World’s First Electric Nissan LEAF Limo Debuts in Tennessee

This is the world’s first road-worthy, licensed, street legal electric limousine, said Trevor Goulding, director of sales for Embassy Suites Nashville South. The Embassy suites hotel in Nashville, Tennessee needed a new way to shuttle guests. Their typical trip is less than five miles from the hotel. The hotel chain is committed to luxury and going green, so they contracted a company to create a LEAF limo. The LEAF will be primarily VIP car service, anybody who is looking for that special treatment to get around in the area.

A company out of Missouri made the modifications. They kept most of the Nissan LEAF’s essential parts intact. There is still just one battery pack, but it now sits in the back for balance. They added about 400 pounds in the center of the car to make room for more seating. And they added mirrors, plush leather and cedar paneling, synonymous with luxury limos. The hotel’s shuttle driver Phillip Huckelba is surprised on how well the conversion worked. It fits a total of eight adults, including the driver comfortably.

Many of the hotel’s guests have never even been inside an electric car before. Krystal Serrano never had until she rode for the first time in the hotel’s LEAF limo. “It feels so smooth. You can’t even really hear the engine running, but it wasn’t like being in a golf cart either. I don’t know how they did it, if they cut a car in half, but it’s really interesting and fun that they did and it was like being in a limousine,” said Serrano. Hotel workers and guests are electrified about what they see as a first glimpse into the future for fully electric luxury excursions.

Subaru begins production on BRZ and Toyota GT 86 sports cars

More than six years ago, Subaru and Toyota entered into a cooperative agreement. In 2009, that relationship bore its first concept - the Toyota FT-86. Both automakers showed the production versions of their respective sports cars last year, and Subaru has officially kicked off production on the models. In about two more months, car buyers will be able to get their hands on them. 

On Friday, Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru's parent company, held a celebratory production kick-off at the Gunma Main Plant that will produce both the Subaru BRZ and the Toyota GT 86. The event was held in conjunction with Toyota, and Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda attended.

The Gunma plant will produce the BRZ and the Toyota version, which will be branded the 86 in Japan, the GT 86 in Europe and the Scion FR-S in North America. Both coupes feature a rear-wheel-drive layout with Subaru's purpose-built 2.0-liter boxer engine throwing 200-hp and 151 lb-ft of torque at the rear axle. Toyota contributed direct injection technology to the project.

The output is modest, but the Subaru model is able to capitalize on it with a very low center of gravity and a 2,762-pound (1,255 kg) US-spec weight. Scion did not list a final weight on its FR-S debut press release, and the curb weight box remains empty on the FR-S' Web page. Toyota lists the curb weight of the GT 86 as 1,180 kg (2,596 lbs) on its UK website, so we assume the FR-S will be comparable. Long story short, the low weight should provide a lively ride.

"The start of production today made a huge step for us, but it is not our goal. Fuji Heavy Industries President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga said. "By constantly refining both models, TMC and FHI hope to nourish each model to be loved by customers all over the world for a long time to come."

Both the Toyota and Subaru sports cars have been highly anticipated for several years. Toyota showed its first concept at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, and showed several updated concepts, including the FT-86 II, over the years that followed. Finally, after Toyota was starting to take some good-natured ribbing for the number of light updates that it brought to major auto shows, it revealed the final production in December.

In a contrasting approach, Subaru waited until last year to show anything, revealing a rough transparent model at March's Geneva Motor Show, a full concept at November's LA Auto Show and the final production version at December's Tokyo show.

North American deliveries of the 2013 Scion FR-S and 2013 Subaru BRZ will begin in spring and are expected by May. Subaru is building a limited number of 2013 BRZ models, but has not specified the exact number. Those wishing to purchase one may want to pre-order at a Subaru dealership ASAP, as the limited production run may make buying one later on difficult. Pricing for both models has yet to be announced.

Source: Subaru

Tata Megapixel car concept unveiled at Geneva Motor Show

After the cheapest car, Tata Motors has unveiled their “Megapixel” concept car at the 82nd Geneva Motor Show which seeks to deliver up to 100 kilometres from a litre of fuel by using a unique combination of technology. The concept vehicle is a four -seater global range extended electric vehicle (REEV) meant for city driving. The automotive giant expects to commercially launch this one in around three years from now

The vehicle here combines a lithium ion phosphate battery and an on-board petrol engine generator for recharging on the move. Tata Motors says that it can offer as much as a range of up to 900 km with a single tank of fuel and fuel economy of 100 km/litre under battery only power. It is also said that the car will have CO2 emission of "just 22 gm/km". Last year, the company had unveiled Tata Pixel, a city car concept for Europe which is yet to be commercially launched.

Mazda CX-5 SUV to have World’s lightest bumpers

Mazda jointly with Japan Polypropylene has developed a resin material for vehicle parts that maintains the same rigidity as parts made with conventional materials while achieving significant weight reduction. Using this material, the parts manufactured are thinner than those using conventional resin, resulting in a significant reduction in the resin required to manufacture parts. When the material is used for both front and rear bumpers, it contributes to weight reduction of approximately 20%. In the bumper production process, this reduced thickness allows for a shorter cooling period for molding, and by using computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology, the fluidity of the resin material has also been optimized. As a result, bumper molding time, previously 60 seconds, has been halved to 30 seconds, leading to major reductions in the amount of energy consumed in the production process.

Bumpers are positioned at the very front and rear end of a vehicle and their weight has a major impact on fuel economy and driving performance. On the other hand, bumpers are multi-functional, requiring both rigidity to absorb impact, and molding and painting properties suitable for excellent exterior design. Mazda plans to adopt the lightest bumpers in the class using this resin material in the all-new Mazda CX-5 SUV to go on sale this spring, as well as other upcoming new models.

Around the track in BMW Ms

New Zeeland-based magazine Stuff spent some time around the race track aboard a slew of BMW M models. From the all-new BMW M5, to the super fun 1M, and the class leader M3, and even the unconventional X6 M, the folks at Stuff put these M badged cars to a real test and shared their impressions.

Here is an excerpt from their review:

“Hampton Downs’ serpentine nadgery is made all the more interesting by the fact that it’s that rare bird in New Zealand: a racetrack with changes of elevation.

Thus what looks like a series of pretty regular curves in plan form requires a seriously three- dimensional understanding while driving.
Having previously driven lighter, ostensibly “sporting” cars into tyre-howling submission at Hampton Downs, the prospect of directing almost two tonnes and four doors of brand-new 552-horsepower German luxury on it gave a certain dryness to the throat and a quickening of the pulse.

Not to worry – it was a BMW M5, after all.

It’s big and its heavy.

Amazingly, that all but disappears on the track. True, the car’s massive 20-inch wheels and tyres (265 front, 295 rear) take great chunks out of the fresh tarmacadam used for Hampton Downs’ heavily repaired infield bends when you turn in, but you’ll find it doesn’t squeal, or resist your intentions.

It goes where it’s pointed and while you can feel the car’s M-Dynamic Stability Control at work, when it’s in dynamic mode, it still allows a nudge of tail-out attitude. And when, a split second later it’s time to bring everything back into line, it’s not a Clarkson- like lurch, but a return to the status quo so smooth you want to shout “I did that!”

I didn’t, of course, but the M5′s chassis made it seem like I did.

Where the M5 really impresses is the way it gathers up ground between the corners. With the car’s “M” button prodded, the way this roomy steel and leather lounge room catapults to the next change of direction is astonishing.

…

BMW to recall 2231 Mini Cooper S cars in Korea for faulty cooling pumps

BMW will recall 2,231 vehicles sold in Korea for manufacturing defects that could cause overheating and fire in cooling pumps. Subject to the recall are Mini Cooper S models manufactured between March 1, 2007 and Jan. 18 of last year in its British plant.
The cars were found to have problems with cooling pumps designed to blow more air into engines for better combustion. The defect could cause overheating and fire, the ministry said.Free repair services will be available at service centers of BMW Group Korea, the local importer and distributor of BMW vehicles.

SSC Moves Forward Without Shelby Name

Shelby SuperCars is somewhat freed from its marketing shackles now as it has reached a settlement with Carroll Shelby Licensing. The company will adopt a new name - SSC - sans the Shelby part. This is because the founder of Shelby SuperCars, Jerod Shelby, shares the name but no relationship with the racing legend.
"After several months of successfully launching our new corporate name and solidifying further International brand awareness for SSC at the Dubai International Motor Show and Top Marques in Macau, it was the right time to officially announce our name change," says Jerod Shelby, Founder and Lead Designer.

"We have always wanted to focus on the pride associated with being an American built supercar and the timing is right," Shelby stated. "We have previously launched the Tuatara in both Shanghai and Pebble Beach and these two events in Dubai and Macau ensure the appropriate branding we are hoping to achieve for our company worldwide."

BMW does something more useful with that map data

The new ActiveHybrid 3 series will feature a system that can predict the best time to charge its batteries. Since the navigation map data includes hill profiles, and the car knows the direction you’re headed this means fuel efficiency.
Say you’re about to go uphill for a while and then descend back down hill. Your car will let you use more of your battery instead of precious fossil fuel while climbing knowing it can recharge on the way down. Pretty sweet eh?
ActiveHybrid 3 will go on sale this fall. Expect to get about 37mpg on the highway before navigation

Acura NSX Concept

The Acura NSX Concept has just unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. The NSX Hybrid Concept is powered by Acura's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) technology, a direct-injection, mid-mounted V-6 engine, and dual-clutch transmission. The all-wheel drive system can deliver instant negative or positive torque to the front wheels when rounding corners.