The Nissan Pivo is one of those rare concept cars that don't disappear from shows. Nissan keeps showing it and for good reasons: it is expected a production version in 2010-2011... but it won't look like this and it will not rotate.
One day hybrids will be remembered as the Trojan horse of Electric vehicles. Another step in the evolution to EV future is promised by Toyota with the Plug-in Prius. Still, not a lot of range (about 8 miles on full electric), but others will follow.
Sniffpetrol site has a new architecture: now it?s a blog, and by the looks of it, regularly updated. Since it's a blog and still keeps the familiar orange design then it must be very good, right? It?s great of course. Amongst other interesting stories they have a new one on the Mini clubman that reports on something Auto-Future knew long ago but didn?t report? because we don?t like the Mini clubman. Regular Mini: love? Clubman version: don?t really care.
Recent information has surfaced on the next very-small Audi. British CAR magazine presented some ?official? sketches of the car and interesting information. The drawings do look very nice but then that is expected, the final version might look closer to the preview below. The technical bits are more interesting because they refer to a new platform, different from Polo/Fabia/Seat underpinnings, and one that could have quattro AWD system (in this case read Haldex system). This is good for added credibility, much needed if Audi plans to take on the Mini. Some folks are now saying ?oh crap, another we will not get in the USA? but then again, what interest could this car have for Americans?... well, I suppose Paris Hilton could buy one for her dog!...
The next Megane III, not presented below, is a very important car for Renault and one with a mission: to establish Renault as leader in the mainstream compact segment while increasing profitability. And with another thing to improve over the current model: a more constant sales level, that is, the current Megane started selling very well but after the novelty effect passed sales lowered loosing to the older Peugeot 307. Renault needs to fix that with a more mature design that ages better while still keeping Renault design features. In the picture not presented below it doesn?t seem like the design is very mature but nothing like seeing it on the road for a proper evaluation.
Technically we can expect a great car: the passive safety will be class leader, the interior space will be improved on the current model and the suspension design will probably be the reference of the FWD mainstream class, judging by the very good manners of the Nissan Qashqai that marked the introduction of Renault?s new compact platform. In this respect the new Megane will score points over the Peugeot 308 that still keeps a French-tradition...
The title of this entry is just slightly inaccurate, ok, maybe a bit more than just slightly,? oh well, it?s misleading and wrong! Or maybe not. Autobild presented a CGI of the next Audi A4. Considering that the car is to be presented at Frankfurt show in September and that this is a Huckfeldt job, we can safely consider the image below (the yellow car) as good as official. We are just guessing here but this could well be a photoshop based on a real photo of the car if Huckfeldt sources are as good as we think. The other image below shows a CGI from more than one year ago and we can see how accurate it already was back then.
It?s also nice to notice that the A4 will be more pleasing to the masses than the Audi A5 that still is a bit strange in the front design. Unfortunately the Audi A4 will probably display the same technical limitations of the A5/S5 that have been so criticised by the press (we remember EVO using some very harsh words: "something of an understeer fest, no matter whether ESP is...
A recent study has presented theoretical advantages of the introduction of diesel-hybrids. According to the results, presented in the graphic below, the highest gains can be obtained with diesel-hybrids in relation to gasoline-hybrids, being this advantage higher for the heavier cars.
These results confirm a trend that is developing under the radar for future cars. Other than the announced Peugeot 308 HDI-hybrid, we know from inside sources that several of the big names of component and system manufacturers have ongoing programs that include diesel-hybrid technology. And, as expected, this technology will see its higher development for European manufacturers.
We know, it?s June. But we awarded our Concept Car of the Year 2007 back in January to the Chevrolet Volt. Because we know no other concept car in 2007 will be as important as the Volt. And now we know that no other production car will be so significant in 2007 as the Audi R8, hence the award.
Arguably this prize is not such a bold statement. Because it?s easy to predict what production cars are available in 2007 (unlike concepts that are usually surprises), because we knew long ago the Audi R8 would be a great car, and also because the best car magazine in the world (EVO) just compared it to the 911 4CS and stated: New Order. The 911 is no longer the best sportscar of the world (it has been since the 70?s). The Audi R8 is, according to EVO, the best sportscar of the planet. And this statement is historic.
Moreover, while reading the magazine we learn that the R8 is not only hugely competent, real-world comfortable, has fantastic handling, brilliant quality, but also very fast on the track. The magazine compared laptimes with other exotics...
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