Mini Countryman WRC

Today has certainly been the day for new World Rally Championship cars. Not only were the Citroen DS3 WRC and Ford Fiesta RS WRC unveiled, but also the Mini Countryman WRC got its debut at the Paris Motor Show.

The car has been developed in partnership with Prodrive, no strangers to WRC success. Like the DS3 and Fiesta, Mini’s entry uses a 1.6 turbocharged engine, in accordance with the new FIA regulations for 2011. Developed by BMW Motorsport, it will transmit its power via an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox.

Mini has confirmed that it’ll be entering six out of the thirteen scheduled WRC rounds in 2011, before going on to campaign the full season in 2012. Prodrive will also be building customer cars for independent teams to use.

As expected, Kris Meeke has been named as the first driver who will compete for Prodrive in the Mini Countryman WRC. Meeke, from Northern Ireland, is the current Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion. It’s rumoured that he could be joined at Mini by two-time WRC champion Marcus Grönholm.

Citroën DS3 WRC 2011

Hot on the heels of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Citroën has also today unveiled its 2011 World Rally Championship contender.

The DS3 WRC will have a huge reputation to live up to, seeing as its Xsara and C4 predecessors secured six driver’s titles (all with Sébastien Loeb at the wheel, and all won over consecutive years) and five constructor’s championships. And it looks very likely that Loeb and Citroën will be accomplishing both feats again this year, too.



In developing the new car, Citroën Racing has had to comply with the new 2011 FIA WRC regulations. The biggest change is the shift from 2.0 litre to 1.6 litre turbocharged engines but, with an eye on costs, components such as semi-automatic gearboxes and centre differentials are now banned, while others have to comply with strict cost and weight criteria.

The direct injection engines used in the DS3 WRC have been tuned to produce around 295 bhp (220 kW / 300 PS) and, under the revised rules, each one will be expected to last for up to six rallies. Transmission to the all-wheel drive system is via a fully manual six-speed sequential Sadev gearbox.



Converting the bodywork of the road-going DS3 to WRC specification has involved changing the bumpers and wings in order to reach the maximum permissible width of 1,820 mm. Aerodynamic down force is taken care of by a front splitter and a substantial rear spoiler.

Meanwhile, the door glass has been replaced with polycarbonate, and the doors themselves have been filled with foam to increase side impact protection. Naturally, there’s also a hefty internal roll cage, made from 40 metres of steel tubing.



The 2011 driver line-ups for either the Citroën Total World Rally Team or the Citroën Junior Team have yet to be confirmed.

Ford Fiesta RS WRC 2011

Ford has unveiled the Fiesta RS WRC, the car that it’ll be entering in next year’s World Rally Championship. Designed to comply with new regulations that come into force in 2011, power will come from a 1.6 litre turbo engine instead of a 2.0 litre unit as used by today’s WRC cars.

Like the Focus RS WRC that it replaces, the Fiesta RS WRC has been built by Ford of Europe and its partner M-Sport, which is run by BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson.

The car’s EcoBoost engine, which features direct petrol injection, was also developed by Ford and M-Sport, together with some input from French tuner Pipo Moteur.

This year’s driver line-up of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala is set to continue unchanged, and both will get an opportunity to drive the Fiesta RS WRC during its first major test session. That’s due to take place on gravel roads in Spain at the beginning of October.

2010 Maserati GranTurismo Specification

2010 Maserati GranTurismo Base Coupe Performance & Efficiency Standard Features
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4,244 cc 4.2 liters V 8 front engine with 92.0 mm bore, 79.8 mm stroke, 11.0 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
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Premium unleaded fuel 91 and petrol
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Multi-point injection fuel system
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22.7 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank 18.9
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Power: 302 kW , 405 HP SAE @ 7,100 rpm; 339 ft lb , 460 Nm @ 4,750 rpm
2010 Maserati GranTurismo Base Coupe Handling, Ride & Braking Standard Features
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ABS
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Cornering brake control
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Four disc brakes including four ventilated discs
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Electronic brake distribution
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Electronic traction control via ABS & engine management
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Immobilizer
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Rear limited slip differential
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Driver selectable responsive suspension electronic
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Stability control
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Wishbone front and rear suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs
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Tire kit
2010 Maserati GranTurismo Base Coupe Exterior & Aerodynamics Standard Features
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Painted front and rear bumpers
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Driver power heated painted door mirrors, passenger power heated painted door mirrors with automatic
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External dimensions: overall length (inches): 192.2, overall width (inches): 75.4, overall height (inches): 53.3, wheelbase (inches): 115.8, front track (inches): 62.4, rear track (inches): 62.6 and curb to curb turning circle (feet): 35.1
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Electric foldable mirrors
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Front fog lights
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Headlight cleaners
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Projector beam lens Bi-Xenon headlights
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Luxury trim alloy & leather on gearknob, titanium look on doors and titanium look on dashboard
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Metallic paint
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Fixed rear window with defogger
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Weights: curb weight (lbs) 4,145
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Windshield wipers with automatic intermittent wipe and rain sensor
2010 Maserati GranTurismo Base Coupe Interior Standard Features
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12v power outlet: cargo
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Air conditioning with fully automated climate control 2 and auto
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Element antenna
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Interior monitoring anti-lift anti-theft protection
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Front ashtray
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Bose RDS audio system with AM/FM and CD player CD player reads MP3
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Cargo capacity: all seats in place (cu ft): 9.2
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Front seats cigar lighter
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Clock
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Coming home device
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Computer with average speed, average fuel consumption and range for remaining fuel
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Floor and overhead console
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Delayed/fade courtesy lights
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Cruise control
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Front seats and rear seats cup holders
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External temperature
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Driver front airbag with multi-stage deployment, passenger front airbag with occupant switch off and multi-stage deployment
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Sports heated electrically adjustable driver seat with height adjustment, lumbar adjustment, five adjustments and tilt adjustment electric, electric and electric, sports heated electrically adjustable passenger seat with height adjustment, four adjustments and tilt adjustment electric and electric
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Height adjustable 3-point reel front seat belts on driver seat and passenger seat with pre-tensioners
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Front seat center armrest
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Garage door opener
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Two height adjustable head restraints on front seats, two head restraints on rear seats
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Headlight control with dusk sensor active
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Internal dimensions: front headroom (inches): 39.0 and rear headroom (inches): 35.8
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Low tire pressure indicator
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Memorized adjustment with three settings on door mirror position with four driver's seat positions
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MP3 player
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Navigational systems : information type: 3D and voice HDD, color and 7.0
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Parking distance sensors rear and radar
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Remote power locks
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Vehicle speed proportional power steering
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Front power windows with two one-touch
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Front and rear reading lights
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3-point reel rear seat belts on driver side and passenger side with pre-tensioners
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Rear seat center armrest
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Two fixed individual/sports front facing rear seats
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Automatic operation rear view mirror
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Steering wheel mounted remote audio controls
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Remote control remote trunk/hatch release
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Front side curtain airbag
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Leather seat upholstery with additional leather
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Seating: four seats
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Service interval indicator
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Front side airbag
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Eleven speaker(s) Bose
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Leather covered steering wheel with tilt adjustment and telescopic adjustment
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Tachometer
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Illuminated driver and passenger vanity mirror
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Ventilation system with micro filter and active carbon filter
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Voice activating system includes radio settings, includes phone and includes navigation system

2010 Maserati GranTurismo S yellow color

2010 Maserati GranTurismo S interior

2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster

Nissan 370Z Roadster

like the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Porsche Boxster S or Audi S5 Cabrio. The Nissan 370Z Roadster, as the Porsche and Audi, has a roof which is made of a canvas; the Mercedes-Benz and BMW Z4 carry a folding metal.





Nissan 370Z Roadster

The Nissan 370Z Roadster has not specified how much it takes to open or close. The model it replaces, the 350Z Roadster, it took 20 s.


Nissan 370Z Roadster

The hood is connected to the frame of the windshield with three fixing points, the central beam to be a release or block manually (Nissan has not explained how they carried out this operation on the Nissan 370Z Roadster).


Nissan 370Z Roadster

Behind the seats has a crystal deflector for limiting air turbulence reaching the occupants when driving with the roof folded.


Nissan 370Z Roadster

The Nissan 370Z Roadster has a 3.7 liter V6 engine that provides 330 hp.and has more displacement than the Nissan 370Z Roadster; a 3.5-liter V6 in the latest version had 313 hp. It can be coupled to a gearbox six-speed manual or an automatic seven relations, which can be operated from the lever or by a cam located behind the wheel.


Nissan 370Z Roadster

The manual transmission has a system called 'SynchroRev Control" which allows the gears quickly and easily fall over the cuts.


Nissan 370Z Roadster

The motor is centrally positioned front and rear traction is. Like the coupe version of which follows, the Nissan 370Z Roadster has a limited slip differential.


Nissan 370Z Roadster

source: http://blogcarwallpaper.blogspot.com

Lamborghini Reventon Pics Specification

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Lamborghini Reventon

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Lamborghini Reventon Wallpaper

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Lamborghini Reventon Wallpapers

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Type :	Lamborghini Reventón
Years built :	2007 - 2008
Production :	Limited to 20 units
Chassisnr. :	n.a.
Presentation :	September 2007 IAA Frankfurt
Type of car :	Two door coupe, two seater berlinetta
Designed by :	Lamborghini Centro Stile
Built by :	Automobili Lamborghini SpA

dimension

Wheelbase :	2665 mm (104.92 in)
Overall length :	4700 mm (185.04 in)
Overall width :	2058 mm (81.02 in) 2215 mm (87.20 in) including external rear-view mirrors
Overall height :	1135 mm (44.69 in)
Front track :	1635 mm (64.37 in)
Rear track :	1695 mm (66.73 in)
Ground clear. :	n.a.
Front overhang :	1080 mm (42.52 in)
Rear overhang :	955 mm (37.60 in)
Weight :	1665 kg (3670.7 lb)
Distribution :	n.a. front / rear

Citroën 2CV returns as a modifed Citroen C3; first spy picture

Update: 01/04/10: It turns out that this spy-shot is indeed an camouflagued C3 supermini, intended as an April fools joke by Greek car magazine '4 Wheels'. Click here for more.

Spy photographers have caught what seems to be a test mule for the second generation 2CV supermini. Snapped undergoing chassis testing outside Citroën's HQ in Belchamps, France, the mule seems to be based on the supermini - suggesting the newcomer will underpin the platform.

The original 2CV was famous for its comfortable ride and low fuel consumption, so using the platform will allow Citroën engineers to tamper with the suspension and use fuel-efficient engines. Whilst also being quite modern, the 2CV won’t forget it roots; a chiselled bonnet leading down the top radiator grille and over-sized rear fenders will remain.

Set to be unveiled at the Paris motorshow in 2012, the 2CV could have a name change. Names like DS2 and DS2i have been rumoured, hinting the car will be more upscale compared with the 62 year old original, which was known for being 'cheap and cheerful'. This potential change will leave space for Citroën's forthcoming supermini as the firms budget car and gives Citroën a rival to the , and as an affordable, retro-styled, must-have car. Closer inspection indicates that the car is very likely to feature a roll-back canvas top, rather than a panoramic glass roof. Whether the fabric top will be electrical remains to be seen.

Powering the ‘Tin Snail’, ‘The Duck, ‘Little Freak’, ‘Two Horses’, whatever you want to call it, will be a range of 3 & 4 cylinder petrol and diesel engines; 1.0 litre 68bhp, 1.4 litre 75bhp & 95bhp, 1.4 HDi 70bhp & 1.6 HDi 90bhp. However, speculation reveals that a diesel-hybrid or an EV could be in the pipeline.

The 2CV will feature modern safety equipment like ESP, ABS, x2 airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, active headrests and lots more. We also expect a wide-range of options and accessories to be made available to customers. Prices could start at £8,000 when the car its UK shores in 2013.

Via SecretNewCars.com

Aston Martin is coolest

For the fourth time in five years, Aston Martin has been named the UK’s coolest brand in the CoolBrands survey. The 2010/11 poll, which sought the opinions of members of the public as well as a panel of experts, placed the British car maker ahead of brands such as BlackBerry, Google and Dom Perignon.



The other automotive companies that made it into the top twenty were Harley-Davidson (6th), Ferrari (9th) and Mini (16th).



Speaking of the award, Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez said, “Once you can define precisely why a brand is cool, then it no longer has the magic that earns it that label. There has to be an element of mystique, something that eludes definition. In order for a brand to have that quality, it needs people behind it with a passionate, creative vision who care for and nurture it.”



Quite right too. Let’s see if Aston Martin can retain the title after the Cygnet arrives.



The 2010/11 CoolBrands Top 20:

1. Aston Martin (Automotive - Cars)


2. iPhone (Technology - Telecommunications)


3. iPod (Technology - General)


4. Blackberry (Technology - Telecommunications)


5. Bang & Olufsen (Technology - General)


6. Harley-Davidson (Automotive - Motorbikes)


7. Nintendo Wii (Leisure & Entertainment - Games & Toys)


8. Google (Online)


9. Ferrari (Automotive - Cars)


10. Dom Perignon (Drinks - Champagne)


11. BBC iPlayer (Online)


12. Vivienne Westwood (Fashion - Designer)


13. Apple (Technology - General)


14. Tate Modern (Leisure & Entertainment - UK Attractions & The Arts)


15. YouTube (Online)


16. Mini (Automotive - Cars)


17. Chanel (Fashion - Designer)


18. Ray-Ban (Fashion - Accessories, Jewellery, Watches)


19. Alexander McQueen (Fashion - Designer)


20. Jimmy Choo (Fashion - Footwear)

Ford Set to Take 1,000-Lap Challenge Around Bristol Motor Speedway on One Tank of Gas in 2011 V6 Mustang

- Ford will attempt to circle the Bristol Motor Speedway NASCAR track for at least 1,000 laps - more than 500 miles - on one tank of fuel with the 2011 Mustang V-6 during record challenge in June.

- Fans can enter to win a 2011 Mustang V-6 by correctly guessing the number of complete laps the car completes on a tank of gas at www.Mustang1000LapChallenge.com.

- The 2011 Mustang V-6 provides 305 horsepower and best-in-class 31 mpg fuel economy.

- The 2011 Mustang V-6 will get a taste of Bristol this weekend when it serves as official pace car of the Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup event.





Press Release

DEARBORN, Mich., March 21, 2010 – Since first coming off the assembly line 45 years ago, Mustang has always been known for its sheer power and speed. Now you can add another element to that reputation – best-in-class fuel economy.

One year after the Ford Fusion Hybrid, America's most fuel-efficient mid-sized sedan, successfully eclipsed 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas, Ford will put its new 2011 Mustang V-6 on a similar quest as it attempts to run 1,000 laps on a single tank of gas at Bristol Motor Speedway on June 23, and they're inviting consumers to be involved.

A team of Ford engineers and celebrities will attempt to prove Mustang's ranking as the most fuel-efficient pony car to date by circling the half-mile NASCAR bullring at least 1,000 times – more than 500 miles – and highlight the 3.7L V-6 model's best-in-class 31 mpg.

Fans can be involved in the Mustang 1,000-Lap Challenge by entering a national sweepstakes in which they will guess the total number of complete laps that Mustang will complete during the Challenge. Ford has designed a specific website for fans, who can register their guess at www.Mustang1000LapChallenge.com between March 21 and June 23, 2010.

The grand prize winner will be randomly selected from all those who correctly guess the number of laps completed during the Challenge and will take home a 2011 Mustang V-6 coupe.

"We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today's market it's also about fuel economy," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. "By going 1,000 laps or more on one of NASCAR's most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to Mustang, you can be mean and green."

The Mustang 1,000-Lap Challenge will begin the morning of Wednesday, June 23 with a team of Ford test drivers continuously circling the track billed as "the world's fastest half-mile" until the vehicle runs out of fuel with a goal of surpassing 1,000-lap mark.

"To go at least 1,000 laps at Bristol means we'll be going twice as far as the NASCAR drivers do during their races, and we'll be doing it without a pit stop," said Fritz Wilke, Mustang Brand Manager.

The V-6 Mustang will be no stranger to Bristol by then, having been selected to serve as pace car for this weekend's Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

This event is a follow-up to last year's challenge in which Ford NASCAR driver Carl Edwards participated in driving the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid a total of 1,445 miles (an average of 81.5 mpg) on a single tank of gas around Washington, D.C.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 198,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

Source: Ford Motor Company

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI, not S1

Audi is to unveil the hot(ish) version of its A1 supermini at the Paris Motor Show. But, contrary to normal convention, it won’t be called S1. Instead, it’ll have the long and inelegant title of Audi A1 1.4 TFSI, because there’s no quattro all-wheel drive system to warrant the ‘S’ prefix.

Its 1.4 litre turbocharged and supercharged engine, seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and underpinnings are all shared with the Volkswagen Polo GTI, Skoda Fabia vRS and Seat Ibiza SC Cupra. However, Audi obviously felt the need to differentiate the ‘premium’ version of the quartet, so the A1 gets a superficial power increase from 176 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS) to 182 bhp (136 kW / 185 PS).



Not that those few extra horsepower make any difference. The 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 6.9 seconds is exactly the same as the Polo GTI’s, for example, while a top speed of 141 mph (227 km/h) is actually 1 mph slower than the Volkswagen can manage. At least the combined cycle fuel economy of 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 139 g/km are equal to what the Polo achieves.



UK pricing and final specification have yet to be confirmed. In Germany, though, the 182 bhp 1.4 TFSI will be around 15% more than the current most expensive model in the range. Applying a similar relationship to the UK price list could mean the de facto ‘S1’ costs nearly £21,000.



Perhaps that might be justifiable if the A1 had quattro to distinguish it from its Polo, Fabia and Ibiza cousins - but it doesn’t. However, such details probably won’t be enough to deter those who are determined to have four rings on the front of their car.

Smart and Mini scooters

Both Smart and Mini will have electric scooter concepts at the Paris Motor Show. That’s either a huge coincidence, or they’ve been keeping a very close eye on each other’s activities. Of course it must be the former, for the benefit of the lawyers.

Smart

Smart’s offering is called the escooter which, like the Smart fortwo car, features a metal frame with interchangeable plastic body panels.

Power comes from a 5 bhp (4 kW / 5 PS) rear hub-mounted motor, driven by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack. That’s enough to propel the escooter up to 28 mph (45 km/h), which is on a par with 50 cc petrol scooters and should be fine for most city centre trips. Tackling anything further afield might be a bit ambitious, although Smart reckons it’ll have a range of around 60 miles (100 km).

Charging takes ‘within three to five hours’, which just sounds rather vague. Unlike the Econogo Yogo electric scooter, the escooter doesn’t have a removable battery, which makes recharging awkward unless there’s a convenient kerbside plug-in point to hand.

Stopping ability is clearly one aspect of the escooter that has received a lot of attention. The brakes are linked - which means just one lever controls retardation of both the front and rear wheels - and they come with an anti-lock system, a rarity for scooters.

However, whereas there’s a traditional disc brake for the front wheel, the rear uses the electric motor acting in reverse to slow it down. An added benefit of this arrangement is that braking makes the motor act as a generator, sending extra charge to the battery.

If it ever goes on sale, riders of the escooter will also need to own a smartphone. That’s because putting the phone into a slot on the dashboard deactivates the immobiliser and anti-theft system. Then, when travelling, the phone’s screen becomes the scooter’s instruments, showing speed, battery range and charge level.

A clever idea, but it could all go very wrong the first time it rains and the owner discovers that their smartphone isn’t particularly waterproof.

Mini

Mini is claiming ‘CO2-free mobility’ for its Scooter E Concept. That’s somewhat misleading, unless the electricity used comes from a source that doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide during the generation process. Boringly pedantic, but unfortunately true.

Just like the Smart escooter, the Mini features an electric motor integrated in the rear wheel, combined with a lithium-ion battery. Charging is also via an onboard socket, so any potential buyers would probably have to invest in a few extension leads, too.

Disappointingly, that’s about it for technical information. Seemingly Mini has concentrated more on how its Scooter E Concept looks. Details such as the upright windshield and the round headlight are supposed to evoke the design of Mini cars, although it could be said that the result just ends up resembling a bloated Piaggio Vespa.

In yet another startling coincidence, the Scooter E Concept also makes use of smartphones. Like the Smart escooter, the rider would be expected to slot their phone into the dashboard to enable the bike to start. Once underway, the phone would control music, navigation and communication, using a Bluetooth link to a microphone and speakers in the rider’s helmet.

Doubtless Mini, like Smart, will be waiting to see what kind of reaction its concept gets before deciding whether or not to take it any further. Perhaps parent company BMW’s existing motorcycle operation gives the Mini Scooter E Concept a better chance of making it into production?