-horsepower Super Sport’s top speed at 258, or less than 10 mph below the record set on the track VW — Bugatti’s corporate parent — owns near Wolfsburg, Germany. So small a difference might seem insignificant, but at that velocity, it’s the line that separates exhilaration and annihilation. The specifically developed tires for the Veyron all but detonate in a hail of rubber shrapnel north of 258.
So how did Guinness discover the Veyron it timed didn’t have the limiter and revoke the record? Some friendly competition.
Earlier this year, a 1,244 horsepower bundle of insanity called the Hennessey Venom GT made an unofficial top-speed run of 265.7 mph on a 2.9-mile stretch of tarmac at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California. When John Hennessey released the results, the Texas-based tuner claimed his car – which is a highly modified Lotus Exige stuffed with a turbocharged engine pulled from the Corvette ZR1 – was, in fact, the fastest production car on the planet, even though it fell 2.1 mph behind the Veyron. A bold claim indeed — even from a Texan — but Hennessey felt he had the goods.
“While a Veyron Super Sport did run 267.8 mph, Bugatti speed-limits its production vehicles to 258 mph,” the company said in a statement. “Thus, at 265.7 mph the Venom GT is the fastest production car available to the public.”
That got the guys at Guinness thinking. They poked around and decided Hennessey was right. Not that he takes any consolation in that.
“I take no joy in Guinness taking the record away from Bugatti,” he told Wired. “I have the greatest respect for Bugatti and the Veyron.”
And while it is a loss for Bugatti, it is not a win for Hennessey because there is a “production” car faster than the Venom GT.
It ain’t pretty, but it’s fast. Photo: Shelby Super Sports
That would be the 1,287-horsepower SSC Ultimate Aero, another car you’ve probably never heard of. It was built here in the United States, sold in tiny numbers at high prices and ended “production” in 2008, not long after setting a speed record at 256.14 mph in September of 2007. That was enough to knock the previous record holder – the standard 1,000-hp Veyron – off the leader board by a mere 2.33 mph. Now it’s back on top.
“This wasn’t how we planned to reclaim the record,” SSC founder Jerod Shelby said in a statement. “Although, it was still a nice surprise.”
But Bugatti isn’t relinquishing the title just yet.
“As officially measured by the German Agency of Technical Documentation and Certification… and confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records in 2010, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is the fastest production sports car with road-use registration,” the automaker said in a statement. “World record car and production cars are technical identical. Customers have the opportunity to drive their Super Sport over 415 kph without speed limiter at events regularly organised by Bugatti.”
Bugatti has yet to tell us why, then, the limiter is in place and when, where and how often these events are held.
Better yet, Bugatti claimed today that it has set another speed record, this time for the “fastest open-top production sports car.” Chinese race driver Anthony Liu achieved a top speed of 254.04 mph in a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse at VW’s track in Germany, though the company didn’t say when. The automaker claims the run was confirmed by the German Agency of Technical Documentation and Certification. Of course, Bugatti will commemorate the run with a limited edition run of eight “World Record Car Edition” models of the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse and sell them for a cool $1.9 million euros apiece. That’s $2.4 million at today’s exchange rate.
All of this gets back to the question of just what constitutes a “production” car in this high-stakes game of compensating. And here, it seems Bugatti has the advantage.
Despite a price tag well over $1.5 million, Bugatti has sold enough Veyrons since the car’s introduction in 2005 – and Volkswagen has dumped enough money into developing the car and its endless iterations – that you can safely call it a production car. The SSC Ultimate Aero is a ground-up vehicle, developed completely in-house, but uses an engine supplied by General Motors and other non-custom components (although in fairness, the Bugatti shares the same key fob as a VW Golf). And then there’s the Venom GT, a Lotus Exige stretched and widened to accommodate a massive 7.0-liter V8 sourced from General Motors.
No, that’s not a Lotus. Photo: Hennessey Performance
“We’re straight up about what our car is,” Hennessey told Wired. “We get rid of like 90 percent of [the donor car]. But it’s completely street legal. It’ll pass a smog test. It’ll meet [street-legal] requirements.”
Hennessey has already sold more than a half-dozen Venom GTs – some of them to Veyron owners.
Guinness says it is reconsidering its definition and “reviewing all ‘production car’ record categories with expert external consultants to ensure our records fairly reflect achievements in this field.”
As for Hennessey, he has his sights on taking the top-speed record before the end of the year, “maybe in the next 45 days” and has little doubt the title will soon be his.
“I’m not going to run my car unless it goes over 270,” he said.
As for the debate over what constitutes a “production” car, Hennessey said he’ll leave that to others. He just wants to build crazy-fast cars.
“I’m going to back off my claim that this is the world’s fastest production car,” Hennessey said. “This is the fastest hyper car you can buy. And I plan to do a run that’ll give the people in Wolfsburg something to think about.”

Saturday, April 13, 2013

How to choose a right car for me?

With so many cars on the market, one is perfect for you. But which of the more than 400 choices is it?

When Car and Driver editors buy cars, emotion often trumps logic. We love performance, so practicality isn’t a major consideration. But for many buyers, a car is a rational choice; they buy what they need to transport themselves and their loved ones as safely, comfortably, and cheaply as possible. It’s a smarter way to buy, but it isn’t any easier. With more than 400 new cars to choose from, how do you pick the right one?
Start by considering a series of questions, but beware: Once you find the car that fulfills your every need, an emotional connection may well form whether you like it or not.
What Kind of Car Do I Need?
Forget the number of models available, the number of body styles alone can be overwhelming: coupes, sedans, station wagons, crossovers, SUVs. How do you decide what you need?
Coupe/Convertible: If you want a car that makes a statement about you, coupes and convertibles are typically the most expressive designs, but restricted access to the back seat (if the car you are considering even has one) seriously limits their practicality.
SedanIf there are kids in the picture or in the near-future plan, four doors are a likely requirement. Even if children are small enough to ride comfortably in the back seat of a coupe with any regularity, consider the difficulty of constantly climbing into and out of the back seat to tend to a child before committing to just two doors.
HatchbackIf you add another door—bringing the total to five—you’re looking at hatchbacks and station wagons, which offer SUV-like space without the dynamic and fuel-economy compromises of heavier vehicles. These cars are pariahs in the U.S. market, but many buyers are starting to reconsider, as fluctuating fuel prices and increasing environmental awareness have them thinking twice about crossovers and SUVs. As manufacturers get increasingly creative and design ever more stylish hatchbacks—their roofs are sleeker than wagons’—the market is warming to the segment.
Station WagonStation wagons have perhaps the worst reputation of any body style on the market, but we’re fighting to change that. They offer the best attributes of a car without the trade-offs of larger crossovers and SUVs. The Mazda 6 wagon actually had more passenger and cargo volume than the Mazda CX-7 crossover, was quicker, and got better fuel economy. It was so immensely unpopular that it was discontinued last year, and a forthcoming CX-7 promises a weaker engine in an effort to reduce fuel consumption.
SUV/CrossoverJack up the ground clearance of a hatchback or station wagon, and you have a crossover or an SUV. Do you need that ground clearance? Probably not. When was the last time your road didn’t get regularly plowed or cleared? Sure, it happens—most often to those of us in the northern part of the country, and that’s a few times a winter—but the fuel-economy penalty of opting for a taller and heavier vehicle is something that affects you every time you start the car.
Of course, the higher seating position of a crossover or SUV is something many people enjoy, for its increased visibility and for the ease of entry and exit as the seat is at a more natural height. But keep in mind that height adds weight, and weight diminishes fuel economy and stability.
Those who tow regularly already know they need something with that capability. But if you need a truck only to tow a few times a year, perhaps renting in those instances is a better alternative to living year round with the fuel-economy penalties of a truck.
MinivanThose with large families—or dreams of such—often resist the practicality of the van, but if you routinely haul five or more people, there is no vehicle short of a school bus that will better accommodate six, seven, or eight passengers. A jumbo SUV like a Chevrolet Suburban orFord Expedition EL has more cargo space, but passengers will find greater comfort in a minivan. A minivan is the perfect family vehicle but normally does without any semblance of soul. A couple of notable exceptions are the Honda Odyssey and the Mazda 5, both of which manage to add an element of driving pleasure to the normally bland family-hauler character.
What Size Car Do I Need?
We say start small. And right off the bat, let’s debunk a common myth: Larger vehicles are safer than smaller ones. The safest collision is one you avoid in the first place. Lighter cars are typically more agile and give you a better chance of steering away from a crash rather than gripping the wheel, barreling in, and letting physics punish the other driver.
Before the inevitable “If I’m going to get T-boned by an idiot in a Navigator, I’d rather be in a Silverado than a Mini” response, consider that a shorter stopping distance might allow you to come to a complete stop before either car in that scenario ever enters the intersection. Small cars tend to cost less to buy and consume less fuel, too. Driving a smaller, more frugal car makes you look enlightened—at least in college towns and northern California.
Also, consider that small cars don’t have to be small inside. Thanks to the Manhattan approach of building up instead of out, small cars keep getting more and more spacious. The smallest car currently available in the U.S. is the Smart Fortwo, and it offers headroom within an inch of what you’d find in a Cadillac Escalade. Or consider the Nissan Cube: Despite being nearly three feet shorter than the Honda Pilot and weighing almost a ton less, it has more head- and legroom in the front seat, more headroom in the back seat, and only three inches less legroom in the rear. If it’s interior space you need, you needn’t buy big.
Do I Need All-Wheel Drive?
Probably not. All-wheel drive is seen as a safety feature in wintry climes, but the only difference the average driver will notice with all-wheel drive is the added traction when accelerating. All-wheel drive doesn’t increase a vehicle’s ability to stop or turn. What most buyers don’t realize is just how much difference a set of winter tires can make. And they are cheaper than upgrading to an all-wheel-drive car and won’t have the year-round negative impact on your fuel economy that comes with a car having to drive all four wheels all the time.
While we’re on the subject, weight does not automatically make a better winter vehicle. Heavy cars and trucks do plow through deep snow better and behave more predictably, but hit a patch of ice, and that weight is just extra momentum to try to control. Again, bigger is not necessarily better.
How Much Power Do I Need?
In our road tests, we always cite 0-to-60-mph times, but the fact is that very few people ever actually use full throttle. Around Ann Arbor, we see more drivers who fear full throttle than those who ever use it. Truck buyers who tow and haul heavy loads need lots of power, but the average car buyer doesn’t need any more than is necessary to keep him or her comfortable on a test drive. The buying practice of getting the bigger engine but never using more than half-throttle is like building a four-story house but leaving the top two floors vacant. All else being equal, larger engines use more fuel.
What about Hybrids and Diesels?
The type of driving you do determines whether or not a hybrid or a diesel makes sense for you. Hybrids tend to use less fuel around town, when low speeds and frequent braking keep them running on battery power longer. Diesel drivers will see their greatest benefits on the highway, although diesel vehicles are more efficient than gasoline cars at low speeds, too.
Either approach will extend your fuel dollar, but be aware of the premiums you’ll be paying up front and the distance you’ll have to drive to recoup your costs. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily have to be a deterrent if you know you’ll drive a car more than 60,000 or 100,000 miles, or if you buy a fuel miser on principle.
With a diesel, also be aware of the premium you’ll pay for fuel. As this is written, diesel is outpacing gasoline in the U.S. by only about 10 cents per gallon, or five percent—a much lower differential than we have seen in the past year. So right now, the 25-to-30-percent benefit most drivers will realize in fuel economy is worth it. But that can change quickly as fuel prices fluctuate.
Could You Please Be More Specific?

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Electric Cars Pros and Cons: Why Buy an Electric Car?


Electric cars pros and cons are fundamentally a matter of personal opinion, and a disadvantage to one could be an advantage to another. Why drive such a car? What is it about such cars that attracts people not only to drive them but also to design and develop them?
There are two camps on this - those interested in the environment and those on economy. There is a third, as there is with any new technology - those wanting to appear 'different' or 'cool.' Whether it is perceived as being cool to purchase and drive such cars is a matter of opinion, but let's discuss electric car pros and cons first before making further comment.
Electric Cars - Pros
For anybody to purchase an electric car there must become benefit over regular gasoline cars for them to justify doing so. We shall start here with a cynical viewpoint, but prepared to be swayed by argument and see where it leads. With that understood, here are some of the main benefits proposed by those who advocate that we buy electric by choice.
1. Electrical Power is Environmentally Friendly
Let's examine this statement. 'Environmentally friendly' - what does that mean? Presumably the argument is that electrical power has less of a carbon footprint than a gas powered car. It has no need for fossil fuels, and so when you buy an electric vehicle you do not rely on oil sources for your fuel.
Nor do you emit hydrocarbon waste or carbon oxides - carbon dioxide and monoxide which are believed to be not only poisoning the planet, but affecting our upper atmosphere. Perhaps Messrs. Lenoir, Benz and Ford have much to answer for - or perhaps not, because there is no doubt that the internal combustion engine and the development of the motor car has played a massive part in the development of modern industry and technology.
However, back to the pertinent discussion regarding the potential effect on the environment of electric cars. There is more than just the power source and environmental effect going for them.
2. Electric Vehicle Technology
An electric vehicle runs from batteries - so is not internal combustion. What does that mean? First, it emits fewer (or no) hydrocarbons in its exhaust than regular vehicles - because it has none! That's a good argument, as is that of lack of noise.
No noise means no need for a muffler, and no hydrocarbon emissions means no need for a catalytic converter or an internal combustion engine, distributor, points, spark plugs, coil, radiator, fan belt, valves and everything else we swear at when we are trying to fix them or change them. That in itself is a blessing and a massive plus for electric cars.
These advantages are almost sufficient to persuade anybody to buy an electric car rather than a regular internal combustion car. But then again, they said that about airships in comparison to regular airplanes of that era. Airships had one drawback that counted against them - they tended to explode! This dissuaded people from using them, so what's the drawback with electric vehicles?
Electric Vehicles - Cons
1. The Power Source
Electric cars don't explode, but they do run out of electricity. Not for the lack of a coin, but for the lack of a charging point. Larger cities might have them, but you won't get far down Route 66 on electric - certainly nothing like from Chicago to L.A.! Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry and the Stones would be very lucky to get out of state with their electric vehicle! The average car, such as the Nissan LEAF, does no more than about 90 miles on one charge - what then?
That's the main drawback. They are fine for the school run and shopping, and perhaps that's what they were designed for. With today's technology, electric vehicles will never catch on big time unless something is done about recharging. Not just with charging stations, but also the speed of charging since it takes up to 8 hours to fully recharge a battery. "I'm just going to fill her up dear - book a room for us!"
However, Nissan has tackled this problem quite well with the Nissan LEAF (Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car). A home charger will take 8 hours, sure, but you can get a commercial fast charge at a Nissan dealer, or street charging station, that provides an 80% charge in 30 minutes.
Once supermarkets install these you can plug in, do your shopping and your car is charged ready for you when you return. There is no doubt that as sales increase, this will become a commercial decision and all supermarkets will have them. Not only that, but a Nissan LEAF can receive a 30 mile charge with a rapid 5-minute supercharge!
2. The Environment
Electricity has to come from somewhere, and some have calculated electric cars to be only slightly more friendly than gas cars in their power source. This will change as methods of generating electricity changes, but it still cannot be denied that electric vehicle emissions are zero.
3. Power
Electric motors cannot match the power of internal combustion engines, and in this respect they never will unless there is a radical new discovery in electrical power. However, for normal day-to-day use, an electrically powered car offers sufficient power and speed for normal use. Again taking the Nissan LEAF as an example, this car can reach a speed of 60 MPH in 10.8 seconds. That is sufficient for normal driving within the speed limit.
Conclusions: Buy an Electric Car or Not?
Electrical cars have both good and bad features. However, for driving around town, they appear superior to gas cars in all respects. If you are driving long distances go for gasoline. It would not be surprising to find most 2-car households owning one of each in the not too distant future.
If you are looking for a new car, then electric cars might be worth thinking about.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Hybrid vehicle sales speed up

Fueled by higher gasoline prices, a growing track record for reliability and a wider selection of models, hybrids' share of the U.S. auto market climbs to 4% and could double by decade's end.
The LaFerrari is powered by a V-12 gasoline engine and two electric motors.
The LaFerrari, unveiled this month in Geneva, has a V-12 engine making 789 horsepower and an electric motor making an additional 161 horsepower. A second, smaller electric motor powers the car's ancillary systems. (Laurent Cipriani, Associated Press / March 5, 2013)

















 When Ferrari's biggest and baddest supercar is a hybrid, you know the world has changed.
Once considered the province of techies and the eco-friendly, hybrids are catching on in almost every vehicle segment.
Hybrid sales were up 32% in the first two months of this year compared with the same period last year, according to research firm Autodata Corp.
That's driven by a combination of trends, including upward-creeping gas prices, a growing track record for reliability and the wider selection of hybrid offerings — everything from the entry-level Toyota Prius C to the spacious Ford Fusion sedan to the LaFerrari, a 949-horsepower, million-dollar monster.
Market share for all hybrids had been stalled at less than 3%. It has recently crept up to 4% and could double by the end of the decade, said Thilo Koslowski, an analyst at Gartner Inc.
"Hybrid technology has certainly reached the inflection point," Koslowski said, "and is being taken seriously by virtually all the automakers."
The vehicles use at least one electric motor to assist a primary gasoline engine, particularly in fuel-sucking situations such as taking off from a stoplight. The cars also capture electricity when they slow down and store it in a battery. Some can run on electricity alone for varying distances. Their fuel economy can be more than 40% better than the conventional gasoline version of the same model.
Already, hybrids are ubiquitous in California, the nation's largest auto market. The Toyota Prius overtook the gas-only Honda Civic last year as the state's bestselling vehicle.
Automakers say the success of the Prius has helped fuel interest in hybrids nationwide.
"Gas prices are part of the equation, but it's more about having the product in decent numbers," said Jason Mosley, general manager of AutoNation Ford in Houston. The dealership's sales of Ford's hybrid cars are up 400% from a year ago.
Ford's new hybrids are selling to car shoppers such as Paul Cunningham, an insurance industry executive from Encino who bought a hybrid Fusion last month.
"I really like the design of the Fusion. I like the idea of hybrid and saving money on fuel with the current gas prices," Cunningham said. "I also like the idea of buying an American car."
Cunningham's Fusion is getting about 42 miles per gallon, about double the fuel economy of the Saab it replaces.
Now the Cunninghams are a two-hybrid family. His wife, Sherri, drives a Prius.
"The public has embraced these technologies because they have proven to be reliable and efficient," said Ed La Rocque, Toyota's brand manager for advanced technology vehicles.
Even so, hybrids most likely will account for a comparatively small portion of auto sales for years to come.
"A lot of it still depends on fuel prices," La Rocque said. "If we get up above $5 or $6 a gallon, we will see a dramatic change."
Some would-be buyers have been reluctant because they worry that the batteries will have to be replaced or that the cars will experience technical problems with their multiple drive systems.
But this hasn't proved to be the case so far. Toyota says 90% of the Prius cars it has sold since introducing the model to the U.S. market in 2000 are still on the road.
"That's why you see so many Prius taxicabs," La Rocque said: If the cars were unreliable, he reasoned, taxi services wouldn't use them.
Another drag on sales is the higher sticker prices.
The Toyota Camry hybrid is about $3,500 more than a similarly equipped gasoline-only Camry. At current California gas prices, it takes almost five years of fuel savings to make up for the higher price.
Ford's Fusion hybrid carries a similar price premium but has a payback at least a year faster because of the bigger difference between its fuel economy and that of the conventional Fusion, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

At the same time, gasoline-powered cars are becoming more competitive.
"The fuel economy on gas engines is getting better. There are some new diesels coming out that get great mileage," said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with auto information company Edmunds.com. "Americans want fuel economy no matter what, and they aren't that picky about where they get it."
What's helping the hybrid market most is that more automakers have embraced the technology.
Nissan dropped out of the hybrid market several years ago, but it showed off a hybrid version of its new Pathfinder crossover at the New York Auto Show last month. Honda will launch a hybrid version of its Accord this fall, which according to the EPA will have a class-leading fuel economy rating of 49 mpg in city driving. Toyota is seeing some early success with sales of the hybrid version of its full-sized Avalon sedan.
"With more entries — products that are not so much a science experiment, but rather are real cars and give you the full vehicle experience — we are seeing customers select hybrids," said Nancy Lee Gioia, Ford's director of global electrification.
Since September, Ford has become Toyota's toughest hybrid competitor by launching the new Fusion hybrid and its C-Max, a smaller hatchback hybrid that competes with the Prius V station wagon.
Ford is now selling 3,000 to 4,000 of each of the vehicles per month in the U.S. and has jumped to 17% of the nation's hybrid market in February, from 5% in the same month last year. Much of that market share has come from Toyota, which has seen its hold on the market drop to 63% from 72%. But both automakers are sharing a bigger pie.
"That's what this market has needed the whole time," Caldwell said. "More exposure of consumers to cars other than just the Prius."

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Study: Younger buyers open up to Ford, Hyundai


They are embracing more Detroit-made cars, and a lot more South Korean brands

American Ido(Photo: Matt Hamilton AP)
Younger buyers are increasingly choosing Detroit brands over Japanese rivals, a huge reversal from the past, reports research groups R.L. Polk and Edmunds.com.
New vehicles from Detroit's Big 3 -- General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler -- accounted for 36.8% of cars bought by Americans age 25 to 34 in 2012, up from 35.4% in 2008. During the same period, the share of cars from Japanese brands -- Toyota, Nissan, Honda and others -- for the same age group fell from 50.6% to 42.9%.
Detroit automakers have reached out to young buyers as never before with a raft of appealing small cars that they would have rejected as unprofitable in the past. Chrysler Group has the fun Fiat 500, General Motors has models like the small Chevrolet Sonic and smaller Spark and Ford has sponsored TV's American Idol for its small car lineup, such as the Fiesta and Focus.
But before anyone breaks out the champagne in Detroit, there's another factor to consider: Hyundai. The same Edmunds study based on Polk data found that many buyers fleeing Japanese brands looked to the Hyundai or Kia.
The twin South Korean brands accounted for 10% of cars bought by young buyers, a rate that has doubled since 2008.
"U.S. automakers have burst onto the scene in recent years with small, fuel-efficient and affordable cars that really appeal to a young set of buyers," says Edmunds.com senionalyst Jessica Caldwell in a statement. "But while Detroit might be chiseling away at the Japanese grip on Gen X and Gen Y, South Korean brands are taking big hacks."
She says in addition to an appealing lineup of cars for younger buyers, Hyundai and Kia also have made credit available to young buyers who may have limited work histories.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

New Ferrari Supercar, LaFerrari, Unveiled at Geneva Auto Show

The fastest Ferrari road car ever has finally debuted at the Geneva International Auto Show. The new Ferrari supercar combines the highest performance V12 engine ever placed in a Ferrari with the Formula One derived hybrid drive system, the HY-KERS. LaFerrari will be produced in only 499 examples and its bodywork is entirely in ultra-light weight carbon fiber. The computer controlled aerodynamics, dynamic control systems and braking are all integrated with the revolutionary hybrid drive system which provides superior levels of low speed torque allowing optimizing the V12 engine at higher speeds. The result leads to a seamless delivery of exceptional power and a maximum speed of 217 mph.
LaFerrari represents the marque's most important project to push the limits of technology on a road car, in order to achieve the best expression of the Prancing Horse's technology enhancements in both GT engineering and Formula One. The new Ferrari supercar features the most extreme performance ever achieved by a Prancing Horse production car as well as the most innovative and advanced technical solutions and will be available to only 499 selected clients in the world.
LaFerrari is the first car produced in Maranello featuring a hybrid technology. Its V12 6262cc engine delivers 800 CV that generates a total of over 960 CV if we add the electric motor additional 163 CV. The new Ferrari Supercar is the most efficient and high performance Ferrari ever built, mainly thanks to one of the most technological enhancements o represented by the new HY-KERS, a system that provides maximum incorporation between the electric motor and the V12 engine, impeccably mixing maximum efficiency with extreme performance. The high levels of torque delivered at low revs by the electric motor optimize the performances of the internal combustion engine at higher revs, while also securing a maximum torque peak of over 900 Nm. A solution that did not increase the car wheelbase or dimensions but that contributed, instead, to lower its gravity center.
The Formula One dual-clutch gearbox is joined with the electric motor allowing reducing weight and optimizing the overall car dimensions. Lastly, the Ferrari HY-KERS system was designed to be modular and flexible so it can be applied to other Ferrari models in the future.
The new electric motor was coincided with High Specific Power Density technology to allow a drastically volume and weight reduction compare to available torque as well as performance easily equivalent to those of the Formula One car, since both features the same efficiency and torque density.
As every Ferrari, the new 458 Spider and its coupe version the Ferrari 458 Italia have a truly unique design approach and technology innovations to achieve indisputable performance and driving experience under all weather conditions. Inquiry about the new Ferrari California today. Only available at Authorized Ferrari dealerships, such as Beverly Hills Ferrari.
http://EzineArticles.com/7537460

£3million Lamborghini that can travel from 0-60mph in under three seconds and is named 'Veneno' after a fighting bull

An exclusive new 220mph supercar named after a legendary and lethal fighting bull is to roar into life  with a £3million price tag.
But only three of the new Lamborghini Venenos - described as a 'street legal racing car' - will be built and sold; and they already have buyers.
The £9million trio have been built specially to celebrate the Italian supercar firm’s 50th anniversary and each will carry a different colour from Italy’s national flag – green, white and red.
Speed: The car is expected to be able to accelerate from rest to 60mph in under 3 seconds
The two-seater Veneno is powered by a massive 6.5 litre 12 cylinder petrol engine developing 750 horse-power – equivalent to seven Ford Fiestas – linked to a seven speed manual gear-box with five different driving modes and permanent all-wheel drive, which Lamborghini says delivers ‘a thrilling combination of absolute high-revving frenzy and phenomenal pulling power’.
It is expected to accelerate from rest to 60mph in under 3 seconds.
Lamborghini described the ‘extremely exclusive’ Veneno as ‘a racing prototype and road-going super sports car’ based on the Lamborghini Aventador.
It was unveiled on the eve of the Geneva Motor show in Switzerland at a special evening event hosted by the parent Volkswagen Group at which Britain’s Bentley also showcased its new Flying Spur.
The supercar firm said: 'Only three unique units of the Lamborghini Veneno will be built and sold.
'Its design is consistently focused on optimum aerodynamics, giving the Veneno the look of a racing prototype, yet it holds a regular road license.'
Exclusive: Only three of the new Lamborghini Venenos will be built and sold - and they already have buyers
Power: The two-seater Veneno is powered by a massive 6.5 litre 12 cylinder petrol engine developing 750 horse-power, equivalent to seven Ford Fiestas
Lightweight but super-strong carbon fibre materials form the single cell or monocoque chassis as well as the outer skin of the ‘extreme sports car’ with an aluminium sub-frame and ‘scissor doors’ which open up and out.
A spokesman for Lamborghini said: 'Fully in keeping with the tradition of the brand, the name of the Veneno originates from a legendary fighting bull.
'Veneno is the name of one of the strongest and most aggressive fighting bulls ever. He is also famous to be one of the fastest bulls in the history of bullfight. His name became popular in 1914, when he gored do death José Sánchez Rodríguez during the bullfight in the arena Sanlúcar de Barrameda's.'
The aerodynamically sculpted supercar has razor-sharp lines, an arrow-shaped front, a smooth underbody, four sizable exhaust end pipes divided by a splitter, a large central fin and an adjustable rear wing. 
To boost aerodynamic flow, the side line of the Veneno is therefore dominated by enormous sills and mighty wheel arches front and rear.
A spokesman said: 'The Lamborghini Veneno brings the aerodynamic efficiency of a racing prototype to the road. Every detail of its form pursues a clear function – exceptional dynamics, optimum downforce with minimal drag and perfect cooling of the high-performance engine.
'The entire front end of the Lamborghini Veneno has been laid out for perfect airflow and downforce. The front end works as a large aerodynamic wing.'
It has 20 inch alloy wheels at the front and 21 inches at the rear. A carbon-fibre ring around the wheel rim works like a turbine to deliver additional cooling air to the powerful carbon-ceramic brake discs as they get hot.
Aerodynamic: The supercar has razor-sharp lines, an arrow-shaped front, four sizable exhaust end pipes divided by a splitter, a large central fin and an adjustable rear wing
Rare: The fourth car, called 'number 0' and created as a test vehicle for the other three, is the only one being shown at Geneva
The Veneno is painted in an all-new, grey metallic-look colour with individual parts highlighed in black in the exposed and visible carbon-fibre structure.
The three cars sold to customers compose a trilogy in green, white and red accents, each of one featuring a single color of the Italian national flag, thus representing a unique piece: ‘The trilogy of three unique vehicles will be produced in the course of the year 2013 and handed over to their future owners.’
A fourth car called 'number 0' and created as a test vehicle for the other three is the only one being shown at Geneva and will also be the only Veneno displaying all three colours of the Italian flag.
Lamborghini said: 'Its future has not been determined yet, but it will allow Lamborghini to continue its activity of testing and innovation, both on the road and on the race track.'
Quick: To boost aerodynamic flow, the side line of the Veneno is dominated by enormous sills and mighty wheel arches front and rear
All exterior parts are made from carbon fibre which also dominates the interior with an exposed central tunnel and sills.
Two lightweight bucket seats are made from Lamborghini’s patented composite. A specially woven carbon-fibre skin is used to clad the entire cockpit, part of the seats and the headliner.
A spokesman said: 'This unique material is soaked in a very special kind of resin that stabilizes the fibre structure, while allowing the material to remain supple. Like a hi-tech fabric, this extremely fine-looking carbon-fibre matting fits perfectly to any form. And it reduces weight.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2288044/Veneno-Lamborghini-Car-travel-0-60mph-seconds-named-fighting-bull.html

The Lamborghini Veneno, a $4 million supercar for three owners, leaks pre-Geneva

Of all the world's supercar makers, none stretch the idea of an ultimate sports machine quite so far asLamborghini. For its 50th anniversary, the Italian automaker has created its most bizarre car yet: Meet the Veneno, a $4 million alien craft that will be assembled for only three buyers who've already put down their deposits — and being sold out before it goes into production is only a hint of the Veneno's speed. 
Built from the Aventador chassis, Lamborghini says the Veneno was designed to come as close as possible to a Le Mans-quality race car that's still usable on public roads. Power comes from a 740-hp version of the Aventador's 6.5-liter V-12 linked to a 7-speed automated manual transmission and permanent all-wheel-drive, good for a top speed of 220 mph and 60 mph in less than three seconds.
Named for a Spanish fighting bull that killed a toreador in 1914, the Veneno uses carbon fiber everywhere, from the tweaked Avendator chassis to the body and interior controls. Even the wheels wear a carbon fiber ring that Lamborghini claims acts like a vortex to shunt air toward the brakes for cooling.
The three copies of the monster from Sant'Agata Bolognese that Lamborghini plans to build will have red, white, or green touches to match the Italian flag; technically, there will be four copies including the test model Lamborghini plans to hold onto. With two of the buyers hailing from the United States, the Veneno will soon enter the rarefied realm of personalized exotic cars — but its fortunate owners would do well to remember what happens when you mess with the bull.

Where To Choose Your New Car

Until fairly recently, one of the best places to start your selection of a new car would have been to visit a motor exhibition and see new cars and shortlist the models that you were interested in. In the UK the British International Motor Show was held regularly between 1903 and 2008 at a variety of venues, perhaps most famously at Earl's Court. It moved to the NEC in Birmingham in 1976 and stayed there until it moved back to London and the ExCel Centre for 2006 and 2008. Unfortunately, the shows for 2010 and 2012 were cancelled due to the recession.
The British show, like all the major motor shows around the world is recognised by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, a federation of automobile manufacturers, based in Paris, founded in 1919. Other shows in Europe recognised by the organisation are still active and are well worth visiting, especially if you are based nearby.
Perhaps the most famous is The International Geneva Motor Show held annually in March in Switzerland. The event was first held in 1905 and has thrived ever since, even though Switzerland has no automotive industry of its own and has banned motor racing since 1955.
While exotic cars and concept vehicles often steal the headline, manufacturers from around the world launch their latest models in Geneva, so it is a fantastic place to compare new cars.
Most other shows are biennial events. The Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany is the largest in the world and is held in odd numbered years during September. German makers such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW usually use it to launch their new models. The organisers do run an event in even numbered years in Hanover, but this is for commercial vehicles only.
The Brussels Motor Show is held in even numbered years in January. In 2012 it attracted nearly 600,000 visitors. Across the border in the Netherlands, AutoRAI organise the Amsterdam Motor Show in odd numbered years. The next show is due in April 2013.
The Madrid International Motor Show in Spain takes place at the end of May in alternate years. The next event is in 2014, while in odd numbered years the Spanish event takes place in Barcelona. Naturally, this show will usually see new model launches from the local car manufacturer SEAT.
Later in the year, the Paris Motor Show takes place at the end of September and the beginning of October, but only in even numbered years. Over one and a quarter million people visitors attended the last show in 2010, making it the most popular of the large international motor exhibitions.
To end the year you can visit the Italian Motor Show held during December in Bologna.
Back in the UK, petrol heads without a local show to indulge their love of cars at can instead opt for what has become known as the 'Moving Motor Show' at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Held in the grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb event is a true celebration of motor sport and all things automotive. As well as Formula 1 cars and some of the world's most amazing supercars in static displays and whizzing up the hill, an extensive display of the latest models from many of the world's top car manufacturers can be found in the dedicated exhibition area.
Rising exhibition costs for manufacturers and easier access to vehicle information via dealers and the Internet may eventually bring an end to all but the largest and most popular motor shows. Web information certainly makes it easier nowadays to shortlist the cars that you can afford, or are interested in knowing more about. The final step is to talk to someone who can supply the car you're looking for at a good price, preferably with a discount. That's something you would be most unlikely to get at a large motor show!
http://EzineArticles.com/7217156

New Concepts and Luxury Cars at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show: A Brief Guide

Undoubtedly one of the most highly regarded automotive shows of the year is the International Motor Show at Geneva in Switzerland (or Salon International de l'Auto, as it is named by the French/Swiss). The Geneva Motor Show was first held in 1905; since then, this prestigious show has showcased some of the most significant and famous motor cars in the world.
The Geneva Motor Show is often where many of the world's car manufacturers choose to unveil or debut a new model or range of cars, and the 2012 Geneva Motor Show is no exception. From the 260 exhibitors at the show this year, we will see a total of 180 world and European vehicle premieres from automotive manufacturers from around the globe.
The event annually takes place in March, and this year the show will be held from the 8th - 18th at its usual venue of the Geneva Palexpo convention centre in the city of Geneva. This is close to the airport, allowing it excellent access for visitors.
This year there is sure to be a raft of new cars, concepts cars, prototype vehicles, exotic super-cars, family cars, luxury cars, SUVs, green cars, eco-technology, new in-car equipment and technological breakthroughs, which the motoring industry press and later the public can view during the 10 day show period.
A selection of the car marques which will be showing off their new and luxury cars to keep an eye out for will include the new Aston Martin range, including the Virage model based on the DB9, with its excellent 6.0-litre V12 engine delivering 490bhp; the 235mph Pagani Huayra, which is the awesome 700bhp supercar successor to the Pagani Zonda; and the Koenigsegg Agera R with its V8 5.0 litre engine that gives an amazing 1,115bhp and will even run on biofuel, which is not bad for a hyper-car. Also on show will be the mighty new Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, with its breathtaking top speed of 252mph (407km/h).
For greener car fans, you will be able to see the Mercedes SLS AMG E-CELL, a zero-emission electric prototype with a power output of 535hp, which incidentally will soon be going into production, so customers will be able to place orders during 2013 for this special and highly technical super sports car.
For luxury cars, look out for the Bentley Continental Flying Star - Touring Superleggera by Carrozzeria, based on the Bentley Continental GT coupe chassis, which will also be on show at this prestigious global event.
http://ezinearticles.com/?New-Concepts-and-Luxury-Cars-at-the-2012-Geneva-Motor-Show:-A-Brief-Guide&id=6895589