FIRST IMAGES OF THE ALL-NEW VOLVO S60 – SCULPTED TO MOVE YOU

Here are the first official pictures of the all-new Volvo S60 – sportier and more dynamic than any previous Volvo car.
"The all-new Volvo S60 is sculpted to move you. It looks and drives like no other Volvo before and the car's technology will help you to be safer and more confident behind the wheel," says Stephen Odell, President and CEO at Volvo Cars.
The Volvo S60 can be equipped with Pedestrian Detection – a groundbreaking safety feature that can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver doesn't react in time.
The all-new Volvo S60 will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March next year. Production of the sporty saloon will start early summer 2010 at Volvo Cars' plant in Gent, Belgium.
"The customers in this segment want emotional appeal, sporty design and dynamic driving properties. The S60 has it all. We are convinced that it will be one of the strongest contenders around," says Stephen Odell.

Where were you when the matte meme began? I was looking at photos of the then-unveiled Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 from the 2006 Geneva Motor Show and reveled in the punk gesture of gunship gray from a carmaker known for Miura green and Day-Glo orange.

Kustom kulture has probably employed the device before, but its spread in the past few years has been wildly expansive. Observing it first-hand on a short-lived matte black hood of a Toyota Corolla AE86 drift car, I couldn’t help but notice how the finish attracts and amplifies grime from dust and rain like no other.

But then cars are supposed to be shiny shiny, aren’t they? At least according to Nick Maggio of A Time To Get, who writes:

Show me the ‘69 SS with the cheap-ass primer, the ‘32 Coupe with the patchy, flat gray, and I’ll show you a smile. Like all trends, there is a time and a place. But let me tell you, a ‘10 Lambo perched on mirrors, rotating behind velvet ropes at SEMA… ain’t it. […] If Enzo wanted his cars to be murdered out, he would’ve petitioned to have Italy’s race color changed, and trademarked a matte black instead. Show some respect.

If naval technology were suddenly to regress to its state in the early 1900s with madly colored Razzle Dazzle camo battleships, we could do an honest comparison to decide whether ships and cars can carry each other’s colors. Until then, it’s a question of style—and I honestly cannot make up my mind. What do you think? Should cars ever be camouflaged as military equpiment?

Photo Credit: Metro, saebaryo/Flickr, Razzle Dazzle

As far as random street sightings to, the odds of an Alfa Romeo Roadster Zagato—the open top version of the ES-30—are stacked against you. Certainly it’s not something you expect to bump into as you’re ambling down the old streets of Sofia on a hot summer day. The Bulgarian capital has its share of interesting cars on display amidst the sea of Eastern European muck, but the nouveau riche of this corner of the world were yet to become riche when Alfa’s weird study in angular plastic panels was first shown at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show.

Yet there it stands, parked by a trash can on Shishman Street, the V6 ticking in the heat under a psychedelic mural of a poem by the Hungarian revolutionary Sándor Petőfi. It is one of only 284 ever manufactured, which makes it three times as rare as a Lamborghini Miura. And when was the last time you bumped into one of those while nibbling on a piece of banitsa?

The ES-30 was Alfa Romeo’s swan song to rear-wheel drive and independence. It was based on the 75 sedan, the last Alfa conceived before Fiat ownership. As deliciously classic a layout as sports sedans come: Giuseppe Busso’s wonderful 3-liter V6 up front with the transmission in the back in a transaxle layout. Power is sent via a limited-slip differential to rear wheels suspended by a de Dion tube. It was balanced, simple and lithe, with a body mass very much on the near side of 3,000 pounds.

The 75 was weird enough with its angles that defy all logic and an interior more in common with Epcot than with the automobile, but the ES-30 is a whole other ballpark. Perhaps it is the inevitable eccentricity of its French-Italian shared parentage. Robert Opron designed the car, the same man who created the Citroën SM, that gorgeous hybrid of Citroën style and Maserati power. Or was it Citroën unreliability and Maserati…unreliability? In any case, Opron penned the 75’s goodbye and Antonio Castellana finished up his sketches—to be skinned in thermoplastic injection moulded composite body panels. A strange choice for a car, but then plastics and Alfa Romeos have a way of meeting up every once in a while.

You can never quite shake the feeling that the ES-30 is a kit car. It is too angular, too plastic, too downright quirky to be an official product, yet that’s exactly what it it. Alfa Romeo produced 1036 coupés—called SZ for Sprint Zagato—and 284 Roadster Zagatos. You could have any engine you desired, as long as it was Alfa’s mellifluent screaming and bellowing 3-liter V6, the one with all six intake manifold pipes lined up in a regiment of chrome almost too pretty to look at.

Alfa Romeo never made another car quite like it. After production of the ES-30 wrapped up in 1993, there wasn’t a rear-wheel drive Alfa until the 8C Competizione. And that V6 engine is also gone now, replaced with a GM unit using Alfa cylinder heads.

So snag one while you can. It won’t be easy and it won’t be cheap—but at least it won’t rust on you like other Alfas.

Why? Just one word: plastics.

Photo Credit: Zsolt Csikós (Alfa Romeo 75), ChristopherJamesGreen/Flickr (Alfa Romeo V6 engine) and the author (Alfa Romeo RZ)

[via CarScoop]

Ferrari 599XX, while based on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano with the same transaxle layout and engine type, is an extreme track car. Ferrari's engineers have carried out extensive work on the engine's combustion chambers and inlet and exhaust tracts. These modifications, combined with the fact that internal attrition has been reduced and the maximum revs have been boosted to 9,000 rpm, helped achieve the target power output of 700 hp at 9,000 rpm. Particular attention was also paid to cutting the weight of the engine unit components. This was achieved both by optimising forms - as in the new crankshaft - and adopting exclusive materials, as in the carbon-fibre used for the intake plenums. A new gearbox shift strategy cuts overall gearchange times to 60 ms.

The Ferrari 599XX is characterised by an innovative electronic concept called the "High Performance Dynamic Concept" which has been designed to get the maximum performance from the car by managing the combination of the car's mechanical limits with the potential of its electronic controls. The mechanical and electronic systems work together to get the maximum performance from the car under extreme high performance driving, for consistent lap times. The sporty handling has been improved thanks to the adoption of second generation SCM suspension system. Track usage is also made easier thanks to the new "virtual car engineer", a screen in the car that provides a real-time indication of the vehicle's efficiency.

The Ferrari 599XX's aerodynamics were honed in numerous wind tunnel test sessions with the result that the car now boasts 280 kg of downforce at 200 km/h (630 kg at 300 km/h). The front underside of the body is completely faired-in and the vents that channel hot air from the engine bay have been moved to the bonnet.

The "ActiflowT" system increases downforce and/or cuts drag depending on the car's trim cornering conditions, courtesy of the use of a porous material in the diffuser and two fans in the boot which channel the air flow from under the car out through two grilles next to the tail-lights. Winglets have been added to the rear buttresses to increase downforce. while synthetic jets have also been incorporated into the rear of the car to control and smooth the air flow and to reduce drag.

Ferrari's engineers have also used F1-derived "doughnuts" which partly cover the brake discs and wheel rim. These have the dual function of improving both aerodynamics and brake cooling.

In terms of the bodywork, composites and carbon-fibre have been widely used and the engineers drew on their experience in working with aluminium to reach the weight target. The development of increasingly high-performance materials has also benefited the carbon-ceramic material braking system. The brake pads are now made from carbon-fibre which means that the calipers are smaller whilst guaranteeing the same efficiency. The new racing carbon ceramic braking system also delivers shorter braking distances and is generally more efficient due to the weight saving.

The Ferrari 599XX comes with slick tyres (29/67 R19 Front and 31/71 R19 Rear) specifically developed to maximise stability in cornering and increase lateral acceleration. They are fitted to 19 x 11J wheel rims at the front and 19 x 12J at the rear.

[via Ferrari]

The Geneva Motor Show stand was no place for a p***y magnet yellow rolling hard on to sit and wait around. Thankfully Lamborghini has given us this clip that forcefully gives us an eargasm, eyegasm and every other type of 'gasm you could imagine. We've got only two issues, the first being that in the first couple of shots it shows the car helplessly sitting in neutral while revving, though it depicts the yellow snot-buster working hard and fast from the exterior. Secondly, we'll never own one.

[via YouTube]

As with most Rinspeed concepts, the iChange does what other cars can't do. Ignoring the gimmicky iPod-control, the iChange transforms from a single-seater to a three-seater, adjusting the aerodynamic profile based on the number of passengers. This price, approximately one million Euros, includes the cost of "promoting" the vehicle as well, though we're guessing a bit more was spent on the shrinking profile than the brochures.

[World Car Fans via Freep]

Update: Since we first brought you the Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centenaire Gigapan image, Image Engineers has put up another Gigapan shot, this time depicting not just a single car, but the entire Geneva Motor Show floor. Head to their site to see the image and see if you can find the creepy man staring into the camera about 200 yards away.

The Gigapan camera system was originally a collaborative development between Google, Carnegie Mellon University and NASA Ames Intelligent Systems Division's Robotics Group. While it's not a camera per se, it is a highly intelligent robotic platform that holds a high resolution camera on board. In order to create the ultra-high resolution images, the robotic armature moves using mathematical pinpoints to photograph a scene and after taking the first shot it then re-aims with great precision, to take another photograph. Once the scene has been fully captured, the system then stitches all of the elements together to create one huge photograph, in this case, a 260-megapixel shot of the Bugatti Veyron Bleu Centienne.

[via Image Engineers]

We're still not too enthusiastic about the idea of a Porsche SUV to begin with, but we recognize they've sold enough Cayennes to make Budweiser sales at NASCAR events look slow. The market has spoken. The RUF boys have taken the Cayenne and restyled the offending elements and delivered a Cayenne which might have transcended the shortcomings of the segment and actually looks... dare we say it? Good.

Between the installation of 911 headlights, a front fascia which borrows from historical Ferrari's as much as it does Porsche, widened fenders and an inoffensive set of wheels, the Dakara is looking mighty dapper in it's deep blue hue. Ceramic brakes and a turbocharged V8 pushing out 600 HP and 659 lb-ft of twist don't hurt either. The RUF Dakara is set to be unveiled later today at the Geneva Motor Show.

World Innovation at Geneva Motor Show: the Ruf Dakara

GENEVA, Switzerland, 5 March, 2009 - The High Luxury SUV built by RUF is named Dakara and is based on the Porsche Cayenne. The exterior and interior is able to embrace the most ambitious wishes. Because of the 911-headlights, the Dakara affects like a sports car. Four 22 inch- five spoke wheels and the broadened fenders demonstrate pure power. The bodykit fits to every Cayenne. Cameras in the front and in the back of the Dakara cater for the panorama view. The interior room is affected by complex processed leather trim which does not only fascinate with the precious materials but also with the new designed seats. A High-End Multimedia system with TV-reception, access to the internet and a CD-/DVD-Changer will gratify even the highest requirements. The V8-Turbomotor offers an engine output of 600 horsepower (600 Ps) at 6000 rpm. The maximum torque of 659 lb-ft/lbs (890 Nm) is delivered at 3000 rpm. So the Dakara is able to reach the speed of 62 mph (100 Km/h) in 4,8 sec. The chassis as well as the brake system are adjusted to the high requirements. Even ceramic-composite brakes are available.The Dakara perfectly ties in with the RUF model-range.

We first set our eyes on the questionable Mansory Veyron LINEA Vincerò back in December when it randomly appeared in a UAE dealership ready for purchase by an oil-rich Arab Sheik, but Mansory has finally revealed the full shebang in Geneva with a little shazaang! The exterior of the special edition Mustang Veyron plays nicely with your eyes until you get it out in the desert sun. Like the Veyron Pur Sang, the LINEA Vincerò features a heavy hand of carbon fiber and polished aluminum exterior bits; those polished bits will shine enough to bring down the custom Airbus A380 ordered by another Middle Eastern dignitary.

The exterior also has some subtle changes, that you'll likely only see once the sun sets, including a revised front fascia with a 'V' in the main Bugatti horseshoe grille and LED driving lights in the wings of the smaller air inlets. The rockers have been delicately re-sculpted to allow for better aero properties and Mansory has fit new turbine-style wheels that, if hooked up to a power grid, could power a small city after you mash your foot into the go pedal and hold steady until the juice runs out. The front fenders are also new, featuring a duct that relieves pressure buildup from the front wheel housing. We feel pressure building up just thinking about it, so to let it out, we'll talk about the interior.

Mansory has taken it upon themselves to disgustify (we know, it's not a word) the Veyron's supple, leather lined interior with a white netting that looks like a pre-pubescent prankster got loose with a can of Silly String. To highlight the mess, they've provided LED ambient lighting that will also help you find your lost dignity. Just in case you didn't feel special enough yet, Mansory has included Vincerò stitching on the seats and a super, duper special badge on the center stack just below the eject button.

You'd think that 1,001 banshee-power pumping through the veins of the 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 would be enough for the supercar elite, but nooooo — Mansory cranked the dial to 12 and provided the Vincerò with a new cold air injection and exhaust system, opening up a whopping 8 horsepower more. Really. 8 horsepower. Sigh.

We make fun of the Mansory Veyron LINEA Vincerò only because we'll never, ever, never be able to afford one, but that doesn't mean you can't. Mansory has signed an exclusive deal with Prestige Cars, Abu Dhabi to sell the Vincerò along with the other crazy rides in Mansory's individualization program. If you'd like to join us in our supercar bashing (a.k.a. craving), please, lay waste in the comments below.

If you absolutely must read another presser, go HERE

[via Mansory]

What makes this electric car, utilizing electric motors in the front and back to give it AWD capabilities, solar-powered is a small solar plant in Seggiano, Italy. In theory, the electricity you buy to power the roadster is offset by production in Italy. Unfortunately, the output of the plant is just 16 kWp, meaning the most it can produce power-wise is less than what the car needs.

Claims aside, it's not a bad looking little car.

Protoscar unveils the unique features of "LAMPO": the electric sporty showcar powered by renewable energy.

Protoscar SA will unveil LAMPO - a full size sport cabriolet - at the next Geneva Motor Show on March 2nd, 2009 (stand 5141 in the e-mobile area). LAMPO is powered by two BRUSA electric motors (one rear and one front), optimized for maximizing acceleration and regenerative braking respectively. They deliver a total output of 268 HP and a torque of over 440 Nm. The lightweight Lithium-Ion battery pack with a capacity of 32 kWh allows for a range of over 200 km. LAMPO shows that also a zero-emission electric vehicle can offer the same performance as a traditional sporty car.

The primary energy source used for charging the LAMPO has been in existence for more than 4.5 billion years and has demonstrated to be rather reliable: it's the sun. The exploitation of solar energy for LAMPO is possible thanks to a 16 kWp photovoltaic plant located in Seggiano, Tuscany.

Never before a premium driving pleasure like the one of the LAMPO has been achieved at such an optimal level of overall "Well-to-Wheel" energy efficiency - and zero emissions. However, even if the LAMPO was "filled up" with today's
particularly clean Swiss electricity mix, the WtW CO2 emissions of this vehicle would only account for about 7 g/km! Considering the EU electricity mix projection scenario for 2020, elaborated by Eurelectric, the WtW CO2 emission would still be limited to about 40 g/km.

Through the showcar LAMPO, Protoscar and its partners aim to demonstrate new technologies which include absolute innovations such as "intelligent charging" or interactive GPS-based "range estimator" – and discuss potential applications
together with car manufacturers, in order to implement these solutions into their plans for future CleanCars.

In depth Protoscar
Protoscar SA (www.protoscar.com) is a design company founded in 1987 specialized in CleanCars and based in Rovio (Ticino, Switzerland). It presently employs 14 specialists. We act like a "Minergie-architect", but apply the efficiency-concepts to cars, mainly by introducing electrification. Our unique experience and holistic approach allow us not only to develop forward looking strategies and outstanding vehicle concepts, but also to support the market introduction of
CleanCars and the communication activity of these technologies. We are proud to include worldwide companies like Daimler AG, GeneralMotors, Rinspeed-Esoro and Nissan among our faithful clients.

Vehicle‘s name and logo
LAMPO, in the Italian language means "lightning". A lightning stands for power, especially for electric energy like the one propelling LAMPO. Moreover a lightning is fast, intense, impressive and, last but not least, LAMPO is a product of nature. The edgy logo of LAMPO with its straight lines reminds the lightening and emphasizes the
electric spirit of the car.
eQmotion and clean energy
eQmotion (www.eqmotion.ch) is a "philosophy", made reality by a consortium of companies supporting and implementing EV-projects. Actually this pool is developing exciting innovative full electric vehicles.

The name eQmotion is an acronym composed by:
• electric
• Quotient (of electrification) / Quality
• motion

Our showcars shall have an eQ of 100: we want to drive 100% electrically, trying to overcome the "compromises" in terms of Well to Wheel emissions and efficiency. Also, driving cars - and particularly electric vehicles - has a lot to do with e(Q)motions. We pursue a high vehicle and component Quality relying on most recent technical standards and innovations, in order to maximize emotional driving pleasure. The label eQmotion has been created by BRUSA Elektronik AG and Protoscar SA and will be used on different EV-projects. The first two showcars realized under this label are
Spyder and LAMPO. The eQmotion philosophy integrates of course energetic considerations. We are not just
realizing zero emission vehicles, but we care about the energy needed to let them move. In other words we look at the entire energy chain that a vehicle requires: this is the so called "Well-to-Wheel" (see file "WtW_Definitions.jpg"). On the entire energy chain the attention is focused on the reduction of CO2 emissions. The energy used by these vehicles
comes from 100% renewable energy sources (solar energy in LAMPO's case).

The exploitation of solar power has been possible thanks to a remote 16 kWh photovoltaic plant located in Seggiano (Tuscany) in the facility of the farmhouse of Vitabella Palazzetto (www.vitabella-palazzetto.com). The energy produced by this system is put into the global grid and charged into LAMPO's batteries not perforce where the photovoltaic plant is located. The goal is to self-produce all the energy that we need for the car getting to counterbalance the entire consumption (see file "Electricity_Management.jpg"). Never before a premium driving pleasure like the one of the LAMPO has been possible at such a level of overall "Well-to-Wheel" energy efficiency (see file "Comparison_WtW.jpg").

Innovative top-down approach
With LAMPO we clearly apply a top-down approach, instead of a bottom-up strategy. In fact, the automobile sector is normally based on this approach which consists in initially showing trendy characteristics in exclusive, premium, vehicles. Unavoidably, at first the price of such products is very high but with growing production the prices decrease,
allowing a large number of people to have access to the new technology (in other words the first buyers allow the technology to circulate). In the electric vehicles market the approach - still very often - is viceversa based on a bottom-up approach. This is the reason why electric vehicles are not always very successful. In today's market the majority of the EV promoters try to sell electric cars as a "rational vehicle" and forget the emotional aspects. But as a matter of fact, for most buyers a car is essentially an emotional object and not only a means of transport. The LAMPO shall demonstrate that electric drivetrains can be perceived positively and totally accepted if placed and launched in a different way.

Unique features
The research and practical presentation of new, more efficient energy features is carried out in cooperation with various partners and relates to several areas:
Intelligent charging system
Some charging parameters like the earliest charging time/last charging stop, max.
Charging yield and charging status to be achieved by the end of charging, will regulate the onboard chargers.

The user of the vehicle is able to choose and set - directly in the vehicle - some charging parameters which will control the onboard battery charger, e.g.
- Earliest charging time/ latest charging stop
- Maximum charging yield
- Charging status to be achieved by end of the charging

Accelerated charge (for public and private charging points)
With today's European energy supply standard (typically 240V and 10 to 16Amps) the charging time for an EV vehicle like the LAMPO is around 12 hours (considering a 16Amps plug): the typical available overnight time. In fact, with a small extra-investment, this time could be half: with very small adaptations (basically 2,5 mm2 cable instead of 1,5 mm2
connections, and a little on/off electronic switch avoiding current-flow during the plug-in action) a 16Amps plug easily can be upgraded to deliver 32Amps, meaning a power of 7 kW. The resulting charging time will then still not be as fast as for liquid fuels, but interesting enough for significantly recharging the batteries over lunch or shopping time,
and allowing a shifting of the charging time – during nights - into periods where energy is available over-abundantly. Such energy supply optimizations are studied and developed in association with Alpiq (www.alpiq.com), the Swiss energy leader.

Public charging & payment system
Several highly sophisticated public charging stations, including power metering and billing per chip cards or other techniques, have been proposed recently, yet their relatively high investment cost - causing also high cost per kWh delivered - does not facilitate their widespread application. In order to avoid high cost of metering and billing the "Park & Charge" concept has been created (www.ecs-five.ch/parkcharge/d/index.htm). It is a very simple system, and it is
based on a lump-sum payment, combining low investment cost with low operation cost – exactly like it happens with the well known yearly "sticker" allowing to pay for the use of Swiss highways. This service is offered by the Swiss Electric Vehicle Association (ECS) and has been in operation for over 10 years, counting 600 charging points all over
Switzerland. At the moment, in EU, there are 1346 public charging points: over 100 of them are "Park and Charge". A detailed list of public charging points in Switzerland and Europe is available at: www.lemnet.org.

EVA Range estimator
For a battery-driven vehicle the accuracy of the possible autonomy is absolutely important, and with a simple 0 -100% indicator, it is impossible to determine. This depends on several highly variable factors, e.g. topography (upward/downward slopes) or environmental temperature. These variances should be included in the residual autonomy indication – but they are not considered in today's EVs. Thanks to an interactive advanced navigation system, a LAMPO driver is provided with the following information:- "radar graph" of the residual range integrated with standard navigation capabilities- charging station location - advanced long-distance trip planning which incorporates charging time and recommended locations. The EVA system is being developed in cooperation with Virve, W&B (www.virve.ch).

All wheel drive for max. regenerative braking & safety
When accelerating, the load is shifted to the rear axle while in braking it moves to the front axle. More load is on an axle, more successfully the traction can be transferred to the wheels. If the two electric motors can have differential tasks (primarily to pull or primarily to regenerate) the total efficiency of the vehicle can be considerably increased. This is
exactly what we will demonstrate and – thanks to axles which can be singularly disconnected – also tested for comparison. This optimized traction system has been conceived, developed and implemented together with the company BRUSA (www.brusa.biz).

Photo Credit: autoblog.nl

Coming out of the Geneva Motor Show are some pretty substantial rumors that Citroën will build its GTbyCITROËN Concept shown at last years Paris Auto Show. The concept, designed with the help of the Polyphony Digital Gran Turismo design team, would come to market with a very limited production run.

Citroën big boss, Vincent Besson told the magazine:

"We are now thinking of a limited run, possibly as many as 20 units."

If this is in fact true, we look forward to seeing the GTbyCITROËN sitting in some mad man's car collection since it'll likely never get driven. Will it sound like the 780 horsepower Millenium Falcon shown in Gran Turismo or will it scream bloody murder from a monster V8? That all depends on whether Citroën can develop the concept's proposed quad-electric motor powertrain, but we're guessing it will either receive a Ford- or GM-sourced V8 - LS9 anyone??

Driving The GTbyCITROËN - It Might Help If You Can Understand French:

We think they may have drank a few too many Ketel One Citroen martinis, but we'll keep you up to date when they sober up and stop telling us that they love us.

[via AutoCar]

Priced at £1 million, the One-77 cost $2.4 million in US currency when it was announced last August. Now, that value has fallen to just $1.415 million. At €1.55 million, the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes now costs $1.956 million.

Now, while we're assuming such trivial matters as slight variations in price due to currency fluctuations makes very little difference to a mega rich customer's wallet, this does significantly alter the bragging rights attached to these cars. Let's face it, these customers aren't buying cars like this to drive (if they were every tycoon in the world would own a Caterham 7) they're buying them to get into a pissing contest with their fellow robber barons. Buying a One-77 now means not having the most expensive car at the international arms/yacht fair, something that likely means a lot to its potential customers. And you just know that big bully the Sultan of Brunei is going to say something smart.

The press release follows:

Aston Martin Reveals Spectacular One-77 Technical Showcase

Gaydon, Warwickshire – Tuesday 3 March - Aston Martin will present a One-77 technical showcase at the Geneva Auto Salon on 3 March 2009. Chassis no.1 will be on display as an exposé throughout the show detailing the quintessence of Aston Martin engineering and design expertise.

The One-77 is Aston Martin's definitive sports car, one that epitomises everything Aston Martin from technology, the hand-craftsmanship of the hand rolled aluminium panels to the attention to detail. A culmination of all the marque's know-how, the One-77 delivers effortless beauty guaranteed to stir the senses with performance potential eclipsing any previous Aston Martin.

With the performance and durability phase of the One-77's intensive development programme soon to commence, the 79th Geneva Auto Salon provides the perfect stage on which to reveal the remarkable engineering, advanced technology and exotic materials that lie beneath the One-77's extraordinary exterior.

For Aston Martin's Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, revealing the One-77's secrets is a proud moment: "Right from the very beginning of the project the vision for One-77 was very simple: It had to combine high-technology with hand-built craftsmanship, and demonstrate the unique capabilities and passion of our designers, engineers and
technical partners.

"Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin. As you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style."

Chris Porritt, One-77 Programme Manager continued: "We wanted to create something that wows you as much when you see what's under the skin as the exterior styling itself. We started by identifying the most technologically exciting front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars in the world: those from the DTM race series. We then applied the principles and technology that feature heavily in their design and translated it to a road car application."

Consequently the One-77's structural core is a lightweight and immensely rigid carbon fibre monocoque. Conceived and designed at Aston Martin's Gaydon HQ, the monocoque, or 'tub', has been built in partnership with Multimatic (MTC). As world leaders in carbon composite technology, advanced vehicle analysis and dynamic
simulation, MTC brings unrivalled specialist capabilities to the exacting challenge of the One-77 programme.

Employing the classic formula of double wishbones at each corner, the One-77 features inboard suspension front and rear, with pushrods employed to transfer vertical suspension movements to the horizontally mounted spring/damper units. A practice taken directly from racing car design, the main advantages of inboard suspension are a reduction in unsprung weight and the ability to package the suspension components more effectively.

The dampers are fully adjustable and feature advanced Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) technology; a world-first for a road car application. These special valves are state-of-the-art even at the highest levels of motorsport, and use high-precision machined components to enable the shock-absorbing characteristics of the damper to be changed without having to remove them from the car, as is the norm.

Underlining the truly bespoke nature of the One-77, once delivered to its owner, the car's suspension characteristics will be precisely set-up by Aston Martin engineers to suit their exact requirements, from settings suitable for the ultimate long-distance GT, to a machine capable of conquering the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

While functionality and efficiency are paramount in the design and construction of the One-77', so too is aesthetic beauty. To this end every single component has been crafted from the finest materials with absolute attention to detail. From the mesmerising weave of the glossy carbon fibre tub and the abstract, sculptural beauty of the dry
sump's oil reservoir, to the unerring precision of the billet machined aluminium suspension mounts, the One-77's rolling chassis is an automotive masterpiece.

Of course the irony is that the vast majority of these exquisite components will be hidden from view in the finished car, yet each and every piece is a work of art in its own right. It's this extraordinary workmanship and money-no-object commitment to quality that makes the One-77 unique.

Naturally, such a spectacular chassis demands – and gets - an equally exceptional drivetrain. It comes in the form of an immensely potent 7.3-litre, naturally aspirated V12 engine. Thanks to the adoption of a dry-sump oil system the engine is mounted 100mm lower than in any previous V12-engined Aston Martin road car, which helps keep the One-77's centre-of-gravity as low as possible. To further aid agility and endow the One-77 with progressive handling and stable, predictable on-limit behaviour, the engine is also mounted 257mm aft relative to the front wheel centreline. In so doing the front-midengined layout shared by all of Aston Martin's current road car range has been taken to a new level.

The One-77's magnificent power unit is an extreme evolution of the 6.0-litre V12 engines fitted to the DBS, DB9 and new V12 Vantage models. Like the collaboration with MTC for the build of the chassis, Aston Martin has chosen a world-leading partner with which to develop the motor: legendary engine builders, Cosworth. It has proved to be the perfect collaboration, as Chris Porritt explains.

"Our brief to the engine team was for them to take the 6.0-litre V12 as far as it could go,both in terms of output and weight reduction. The targets were a power output of no less than 700bhp with a 10 per cent reduction in engine mass. Incredibly, the Aston Martin and Cosworth engineers achieved a mass reduction of some 25 per cent, and although we've yet to complete the final engine calibration work, I'm confident we'll see in excess of 700bhp. It's an awesome accomplishment, but one that's typical of the One-77 project, for it has consistently brought out the very best in everyone involved."

Wearing Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) developed specifically for the One-77, all 700+bhp is transmitted to the road through the rear wheels via a new six-speed gearbox. Controlled via column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, this robotised sequential manual is a new generation of Aston Martin's familiar transmission. Though it is made specifically for the One-77 and features specially strengthened internals to cope with the tremendous power and torque, the lessons learned in its development will ultimately find their way into the company's series production models.

It's a mark of the inherent capabilities of Aston Martin's acclaimed lightweight Carbon Ceramic Matrix brake technology that it has been used as the basis for the One-77's braking system. The internals of the calipers have been re-engineered to transmit less heat from the brake pads into the brake fluid, while the discs themselves have been developed to ensure the maximum possible contact area between the face of the disc and the brake pads for improved stopping power. Due to the One-77's increased performance, special attention has also been paid to brake cooling, as the brakes have less time to cool between bursts of acceleration.

With a projected weight of 1,500kg the One-77 will occupy the very highest echelons of road car performance. Top speed is confidently predicted to be in excess of 200mph, with a 0-60mph time in approximately 3.5sec. Perhaps more importantly, thanks to the purity of a front-engined, rear-drive layout, the responsiveness and immense tractability of a naturally aspirated V12 and the low mass, high-rigidity properties of a carbon fibre chassis, the One-77 promises a driving experience of unrivalled intensity and excitement while representing the world's most desirable automotive art form.

As purely bullying as they can be in person, Lamborghinis are easy cars to like. Four decades ago, having achieved automotive perfection with the Miura, designer Marcello Gandini decided to leave cars behind and design a proper space vehicle for an age when men were regularly sent to the Moon. Ever since his Countach LP500 concept had its first outing at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghinis have looked exactly the same. Company owners and aerodynamic bits have come and gone but the essential shape is still the unbroken Countach wedge. Show your mom a Countach and the Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce introduced 38 years later at the same show yesterday and she will nod in comfort and recognition.

Ferrari doesn't do that. Which is remarkable when you consider that if there was one company which could actually afford to sink into stylistic complacence and keep rehashing its old models, Ferrari would be it. Would someone complain if you could, akin to a Se7en, buy yourself a brand new retro 250 GT SWB with working brakes?

New Ferraris almost always clearly break with their predecessors. All they retain are subtle touches, like the tiny circular rear lights or the hood scoops. This design language has the effect of making new Ferraris frequently appear particularly alienating. Can you still remember the shock of first seeing the Enzo in 2002? Instead of the curvaceous, understated design of its contemporaries, the car was a dramatic jet fighter of sharp angles. People actively hated it: yet has it not become one of the icons of the decade? The same happened again three years ago when the 599 GTB replaced the aging 575 Maranello.

The 599 is a classic berlinetta in silhouette, yes, but the details were alien, jarring. All it took, of course, was some getting used to, and the car made everything else look dated, and that was even before you heard that front-mid-mounted V12 scream bloody murder and break all your ribs at the slightest blip of the throttle.

But the most graceful detail of the 599 was not up front with the engine but back above the rear haunches. It took quite a while to spot the incredible fact that the C-pillars were not mere pillars but flying buttresses more common on Gothic cathedrals than supercars. This solution created an elegant yet perfectly serviceable way to apply downforce on the rear wheels without tacking a rear wing on the trunk and breaking up the lines. It's hard to appreciate the sheer beauty of the arch on pictures. It's really something you have to see in person, because, although it's concealed on most photographs, Black Francis of the Pixies often makes his home beneath a 599's C-pillar.

So take another look. I think you may be able to spot Mr. Francis singing the chorus of Alec Eiffel, the third song on the band's fourth and final studio album, Trompe le Monde:

Now look again at the 599XX and the 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE and rejoice. The 70s may have had disco science and Daytonas but we also live in interesting times.

Photo Credit: Balázs Fenyő (Ferrari 599 GTB gallery), freschwill (Black Francis)

Peter Orosz, the editor of Hyperleggera, a website he fervently claims is not a car blog (although it really is, we don't care what he says - Ed.), pens Jalopnik's newest feature dubbed "Crazy Euro Car Boy." It's a series all about one Hungarian sometimes-motoring journalist's obsession with the cult of cars.

We don't expect the Tata to go on sale anytime soon in Europe, especially given the EuroCAP safety standards, but we appreciate the idea of a Tata Nano for a "future launch in such markets" as Ratan noted. So what does an upscale Nano look like? It looks similar to the regular Nano but gets an extra cylinder (up to 3!), redesigned interior, a host of safety equipment and an "all sheet metal" body. Seriously, it says this in the press release. New Nanos are apparently just as nice as early model Saturns.

Press Release

Tata Motors today presented at the 79th Geneva Motor Show the Tata Nano Europa, intended for a future launch in select international markets. The company has also displayed the Tata Prima, a concept luxury sedan, and the Tata Indica Vista EV, an electric vehicle based on the award-winning new generation Tata Indica Vista.

Speaking on the occasion at the Geneva Motor Show, Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said, "In India, the Nano will be launched on March 23, and the cars will be on display at company dealerships from the first week of April. The Nano has also generated wide interest in developed countries, since it's unveiling in Delhi and its presentation here last year. We are delighted to present the Nano Europa for future launch in such markets. The Indica Vista EV represents the work of Tata Motors on alternate technologies, while the Prima is an iteration of a luxury sedan we will introduce. They together signify the ongoing evolution in our cars."

Tata Nano Europa
With a length of 3.29 metres and width of 1.58 metres, the Tata Nano Europa continues to be stylishly petite but surprises with its spacious interior and generous leg space. The slightly longer wheelbase of 2.28 metres combines excellent space and manoeuvrability, further improving on the benchmark standard set by the Tata Nano. The enhanced spaciousness is complemented by redesigned interiors, marked by smooth curves and a high tech yet gentle feel.

To meet the driving needs of its target customers, the Tata Nano Europa will be powered by a 3-cylinder sporty all-aluminium MPFI engine matched with a 5-speed automatic transmission, and electric power steering. The gasoline engine will be class-leading, providing high fuel efficiency and low CO2 emission of less than 100 gm / km meeting the twin goals of being environmentally friendly and stylish – just like the Tata Nano.

The Tata Nano Europa meets all safety regulations. In addition to the all sheet-metal body, its energy absorbing design, use of advanced restraint systems, ABS, ESP and Air Bags will enhance passenger safety.

Just like the Tata Nano, the Tata Nano Europa incorporates exterior compactness with interior comfort and seeks to provide motorists the pleasure and utility of personal mobility combined with affordability and environment-friendliness, in a world where smaller, fuel-efficient cars are emerging as a preferred choice.

Tata Prima
The Tata Prima, the concept luxury sedan designed by Pininfarina, is an iteration of the next generation luxury sedan from Tata Motors. It combines the fundamental design characteristics of the Tata brand, as seen in the Tata Indigo, with sporty curvatures to create a coupe-like silhouette, simple yet refined with an inherent premium.

The Tata Prima's large wheelbase of 2.70 metres endows it with excellent interior space that a luxury sedan demands. The subtle treatment of the C pillar, the hallmark of a Pininfarina design's gracefulness and sporty characteristic, brings forth a coupe-like sloped cabin and tapering back without compromising interior space. The result is that the Tata Prima concept exudes an overall elegance, endowed with style, luxury and comfort and proportions that are classical yet modern.

Tata Indica Vista EV
The Tata Indica Vista EV will be a more practicable option for the consumer: capable of carrying four individuals, adequate luggage space, with a predicted range of up to 200 km and acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds. Tata Motors continues its innovative approach with the Indica Vista EV too, using super polymer lithium ion batteries which have superior energy density to conventional batteries. Tata Motors' electric vehicles will be produced in association with Miljo Grenland/Innovasjon, Norway. Tata Motors' UK subsidiary, Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc, has a 70% stake in Miljo. The first such vehicle to be developed by the company is the Indica EV, which is currently undergoing extensive tests in Europe.

Besides these three new cars, Tata Motors is displaying the new generation Tata Indica Vista itself. Launched in India in August 2008, it has received excellent customer response. It has received two prestigious Indian awards - the UTVi Autocar Best Value for Money Car Award and the Business Standard Motoring Jury Award. Also on display is the Tata Xenon 2.2 litre double-cab, an ideal dual-use vehicle with contemporary styling and superior convenience.

Speaking on the occasion at the Geneva Motor Show, Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said, "In India, the Nano will be launched on March 23, and the cars will be on display at company dealerships from the first week of April. The Nano has also generated wide interest in developed countries, since it's unveiling in Delhi and its presentation here last year. We are delighted to present the Nano Europa for future launch in such markets. The Indica Vista EV represents the work of Tata Motors on alternate technologies, while the Prima is an iteration of a luxury sedan we will introduce. They together signify the ongoing evolution in our cars."

Photo Credit: autoblog.nl

[Tata via Indian Autos Blog]

Hot on the heels of the Mégane F1 Team R26, the Mégane R26.R and the Mégane Trophy comes the newest hot-hatch in the Renault lineup, the 2010 Renault Sport Mégane RS. The Mégane RS comes in two flavors, 'Sport' and 'Cup' - and no, two girls don't come with the later, but stronger bracing and a limited slip differential does. Both versions come with Renault's next-gen 2.0 liter 16-valve twin-scroll turbocharged gas engine with a very capable and even 250 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 250 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 rpm with 80% available from 1,900 rpm. This represents a 20hp and 30 lb-ft increase over the Mégane R26.R which was Renault's previous crowning achievement in the hot-hatch race. The increased horsepower is driven through a tight ratio six-speed manual gearbox and based on numbers alone, it sounds like it would be an absolute blast to drive.

We'll more than likely never see the 2010 Renault Sport Mégane RS on our shores, but we can only hope that everyone else is taking a good look at what the Frenchies are doing. This, and the 2010 Ford Focus RS, is exactly the sort of package that we'd love to have here. It manages sportiness, lightness and fuel efficiency. What more could you ask for?

Renault Press Release (Or French For: We're Never Going To Give This To You, You Smelly Americans):

As the latest in a long line of Renault sporting models, Renault Mégane RS stands out through its exhilarating performance and handling. The cocktail of its 250hp engine, unmistakable sporting coupé credentials and choice of two chassis ('Sport' and 'Cup' with limited slip differential) is clear evidence that Renault Mégane RS has been honed to offer an extreme ride.

Coming after Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R, Renault Mégane RS profits fully from Renault Sport Technologies' extensive experience when it comes to manufacturing production sporting models.

Powerful

New Mégane Renault Sport is powered by a new-generation 2-litre 16-valve turbocharged petrol engine which boasts maximum power of 250hp (184kW) at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 340Nm from 3,000rpm. The sum of the different improvements made to this engine has produced a gain of 20hp and 40Nm over Mégane R26.R which itself emerged as the yardstick in the world of performance hatches. The Renault Sport 2.0 T engine's twin-scroll turbo is exceptionally responsive and is particularly flexible at lows revs, with 80 per cent of maximum torque available from 1,900 rpm. Its broad useful rev band makes it a genuine joy to drive in everyday use, and the pleasure remains all the way up to the rev-limiter whenever it is pushed a little harder. The engine of New Mégane RS drives through a six-speed manual gearbox.

Work has also gone into the acoustics of the Renault Sport 2.0 T engine to produce a telltale sporty pitch audible inside the cabin under acceleration.

Efficient

Renault Mégane RS has inherited the same suspension arrangement as the current Mégane RS. Thanks to an independent steering axis layout at the front, the suspension and steering functions have been separated to ensure a particularly high standard of handling and traction performance.

Like the sporting versions of the Renault Clio and Renault Twingo ranges, New Mégane RS is available with a choice of two chassis: the 'Sport' chassis or the 'Cup' chassis, which comes with a limited slip differential for even greater traction.

The electric power steering features specific, sportier calibration and benefits from the latest improvements seen on new Renault Mégane aimed at achieving greater precision and even more feedback from the road.

Renault Mégane RS is equipped with ESC which is fully disconnectable in order to enable owners to sample the pleasure of enjoying their car's full potential round a circuit.

Provocative

New Mégane RS benefits from undeniably sporty looks. The front bumper incorporates the LED daytime running lights, as well as the splitter which recalls the low-slung nose of the R28 Formula 1 car. The sporty calling of this Renault Sport-badged model is further emphasized by its 18-inch aluminium alloy rims, central exhaust tailpipe and rear diffuser.

The interior appointments, too, exude the world of motor sport, from the extra lateral support for the seats, to the analogue rev-counter with visual and audible gearshift indicator, the aluminium pedal cover and the specific steering wheel complete with thumb rests. The Renault Sport signature is also visible inside the car: on the headrests, rev-counter background and dashboard.

Renault Mégane RS profits fully from Renault Sport Technologies' extensive experience when it comes to manufacturing production sporting models

Renault Sport Technologies has combined its experience of motor sport with its longstanding production expertise to develop a comprehensive range of sporting cars. The hallmarks of Renault Sport models are their pedigree engines and efficient chassis which together deliver an undeniably high level of sports performance, as testified by the reputation forged by Mégane F1 Team R26 and Mégane R26.R which were voted 'Sporting Car of the Year' in France in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

[via Renault]

When we first heard of a revival of the storied luxury brand, Lagonda, we envisioned big, classy exotic sedans with ridiculous proportions and enough sex appeal to spare. The last thing we expected to see was an SUV, no matter how intensely styled it may be. Aston Martin states in their excuse ahem, press release, that the Lagonda Concept's intention is to enter the marketplace with a 'unique performance avant-garde luxury product.' Wait a minute. Didn't Porsche already do this? Something about a pepper of some sort? It might just be our imagination, but this is hardly a unique vehicle. For Aston Martin yes, but for the world - No.

Getting past our initial disappointment will be difficult, but the overall form of the Lagonda Concept is quite beautiful, with the exception of the 'Hannibal Lectre' grille, as it shall be called from this point on. The four-wheel drive, four-seat Lagonda does have some redeeming qualities about it, most notably being the unconventional rear section that appears to be more Bentley than anything else. If you cover your hand over everything from the belt-line down, the Lagonda Concept has a hint of SAAB in it, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as they've basically created a design that SAAB should have tried with the 9-4X.

Unfortunately, as one brand slowly kills itself another will be born and according to Aston Martin Lagonda Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez:

"The Lagonda is the luxury car of the future."

If this is true, then we welcome back the Lagonda nameplate, but please bring us some of those wildly proportioned exotic sedans that we mentioned earlier and don't just re-badge the Rapide while doing so. Thanks Aston!

Aston Martin Lagonda Press Release (Or How Aston Martin Ruined Our Dreams):

Lagonda: Revival of a Luxury Brand

Aston Martin is proud to announce the return of Lagonda, one of the oldest and most iconic names in luxury car manufacturing.

The revival of Lagonda fulfils a long-term vision and will bring performance luxury into new markets and territories around the world for Aston Martin Lagonda. Ultimately, Lagonda will be a strong presence in 100 global territories, vastly increasing the global brand reach of the company and extending to new customers.

Reflecting its remarkable history, the brand will return to Russia, enter emerging markets in the Middle East, South America, India and China, as well as responding to demand from the dynamic, innovation-focused consumers of Europe, North America and the Far East.

"The Lagonda is the luxury car of the future," says Aston Martin Lagonda Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, "a combination of total usability, a new form and innovative new technology and materials."

Lagonda is committed to innovative new propulsion technologies, new materials and elegant forms, creating a functional luxury for the near future. Critically, the brand will allow the exploration of alternative powertrain solutions including flexfuel, low emission diesel and hybrid systems. Lagonda will epitomise the intersection of craft, design and technology with Aston Martin's established high performance expertise.

The intention is for Lagonda to enter the market place with a unique performance avant-garde luxury product, a vehicle that combines exceptional ability with unsurpassed elegance, inside and out. The LAGONDA CONCEPT is a powerful four-wheel drive, four-seater car that will satisfy the most discerning and demanding owner.

"An Aston Martin is an authentic, pure sports car," says Dr Ulrich Bez, "but Lagonda is something else, a new brand that will reach into new markets. Lagonda will create a new kind of customer relationship, instilling the spirit of travel, adventure and style into a single, formidable package.

Photo Credit: Autoblog.it

[via Aston Martin]

Looking at all the over-inflated supercars and luxobarges debuting at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, we were just thinking we needed something light, simple and fast. It looks like the 2010 Lotus Exige S delivers.

The aerodynamic enhancements are based on those of the Lotus Exige GT3 concept from Geneva 2007. The new wing is 7.1 inches wider, 1.8 inches higher and 2.4 inches further back. It also looks damn sexy. The new mounting style also increases stiffness (not just in our pants either) and better manages airflow. That wing alone provides 93 pounds of downforce at 100 mph. There's also new air intakes in the front bumper that feed the oil coolers and a larger aperture for the radiator. Also check out the new front splitter that wraps all the way around to the front wheel arches.