The boss of SAIPA, Iran’s second biggest car maker claims that they’ve been contacted by some ‘ big automakers ‘ from America and they’ve invited them to participate in joint projects! according to an Iranian news agency. He wouldn’t say in which fields they gonna participate! Mehrdad Bazrpash adds that the economic downturn caused even some European car makers to consider selling shares to SAIPA.
Borac (or Borac Laraki) (Arabic: البراق) is the brand name of a Moroccan sportscar. It was entirely conceived and manufactured by Laraki group.
The Tofaş Şahin, Dogan and Kartal are Turkish versions of the old Fiat 131 automobile made in Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi A.S. facilities in Bursa, Turkey.
Ugur Sahin has made many of our dreams come true on paper with the USD GT-S Passionata Concept and the Corvette Z03 Concept. Now Ugur Sahin will be bringing the latter of the two to real life for a limited series production in partnership with Mallett.
While premium carmakers are stumbling at the recession roadblock — a Honda showroom in the city shut shop recently and Audi’s handpicked dealer opted out earlier this year — the German auto giant is zooming ahead.
In 2008, BMW sold 75 units and is set to cross the 100-mark this year, said Peter Kronschnabl, the president of BMW India Private Limited.
Having sold 10 units of the X series in Calcutta, including the X3 and X5, in 2008-09, OSL Prestige, the company’s sole dealership in the city, is optimistic about the X6 market.
“We are confident of good sales of the X6 in Calcutta. There are discernible customers here who know their BMW models and are willing to shell out the money,” said Charchit Mishra, the managing director of OSL Prestige.
The X6, launched this January at the Detroit Auto Show, will be available in the city in two variants, the petrol xDrive 50i and the diesel xDrive 30d, priced at Rs 65.9 lakh.
With the Independence Day holiday fresh in our minds, and our nation focused on the troubled and changing economic times, I thought it would be interesting to re-examine what we should consider to be America's sports car. Usually the Chevrolet Corvette immediately comes to mind when thinking of the quintessential American sports car.
Ever since the mid 1950's, the Corvette has symbolized what a classic American sports car should be. A two seater with a big engine up front, able to spin the rear wheels with just a foot on the floor. The Corvette has really come of age recently with the current Z06 model, and the introduction of the 200+ mph ZR1. These cars are lightweight and technically advanced, and worthy of the America's sports car crown.
But let's take a step back, and focus on the changing climate in America. With the auto industry in peril, and the world's focus shifting to more eco-friendly autos, perhaps there is another car to consider. A car from a new company that is working to become a new major player in America, and the world. Tesla Motors has emerged onto the automotive world scene with their Tesla Roadster, an all electric sports car that sprints to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.
The Tesla is an electric car based on the Lotus Elise, but with an electric motor. The Tesla is six times more efficient than the average sports car while producing only 10% of the pollution. Tesla Motors is based in California, and is starting to open dealerships all around the US, and the world. At $109,000 the Tesla is not cheap, but you won't need to buy any gas or oil to maintain the roadster. Besides, the Corvette ZR1 also will set you back about $100,000, and is much less efficient.
The next release from Tesla, the Model S is going to have all of the performance of the roadster, but it will be a more useable four seat luxury all electric car. Tesla is already taking orders for the Model S so we are just a couple of years away from perhaps the most revolutionary American car debut since the Chrysler minivan.
If the Model S is well received, and America (and the world) embraces the new technology by installing charging stations along our nations highways, it may just change the way we think about cars. Being a sports car guy, I have always been leery of new hybrid and energy efficient alternative forms of transportation. I was always worried that they would take the fun out of driving. After having been in the Tesla Roadster, I no longer fear the new technology. It is truly an amazingly fast car, and it makes absolutely no noise when underway.
The Tesla Model S is going to sell for around $50,000 after the federal tax credit of $7500. That's pretty much the same as your average high line luxury sedan. The standard Model S will reach 60 miles per hour in just 6 seconds, while an optional sport version will achieve 60 mph in under 5 seconds. The top speed for the Model S is 130 mph. The Model S costs around $5 to drive 230 miles.
If the Model S is constructed as well as the Tesla Roadster, and has even half of its performance abilities, than we just might have a new great American sports car that we can all be proud of. Perhaps the day will come in the future when we have an all electric Corvette. For now, I think America has two great sports cars to call its own, the Corvette and the Tesla Roadster!
* Nickel battery fights lithium to be electric car favourite
* Lithium-ion batteries power sports car to 200 mile range
By Michael Taylor
LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - As the auto industry race twists and turns over which metal to use in electric cars, the first lithium-powered sports car has hit the streets of Europe.
Start-up Tesla Motors opened a London showroom late last month to coincide with the European launch of its lithium-ion powered sports car -- a first of its kind.
The Tesla electric roadster uses lithium-ion batteries from Japanese suppliers but is mainly built in the east of Britain.
"Governments in the United States, UK and European Union are supporting the electric initiative heavily," said London store co-ordinator Audra Oliver. "Tesla has just received $465 million in low interest loans from the U.S. Department of Energy to accelerate the production of affordable all electric vehicles." [ID:nN23351010]
On Monday Nissan (7201.T) said it will invest more than 200 million pounds ($328.6 million) in a new UK plant to build lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. [ID:nLK86156]
Demand for lithium-ion batteries, used in mobile phones, digital cameras and laptop PCs, is set to rise but as global automakers explore plans for mass-electric car production. [ID:nT230151]
But lithium's road to glory could be far from easy.
Nissan's investment came less than a week after Toyota (7203.T) said it will produce its first European-built hybrid car in Britain from 2010. [ID:nLG406219]
Toyota, the world's biggest car maker, began using and securing supplies for its nickel metal hydride (Ni-mh) vehicles over a decade ago.
"(Nickel hybrids) are just more common at the moment but they don't have the same power density as lithium batteries," said Carl Firman, analyst at Virtual Metals. "Nickel technology has been around longer ... lithium has its own issues with over-heating."
"Ultimately, lithium is probably the future of the battery industry," he added.
The amount of lithium used in vehicles varies depending on the technology, but a plug-in electric hybrid may contain 15-20 kg of lithium and typical eight-cell laptop battery is made out of about 5 grams of lithium.
The Lotus Evora is the first all-new Lotus since the Elise roadster of 1996 (the coupe version called Exige joined the line-up in 2000) and the world's only production mid-engine 2+2.
"Evora is the biggest milestone Lotus has achieved since the Elise and is the start of our bold five year strategic business plan, which includes the introduction of three new cars and advanced new technologies to many more markets around the world," says Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc. "The Evora also represents Lotus core values of performance through light weight and efficiency, proving you can have performance, fuel economy, elegant design and practicality all in a class leading mid-engine 2+2 sports car, whilst also meeting all global safety and homologation standards"
Power comes from a Toyota 3.5-litre V6 (with Toyota's VVT-i variable valve timing system) producing 276 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Lotus developed its own engine management system to optimize unique outputs. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual (also from Toyota). Pavement grip is entrusted to unique Yokohama LTS performance tires (225/40 ZR18 up front ; 255/35 ZR19 in rear). The combination of a 0.337 coefficient of drag and weight at just over 1300 kg, allows the car to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in under five seconds, with a claimed top speed of 261 km/h.
Because it aims to reach a different type of buyer from the almostracecar like Elise and Exige models, Evora features a more refined cabin with elegant trim and extensive equipment list with contemporary features such as touch screen multimedia centre, extensive connectivity for mobile phones and portable audio devices, and power mirrors.
Access to the interior is also reportedly easier than with the smaller sports cars, with wider, taller door openings, narrower sills and a higher seating position that will reportedly accommodate two 99 percentile males (six foot five).
Future derivatives of the car are planned including, among others, a convertible model. Just 2,000 Evoras are planned for annual production on a dedicated assembly line in Hethel, England.
- - -
Fact file2010 Lotus Evora
MSRP:Est. $85,000 Freight:n/a
Notable options:Alpine mul timedia system; parking assists camera; cruise control; nav system; adjustable driving dynamics.
A sports car manufacturer is increasing production by 10% and creating jobs in north Kent.
Surrey-based Caterham Cars said it had seen increased sales in the UK and abroad, which had led to the move.
Managing director Ansar Ali said sales appeared to stall in 2008. In response, the firm cut its 90-strong workforce by eight and also reduced production.
But demand now exceeded expectation and Caterham would add four posts to its 45-plus workforce in Dartford, he said.
The company would also be recruiting production staff, he added.
Job cuts, which included voluntary redundancies last year, were at the Dartford factory and at the firm's showrooms in Caterham and in Hinckley, Leicestershire.
Mr Ali said: "When we saw the first signs of sales activity stalling last year, we cut our cloth accordingly in terms of resource and costs.
"I've always worked on the basis that I'd rather face the problem of how to build more cars, than the problem of how to sell them, so it's gratifying to now be manning back up to cope with the extra demand."
Order book 'full'
He said the manufacturer's international sales had benefitted from favourable exchange rates, and also its quality of business partners in France, Italy, Japan and Germany.
Caterham's order book was full until mid-October, he added.
Mr Ali said 2009 production levels of its Seven sportscar would increase by about 10% to 420 units.
He said the classic two-seater Caterham Seven had achieved European Community Small Series Type Approval (ECSSTA), which had paved the way for "significant Continental expansion".
It now had "above-forecast" growth in the UK, mainland Europe, and further afield.
Earlier this year, the company launched the Caterham Roadsport 175 and the Caterham Superlight R300.
The farmer has sold his first replica of one of the country's most successful racing cars for £50,000.
Not bad for someone who divides his time between farming 80 hectares (200 acres) and 'tinkering' in his shed.
When it's raining and not farming weather, I come into the workshop,' he said.
'It is immensely satisfying to drive something you have created yourself.'
Mr Soar, 38, spent just four months building the Aston Martin DBR1, 50 years after it won Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championship.
He owns the moulds to the 1950s car after buying the rights from ARA Racing two years ago and built the chassis from scratch.
He used a Jaguar S-Type engine and gear box, and parts from other pre-1973 cars to complete the replica.
'Aston Martin made only five DBR1s and two DBR2s and they are still in existence estimated at £7million each,' said Mr Soar, who farms near Diss, Norfolk.
'So £50,000 is just a fraction of the cost.' Next up is a DBR for a German customer – inbetween the harvest.
