alfa romeo mito gta

For Alfa Romeo's MiTo GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerito) concept, Alfa engineers were charged with shedding as many pounds as they could from the already lightweight economy car (for those not in the know, 'alleggerito' means reduced weight in Italiano). As such, carbon fiber makes up the tailgate spoiler, roof and exterior mirror housings. Numerous suspension components, brakes and chassis parts were replaced by aluminum units in an effort to further lighten the car.
Fiat Powertrain Technologies was tapped for the all-new 1.8L turbo engine making around 240-hp featuring direct-injection, dual variable valve timing and an advanced ECU system to keep everything running in one piece. A "Skyhook"-like adaptive suspension similar to systems employed on Ferraris and Maseratis has also been installed to better lay down the power more efficiently. The GTA sits 20-mm lower than a stock MiTo and stiffens appropriately under hard cornering and braking maneuvers.

alfa romeo mito gta

 alfa romeo mito gta

 alfa romeo mito gta

alfa romeo mito gta

2010 volvo s80

Although uncertain of its long term future, Volvo is still cranking out vehicle refreshes and introducing new products as much as it can. Case in point, the revised 2010 Volvo S80 sedan -- the brand's flagship four-door -- which is scheduled for a U.S. release during the second half of the year.
Under the direction of design head Steve Martin, designers brought out a menacing "boser blick" front end said to add more character while catching the eyes of passersby. Its grille, featuring a re-worked version of Volvo's larger, trademark iron mask, adds to the more aggressive persona. Revised intakes up front, as well as new rear lights conclude the exterior touchups.
To compete with the stiff luxury segment competition, supple leather with matching stitching lines the seats, dash and doors. The sedan's super slim floating dash is similar to the new XC60 and is slightly angled towards the driver for more accessibility.
In being simply a refresh, the S80 gets the same engine options as current derivatives. Base and middle trim levels are powered by the 3.2L inline-six and turbocharged 3.0L inline-six, respectively, while higher editions get the brand's 311-hp 4.4L V-8.

2010 volvo s80

2010 volvo s80

2010 volvo s80

 2010 volvo s80

2010 saab 9-3x

 Saab's new 9-3X wagon is a vehicle similar to the Audi Allroad that, in Saab's words, will appeal to outdoor enthusiasts looking for an alternative to large SUVs.
To accomplish this task, Saab designers lifted the chassis of the standards 9-3 SpotCombi by 1.4-in and added the company's "XWD" all-wheel-drive system. With multiple wet clutch plates and an optional rear limited slip differential, the system can dole out torque between the front and rear axles as it sees fit.
Engine options consist of a turbo 1.9-liter diesel and a turbo 2.0-liter E85-capable gasoline engine. The diesel musters 180 hp. Opt for it, however, and you're stuck with front-wheel-drive. The all-wheel-drive-attached gasoline engine produces 210 hp, and both engines offer six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
To further differentiate from the standard SportCombi, the 9-3X employs new front and rear pumpers, painted a dark gray which stretches to the side sills and wheel arches. Out back, two exhaust pipes poke from the bumper for both engine options.

2010 saab 9-3x

 2010 saab 9-3x

 2010 saab 9-3x

2010 saab 9-3x

2010 mercedes-benz e-class coupe

 Rather than starting with a concept, Mercedes is blasting straight into the market with the production E-Class coupe which is set make its debut alongside the redesigned E-Class sedan. After its North American debut at the New York auto show in April, it will go on sale in the U.S. in June of this year.
Not a great deal of technical information on the new E-Class coupe or sedan has been made public yet, but one number Benz is making a big deal of when it comes to the coupe is 0.24, its coefficient of drag number that Stuttgart says makes it the most aerodynamically efficient series production vehicle in the world. There are significant styling differences inside and out between the two cars. This is most likely due to the fact that the coupe is not only a variation on the E-Class, but a replacement for the CLK-Class, which is being discontinued.
Starting in the front, the E-Class coupe will stand out with its own grille, featuring fewer, beefier horizontal bars. Gone is the tri-star Mercedes-Benz hood ornament, replaced with a massive tri-star logo in the center of the grille. Down below, the radiator opening in the lower fascia has been slightly revised and is narrower and helps the front end look a bit more aggressive.

2010 mercedes-benz e-class coupe

 2010 mercedes-benz e-class coupe

 2010 mercedes-benz e-class coupe

2010 mercedes-benz e-class coupe

2010 mazdaspeed3

 Behind the 2010 Mazdaspeed3's smiling face is Mazda's familiar 2.3L turbocharged and direct-injected engine. Power is still sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, albeit one with ratios that have been revised for smoother acceleration. Power in the European-spec car, known as the Mazda3 MPS, is unchanged, remaining at 256 hp and 280 lb-ft, good for 0 to 62 mph sprints of 6.1 seconds and a governed top speed of 155 mph. It also wears the same 12.6-in front and 11.0-in rear brakes , though Mazda has added electronic Brake Assist to the ABS and stability control systems.
What's new then? Well, it now meets the strict Euro-V emissions standards thanks to the world's first single-nanotechnology catalytic converter. It's also more efficient, returning 26 mpg combined on the Euro-cycle, an improvement of nearly two mpg over the old car despite a 0.01 increase in the drag coefficient from 0.31 to 0.32. Mazda has also beefed up the frame around the front cowl and rear suspension to stiffen the car up and improve the handling. They even took it out to the Nurburgring to sort out the suspension and make it more stable in turns and especially over broken or wavy pavement. Wider tires on new 18-in wheels no doubt help the cornering performance as well.
The biggest changes, though, are skin-deep. The new Mazdaspeed3's Nagare-style grinning grille remains largely the same up front, but features reworked air intakes that feed passing air to the brakes more efficiently. Also of note on the front clip is the deletion of lower ducts set below the fog lights. More aggressive side skirts continue the Mazdaspeed theme along the flanks and to the rear, the enhancements culminate with a blacked-out rear diffuser sporting a dual exhaust. A more pronounced wing also perches above the five-door's hatchback. Bolder fenders house the larger wheel and tire setup, while the bulging hood features a gaping scoop to feed the intercooler.
The Euro-spec and U.S.-spec Mazdaspeed3 aren't identical, but the Mazda3 MPS should give us a pretty good idea of what to expect from the U.S. model. Though the U.S. car is more powerful than the Euro model, turning out 263 hp and 280 lb-ft, it looks as though we may not see a power increase either. Mazda has also put to bed rumors of an AWD Mazdaspeed3, telling Motor Trend that the AWD system that would fit the car takes up too much space and wouldn't stand up to the power of the Mazdaspeed3's engine. We'll find out all the exact specs on the U.S. model when it debuts at the New York Auto Show in April 2009.

2010 mazdaspeed3

 2010 mazdaspeed3

2010 mazdaspeed3

2010 mazdaspeed3

2009 mini john cooper works

 Fresh off the heels of the Cooper Convertible's debut in Detroit, Mini will debut the racing-derived John Cooper Works variant of the drop-top. It's more powerful, faster and of course, more expensive than the comparatively run-of-the-mill Mini Cooper S Convertible due out next month.
Like the two other models from JCW -- the Cooper JCW and Clubman JCW -- the convertible receives all the uprated components derived from Cooper's racing tenure. Stiffer springs and dampers, bigger yet lighter 17-in alloys, stickier rubber, bigger brakes and let's not forget, a more powerful turbocharged powertrain, are all included in the range-topping edition.
Under the hood, engineers optimized the supply and extraction of air from the intake and exhaust system to improve power to the direct-injected 1.6L four-cylinder. A more robust twin-scroll turbocharger running at 1.3 bar of boost was bolted on and is good for a maximum 208 hp at 6000 rpm and 207 lb-ft at 2000-5300 rpm (with overboost). Mini claims the JCW-prepped convertible can hit 60 mph in 6.6 sec and a top speed of 146 mph, all the while achieving an EPA rated 26 mpg city/ 34 mpg highway. In true JCW fashion, only a six-speed manual transmission will be available.
Inside, all the quirky Mini-esque tidbits such including its aviator-style window switches and huge instrument displays make their way into the JCW drop-top. Appropriate badging inside and out clearly indicates this little Mini is not the garden variety Cooper 'Vert.
U.S. deliveries are slated for this April at a price of $34,950 (including destination and handling), or around $7500 more than the 2009 Cooper S Convertible.

2009 mini john cooper works

 2009 mini john cooper works

2009 mini john cooper works

2009 mini john cooper works

Toyota FT-EV II Concept

If you thought the Toyota IQ was reaching the lower limit of four-passenger vehicle size, think again. Toyota is taking packaging to another level with the FT-EV II Concept, an electric city car even smaller than the IQ.
How does Toyota do it? It’s a matter of reducing the size of two major components of a vehicle, the drivetrain and the controls. While small engines, and indeed electric motors, are not a new idea, the compact nature of the electric motor allows Toyota to do away with the traditional hood and engine bay to shorten the car’s overall length and offer much greater forward visibility. In fact, visibility is even enhanced with an auxiliary window below the windshield, see-through LED tail lights and video cameras instead of side mirrors. Entry and egress is made easy by power sliding doors.
Toyota Ft Ev II Concept Interior
While the electric drivetrain reduced exterior dimensions, the real trick was freeing up interior space. To do it, Toyota made all of the major controls drive-by-wire. From brakes and accelerator to even the steering, there is no mechanical connection between the driver and the vehicle. Doing so allowed Toyota to free up a good deal of interior space around the driver and incorporated a retro-futuristic joystick-style control rather than a traditional steering wheel. More than that, it eliminated the traditional dashboard all together -- freeing up even more room for passengers.
The FT-EV II is powered by a compact electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack that Toyota says is good for a range of roughly 55 miles and can propel the car to a top speed of about 62 mph. Toyota says making the FT-EV II exceptionally quiet took a good deal of fine-tuning of the motor control technology.
While the FT-EV II is certainly an interesting display of technology, we don’t expect to see it in the U.S. It’s far more likely that if it makes it to production, it will compete in Japan’s fierce Kei Car market for ultra-small cars.

If you thought the Toyota IQ was reaching the lower limit of four-passenger vehicle size, think again. Toyota is taking packaging to another level with the FT-EV II Concept, an electric city car even smaller than the IQ.
How does Toyota do it? It’s a matter of reducing the size of two major components of a vehicle, the drivetrain and the controls. While small engines, and indeed electric motors, are not a new idea, the compact nature of the electric motor allows Toyota to do away with the traditional hood and engine bay to shorten the car’s overall length and offer much greater forward visibility. In fact, visibility is even enhanced with an auxiliary window below the windshield, see-through LED tail lights and video cameras instead of side mirrors. Entry and egress is made easy by power sliding doors.
Toyota Ft Ev II Concept Interior
While the electric drivetrain reduced exterior dimensions, the real trick was freeing up interior space. To do it, Toyota made all of the major controls drive-by-wire. From brakes and accelerator to even the steering, there is no mechanical connection between the driver and the vehicle. Doing so allowed Toyota to free up a good deal of interior space around the driver and incorporated a retro-futuristic joystick-style control rather than a traditional steering wheel. More than that, it eliminated the traditional dashboard all together -- freeing up even more room for passengers.
The FT-EV II is powered by a compact electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack that Toyota says is good for a range of roughly 55 miles and can propel the car to a top speed of about 62 mph. Toyota says making the FT-EV II exceptionally quiet took a good deal of fine-tuning of the motor control technology.
While the FT-EV II is certainly an interesting display of technology, we don’t expect to see it in the U.S. It’s far more likely that if it makes it to production, it will compete in Japan’s fierce Kei Car market for ultra-small cars.

Toyota FT-EV II Concept

 Toyota FT-EV II Concept

 Toyota FT-EV II Concept

Toyota FT-EV II Concept