New Honda Fuel-Cell Vehicle Coming in 2015, Previewed by FCEV Concept in LA

 This may be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, but Honda seems to want to take us straight to the future. The Japanese carmaker used the event to introduce the FCEV (fuel cell-electric vehicle).

 This offers us a hint for a successor to the Honda FCX Clarity, which is expected to be launched in 2015 in the US and sunsequently in Europe.

 The development is the first vehicle featuring a fuel-cell powertrain that is confined to the engine compartment instead of being spread throughout the vehicle. Honda explains that this will allow the interior to offer more room.

 As for the fuel cell tech itself, Honda didn’t offer too many details. However, the company explained that the new development offer a 60 percent higher power density compared to what the FCX Clarity has to offer and yet this is 33 percent more compact.

Honda also promises that its fuel cell setup will offer a range of over 300 miles (482 km), explaining that a refill will take about three minutes.

2015 Volvo XC Concept is the best concept car at the Detroit Auto Show 2014

 

2015 Volvo XC Concept has gained two distinguished awards at the Detroit Auto Show in the week for us. The XC Coupe Concept has been awarded as the very best concept car in 2014 and within EyesON Design honor at this event.At the same time, the latest concept model of the Swedish company was awarded the “Best Use of Color Graphics and Materials.”

Unlike the slinky, low-slung two-door Concept Coupe, the Concept XC Coupe is a three-door crossover hatchback, using on substantial 21-inch tires and wearing amazing white paint with appealing splashes of orange paint glancing out occasionally. A custom-designed payload cover ahead hints the sporting way of life of its motorist. Dove gray matte rubber utilized for various trim items, and also the whole back end of the car, is incredibly cool in concept (makings it ideal for a concept car, obviously) however we anticipate would certainly accumulate scuffs quicker than your favorite white tennis shoes– we tremble to consider keeping it tidy in the winter.

While the light matte stuff may or may not be suited for manufacturing, there are plenty of design aspects– additionally found on the beautiful Concept Coupe, by the way– that absolutely are. And the 2015 Volvo XC Concept taillamps however preview the awesome back light signature that will grace the derrieres of Volvo’s approaching wagons and crossovers.

 Less evident but equally substantial is the significant range between the front wheel axle and the dash panel, an aspect of the brand-new Scalable Product Architecture (“SPA”) that will be discussed by all upcoming Volvos for the not far off future. Why is that vital? Visually, its presses the front tires forward, creating a stylish, lengthy hood proportion while including mechanical little bits and efficiently found collision structures beneath the skin. The 2015 Volvo XC Concept additionally showcased this, and we surmise that the following concept automobile in the set will, as well.
While it is doubtful that an SUV with merely three doors and 4 seats would make much feeling to Volvo as a manufacturing version, simply include another door opening up on each side and you have an opposition to the Mercedes-Benz GLK, Acura RDX, and BMW X1, to name a few.

Volvo’s new design instructions, at the very least as indicated by the Concept Coupe and the Concept XC Coupe, includes “psychological value to the Volvo brand with the calm, positive appeal that is the trademark of Scandinavian design,” claims Volvo’s design principal Thomas Ingenlath.

 

We don’t know yet what the 3rd and final concept is going to be but you could anticipate that it will appear by summertime, likely at the Geneva Motor Show in March, or the New York Auto Show in April. The very first manufacturing version to wear Volvo’s slick face-lift will certainly be the 2016 XC90, due to arrive very early next year.

Ford Mustang GTR concept Car

Mustang GT-R Concept Car NEW YORK, April 7, 2004 ¨C The muscular Ford Mustang GT-R rekindles the legend¡¯s road racing glory and the magic of 5.0-liter Mustangs in a stunning racing concept making its world debut today. The Mustang GT-R signals a potential future race car, while honoring four decades of performance glory just days before Mustang¡¯s 40th anniversary.

The bright Valencia Orange car ¨C inspired by the famous Grabber Orange 1970 Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am race cars (the Yellow Mustangs) piloted by race legends, including Parnelli Jones ¨C is a technological showcase that, when peeled back, reveals a number of existing or production-feasible racing parts.

Built at Saleen Special Vehicles in Troy, Mich., the car was developed by the same members of the Ford GT "Dream Team" who are building sub-assemblies and painting body panels for Ford¡¯s first supercar.

The Mustang GT-R features Ford Racing¡¯s 440-horsepower "Cammer" crate engine that already is affordably available to grassroots racers, and can be tuned to produce more than 500 horsepower under certain race series rules. Last year, a tuned 505-horsepower version of the "Cammer" notched world-class performance and endurance credentials by powering a Focus Daytona Prototype to victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona race.

The racecar is engineered to tackle the world¡¯s toughest road and street courses with a stiff structure ¨C based on the all-new 2005 Mustang scheduled for sale this fall ¨C a collection of the most sophisticated racing parts from many racing series and a Formula One-inspired steering wheel. However, the Mustang GT-R could be easily transformed into an affordable, competitive option for grassroots teams because it uses 85 percent of the 2005 Mustang¡¯s body components along with the same suspension setups and the already-attainable "Cammer" powerplant.

"The Mustang GT-R could be adapted to conform to different series and budgets but, in this variation, serves as a dream machine. We took the ¡®Cammer¡¯ engine from the Ford Racing catalog and built a race car around it with the best parts we¡¯ve researched and tested through our unmatched global racing program," Davis says.

Design
Doug Gaffka¡¯s ¨C design director, Ford Performance Group ¨C design inspiration for the Mustang GT-R was simple: Flex the 2005 Mustang shell to wrap the engine and retain 85 percent of the production car¡¯s solid structure.

The front end is a further evolution of the Mustang GT coupe and convertible concepts that stole the 2003 North American International Auto Show and foreshadowed the design of the 2005 Mustang. The Mustang GT-R features the classic pony in the grille, surrounded by modern materials like carbon fiber as well as advanced aerodynamic treatments like ground-hugging front and side splitters.

The equally large rear fenders house tires that are an inch wider. Considering how quickly 18- and 19-inch tires became standard racing ware in recent years, the 20" tires on the GTR are a realistic forecast of the next evolution in racing rubber.

The classic Mustang rear quarter windows are blocked out to accommodate the fuel delivery "dry-brake" system on the driver¡¯s side. The doors are fully functional as required by many of the possible racing classes.

Probably the most striking design element, the prominent composite rear spoiler meets several road racing sanctioning body rules. The rear fascia, like the front, is a further expression of the GT concept design, with a wider taillamp execution. Endurance racers will instantly recognize the differential cooler mounted with an aluminum grille screen between the taillamps.

The Mustang GT-R¡¯s body retains 85 percent of the production car¡¯s body components that were stiffened by 30 percent as part of the Mustang¡¯s first full makeover ever. The only modifications include rear-mounted battery pods and a fuel cell relocated to the rear trunk.

Ford GT supercar storms into Detroit

Stunning Ford GT uses V6 EcoBoost with over 592bhp, carbon-fibre tub and body panels and will enter production in late 2016

This all-new Ford GT supercar has taken all of the Detroit Motor Show limelight in 2015 - and it's easy to see why.

 

Confirmed to start production in late 2016, and cost around £250,000, it features an advanced carbon-fibre tub with aluminium sub frames, carbon-fibre body panels and has ditched its predecessor's V8 for a EcoBoost 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 with 'in excess of' 592bhp.

"It's a showcase for all our latest technology, including EcoBoost performance and aerodynamics," Mark Fields, Ford CEO and President, told us. "We've been working on it for a little over a year."

Fields fueled speculation that Ford will return to the race track, specifically the Le Mans 24hr GT class, when he said; "t’s worth remembering that our first innovation as a company was not in a laboratory, but on the racetrack." Another spokesman said it was "a nice idea." The timing couldn't be better - 2016 is the 50th anniversary of Ford breaking Ferrari's six year winning streak at Le Mans, and going on a four year winning run of its own.

Under the lightweight carbon-fibre skin is a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged version of Ford's EcoBoost V6, generating more than 592bhp. That's mated to a unique seven-speed dual clutch transmission. From power output alone, the GT should produce performance that strikes fear into the world's most prominent supercar manufacturers, such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Mclaren.

Ford GT at Detroit

The stunning GT supercar concept is a modern take on the retro styling of the first Ford GT remake we saw back in 2004, with a shape that harks back to the 1960s racer. The front end is immediately recognisable, but the enormous flying buttresses, wider stance, deployable rear spoiler and rifled exhaust give it an agressive and far more modern look.

Despite the dramatic styling details on the GT, the low stance and profile is instantly recognisable to fans of its predecessors. There's 20-inch wheels clad in Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tyres, and the suspension is a torsion bar and pushrod setup that is height-adjustable. Carbon ceramic brakes are also standard.

All-new Ford GT interior

Slide into the two-seat cockpit through the scissor doors, and the interior is clearly race-influenced, with seats that are mounted directly to the floor. A huge number of functions are transferred to the F1-style steering wheel, with a configurable digital instrument display behind it.

Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang Tears Rubber in Detroit Debut

 Oh, what can change in a few months’ time. Only months ago we were roaring with excitement at the new GT350 Mustang which debuted at the L.A. auto show, and now we’re having endorphin flashbacks as the even wilder Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang roars onto the stage at the Detroit auto show.

The unmistakable howl of Ford’s flat-plane crank V-8 engine ushers in the latest Mustang variant, and the GT350R is all about using that engine’s power to its full potential. That means 130 lbs less weight than the Mustang GT350 with the optional Track Pack -- no air conditioning, no back seat, no backup camera -- essentially, no BS.
Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang Rear Three Quarter

 The flat-plane crank V-8 is set to make more than 500 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, but the latest Shelby Mustang is about more than just numbers. “This isn’t just about horsepower,” Ford product development vice president Raj Nair said in a statement. “The Shelby GT350R is an all-around balanced athlete – one that is extraordinarily precise and agile.”
Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang Front End 02

 The stiffer 19-inch carbon fiber wheels (!) alone cut 50 lbs of unsprung weight, wrapped in model-specific Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. These are among the first series-production carbon-fiber wheels available on any car. Ford also recalibrated the MagneRide dampers from the regular GT350 for maximum track capability, also adjusting spring rates, revising bushings, and lowering the car's ride height. Aerodynamic upgrades to the already fearsome GT350 include a revised front air splitter and carbon fiber rear wing, which improve high-speed downforce.

Drivers will row their own gears using a Tremec six-speed manual transmission with its own cooler, while a track-tuned Torsen limited-slip differential at the rear ensures monster grip at high-speeds and lateral G’s.
Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang Interior 2

“This is the pinnacle of performance Mustangs today,” says Ford Performance director Dave Pericak. “The Shelby GT350R Mustang lays the groundwork for a story that will play out for years to come on the track and the street.”
Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang Rear Above

Things are surely getting heated in the muscle car wars, but the Ford Shelby GT350R looks to carve out a name for itself on the track more so than on the drag strip. When the GT350R arrives later this year in very limited volume, we’ll have to see if it lives up to the legacy of the ’65 GT350 Competition that helped put Shelby on the map.

Jaguar F-Pace was nearly called X-Type

  Jaguar’s design director explains the F-Pace name, the challenges of creating crossover and how it was almost called X-Type

Jaguar created shockwaves this week by announcing the name of its forthcoming SUV and a teasing first image. Now, in a candid interview with Auto Express at the Detroit Motor Show, Jaguar’s design director, Ian Callum, has explained his role in the choosing of the F-Pace name, the challenges he has faced in creating Jaguar’s first ever SUV and how the daring crossover was nearly called X-Type.

“Creatively speaking, I had little role in the choice of the F-Pace name, but I was clear on saying it needed to have a reference to sportiness,” he told us. “Both Ralf [Speth – Jaguar Land Rover CEO] and I agreed it needed character. Alphanumeric was not an option and we toyed with many names. We played with the letter X a lot  – XQ was one option but we felt Q is too much of an Audi thing, and of course Aston Martin uses Q.

• Jaguar SUV to be named F-Pace

 “We even toyed with the idea of calling it X-Type which would have been quite an obvious one. Had there not been an X-Type in the past it would have been a good choice. I was brave enough to go for X-Type but there were a lot of other people who weren’t.”
Jaguar F-Pace logo

Callum explained around eight names were in the running before being dwindled down to three, with F-Pace being one of them. “I picked F-Pace,” he said. “I like it because I think it’s got a bit of texture and character to it and I think after time people will get used to it.”

Callum, a man who has spent most of his career designing sports cars, also admitted he went through a large amount of personal persuasion to design a Jaguar crossover.

“I was persuaded to do it, but I went through my own persuasion, not by the market. About four years ago people said we should start thinking about a crossover. If you had said me two years before that I would have said no, I’m not interested. People within the business and the designers prompted me saying we should do it so I said yes and let’s have a go at it – but I said it needed to be a Jag; it can’t be a square box.”
Jaguar F-Pace SUV Auto Express rendering - front


The Scot was more than aware of the pressure on his and his team’s shoulders in creating a type of car Jaguar had never built before – and admits it has been a demanding process.

“It has been difficult because it goes against every muscle of your body in some ways,” he says. “Once I realised that a crossover makes good business sense and that for a lot of young people, they don’t anything else other than crossovers, I said to our team we’ve got to embrace this car. It has to be sexy; it has to have voluptuousness to it. If it means compromising some of the packaging then we’ll do it -– that’s what Jaguars do and we will push back on this obsession of getting the biggest volume inside, the biggest capacity and the largest tailgate opening. I wasn’t going to buy into that. I am very pleased with the end result. We have done a good job - I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

And Callum revealed that he’d like to do another SUV in the future. When asked could there be an F-Space and F-Grace – just like Jaguar’s legendary 1960s ad campaign ‘Grace, Space and Pace’ – he said: It has been a good project and in fact we might do another one. XJ could be F-Grace!”

Honda NSX (2016): Acura's hybrid sports car at Detroit

With ‘more than 550bhp’, the promise of astonishing hybrid-enabled agility and the same focus on accessible, driver-friendly ergonomics that made the original such a groundbreaking machine, the new Honda NSX has the potential to be a landmark supercar.

A US-based development team, working under project leader Ted Klaus, has been flat-out since Acura unveiled its NSX concept in January 2012, making that car’s beguiling shape production-ready while also packaging the required high-performance engineering, cooling and airflow management. Now, three years on – and 26 years after the original NSX was shown to the world – the finished second-generation car has been unveiled.
Styling largely intact; performance shifted ‘higher up the food chain’

From the outside, remarkably little has changed. This has to be a good thing, given that lovestruck onlookers heavily outnumbered sniffy dissenters when the concept car did the rounds, though the noticeably larger air intake and exhaust vents speak volumes about the NSX’s cooling requirements – after, all there are one or two components in there.

The heart of the powertrain is a twin-turbo, dry-sumped V6. It drives the rear wheels alone via a nine-speed DCT transmission, its output augmented by three electric motors; one in the transmission housing and also driving the rear axle, and two up front, driving a wheel each. A battery sits low in the chassis, just behind the cockpit, but while the NSX can be driven on electric power alone, it is not a plug-in and its silent range will be modest.

Click here to see the Honda NSX on video.

As well as making the NSX four-wheel drive when required, for drama-free hard launches, the three-motor set-up also enables independent, brake-based torque vectoring – or Agile Handling Assist, in Honda parlance. The promise is exceptional agility and stability from a system project leader Ted Klaus reckons works imperceptibly to flatter any driver, Senna-esque or otherwise.

Throughout the gestation of NSX, Klaus has been extremely reluctant to put even ballpark performance figures to his baby, saying only that the benchmarks were the affordable supercar establishment: Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 458 Italia and Audi R8 V10. But he now admits that with ‘more than 550bhp’, the NSX has been moved up the performance food chain, distancing itself from these contemporary rivals and putting oceans of clear water between it and BMW’s similarly-hybrid £95,000, 357bhp i8. And beyond the raw numbers, Klaus talks of the NSX ‘out-performing’ its power-to-weight ratio thanks to its torque-vectoring technology, advanced powertrain and idealised weight distribution.
Fits like a glove, switchable driving modes

The original NSX was criticised for its plain and uninspiring interior, at least until you drove the thing and realised the pay-off was levels of comfort, visibility, usability and ergonomic refinement then unheard of in mid-engined sport cars. The new car’s interior has been designed with the same focus on outstanding ergonomic refinement.

 ‘The cockpit is arranged to support the driver, and less is more,’ explains Klaus. ‘We’ve gone out of our way to provide excellent outward visibility [those ultra-slim A-pillars], which is a heritage from the original NSX. We also worked to deliver seats with class-leasing support. They work conjunction with the centre console and the door panel to support your lower torso, while giving you freedom of movement in your upper torso.’

 Once you’ve made yourself comfortable, the next task it to choose your driving mode. The NSX will offer four modes via a central rotary control: electric-centric Quiet, the default Sport, Sport Plus and Track, which necessarily prioritises powertrain consistency over outright performance. These modes will adjust the usual parameters; acoustics, suspension, powertrain, steering and, potentially, the response of the electro-servo brakes.
Aluminium-intensive body and chassis, like the original

The chassis is an aluminium-intensive spaceframe with strategic use of high-strength steel, notably in the ultra-slim A-pillar. Double-wishbone suspension all-round mounts Brembo ceramic discs, 19 x 8.5in front wheels and 20 x 11in rears.

Future BMW M cars could go 4wd, says boss

BMW’s M division CEO Franciscus van Meel has hinted that a four-wheel drive option is likely to make an appearance on larger M cars in the near future.

Speaking to CAR at the Detroit motor show, van Meel said that four-wheel drive is becoming a necessity as the supersaloon power war continues.

‘We are looking into those things because power and torque will only increase, and we will run into the necessity of these kind of systems,’ he explained.

Were an all-wheel-drive M car to be on the cards, however, he says it would still need to feel rear-wheel drive. ‘I don’t like the phrase “four-wheel drive”. Emotionally it sounds stoic, neutral and understeery,’ he says (ironic, given van Meel was in charge of Audi’s Quattro GmbH performance division prior to joining BMW). ‘If we are talking about M I think we’re talking about rear-wheel drive with added traction.’

He also ruled out the possibility of a more hardcore M version of the BMW i8 hybrid supercar, for now at least. ‘We are not trying to make an i8M. That would be a mixing of cultures that wouldn’t work.’

Read on for CAR’s chat with van Meel in full.
Did you have any input on the imminent X5M and X6M?

‘The M6 was already completed when I started [on October 1 2014] so what you see on the stage here [the 2015 M6] was already finished. So the next interesting cars that will come, that I had a little bit of time to look at, will be the X5 and X6M, which are to be launched at Austin, Texas [on the Circuit of the Americas] at the end of this month. I think the track is the right place to try out these cars.

‘It was good to work alongside [outgoing M boss] Dr Friedrich Nitschke for three months and have the opportunity to discuss the challenges and the opportunities ahead. We of course agree on what M stands for. M has been an icon for decades, everybody knows what an M car is. It’s defined by precision and agility, the vehicle’s dynamics, especially laterally – acceleration is pretty straightforward; being fast on a track and going sideways is very important.’
Name a couple of M cars that for you define the brand.

‘For me new M3 and M4 show exactly what M stands for; they are lightweight, very agile cars that are precise, good to drive on the track and that have a strong power-to-weight ratio. Also, their use of innovative materials is absolutely M; the use of carbonfibre in the roof, in the rear lid and for the propshaft. That’s really an astonishing component; the weight if you have that in your hands compared to a solid steel driveshaft. Also the completely redesigned chassis – those cars are really on the spot. From the past I like the 1M coupe – that was a very edgy, emotional car. Emotion is important – if a car doesn’t appeal to you emotionally, whether it’s a high-performance car or a regular car, you don’t buy it.’
Are some of your cars more ‘M’ than others?

‘It is not possible to make all M cars sporty and dynamic; if we did we would miss out on some customers because in different segments there are different needs. If we were to build a hardcore M5 race machine costing over 100,000 euros we would get the hardcore racers but we would miss all the people looking for a car that combines sportiness with luxury. The M6 has both, and what I like to see is that the motorsport team, which is working on the GT3 car [BMW’s replacement for the Z4 GT car, due on track in 2015], is that they can use the sporty genetics of the M6 and leave out the comfort parts, and by doing that they can easily achieve a very, very good racing car. It’s good to see that the essential balance of the car and the drivetrain is being used in a race car, and of course we look at what they’re doing regarding aerodynamics and so on, to see if there’s anything we can transfer back to the series production cars.’
Can you see an i8M?

‘I can see a marrying of BMW’s M and i brands, but I can’t see an i8M just now. There is a very close collaboration between M and i – we have an open-book policy, and each brand can look into the other’s magic box of technologies and ideas. The i team used that making thei3 and i8, looking at the carbonfibre technologies M cars have used for the past ten years. They took that as a basis and enhanced that, and that’s something we’re looking at now to see if that carbonfibre technology can help us with the next generation of M cars. Also, we’re looking at the vehicle dynamic control systems, which are very interesting on the i8. We are not trying to make an i8M though – that would be a mixing of cultures that wouldn’t work. We want to retain our positions without ignoring the good ideas each one has.’
As a former boss of Audi Quattro, what about a four-wheel-drive M3 or M5?

‘Whatever technology we’re talking about, the properties of an M car must remain rear-wheel drive; very agile, very precise. And I don’t like the phrase ‘four-wheel drive’. Emotionally it sounds stoic, neutral and understeery. If we are talking about M I think we’re talking about rear-wheel drive with added traction. We are looking into those things because power and torque will only increase, and we will run into the necessity of these kind of systems.’
What about hybrid technology, like the i8 or new Honda NSX?

‘Again, it has to enhance the properties we have right now without making anything worse. I wouldn’t exclude it but we haven’t found the right system yet to fulfill all these requirements and stay with the philosophy of M. The power-to-weight ratio is the problem – of course you can simply add more power, but that isn’t the smart way. The car may be fast but it will still be heavy, and that is not M.’
What are you excited about in 2015?

‘I’m not allowed to talk about them. We will show a few of them this year – we showed the organic LED lights at the recent Consumer Electronics show, and they will be on our cars – and we will show a very interesting high-tech new USP that is even more M-like at the Geneva motor show in a few weeks’ time. I am very excited about this so I have to stop talking now.’

Grand Theft Auto V Brings Game Car To Real World

Haven't heard of the Bravado Banshee? Then you're not a Grand Theft Auto fan, as it's one of the game's most recognizable cars. Soon, it will be recognizable in reality, as the teams at Rockstar Games and GameStop have joined forces to create a version you can actually drive--and win. 

A contest to give away the Bravado Banshee, the PowerUp Rewards Epic Rewards Giveaway, will award the lucky winner with the only example of the car ever built. 

But what of the car itself? Sadly, as is often the case with video gamers, the car's specifics are secondary to the fantasy--Rockstar hasn't given any details on what the car will use for power, chassis, or any other key systems. Given the car's proportions and overall look--especially the cockpit--it's likely the Banshee is based on the real-world car the video game version was clearly modeled after: the Dodge Viper. With a pair of turbos (it has "Twin Turbo GT" badges, after all), it should prove to be a very quick car. 

 Rockstar has announced that the car will be built by West Coast Customs, however. That does nothing to inspire confidence and much to inspire fear for its build quality and completeness, given years of seeing just how things get done at WCC on its television show.