For an exotic Italian automaker like Ferrari – yes, those people that have produced some of the fastest and most expensive cars in the world – you would’ve thought that they’d have turbocharged engines by now.
But contrary to what a lot of people think, the Italian stallions have yet to take that route, and news that they are finally considering using turbo-charging in their future engines might be a little surprising to some people.
But before Ferrari fully commits to turbocharging, the carmakers still have to work around some kinks with the technology, particularly with lagging that usually comes with these types of engines.
According to Jean-Jacques His, Ferrari doesn’t compromise with their engines and that any delays of any kind before the power arrives is something that in the world of the Prancing Horse, is completely taboo. “Turbocharging will come eventually, but we need to solve the issue of turbo lag,” the Frenchman said to Autocar.
Whoever said that Bentley only caters to the old and accomplished surely have lost their minds, yes?
Well, for the most part, that bears some truth. But that hasn’t stopped Bentley from releasing their new line of car accessories, which, curiously enough, includes a wide selection of finely-crafted child seats. And what’s more, buyers also have the option to have Bentley embroider their kid’s name into the seat.
In addition to the amusing child seats, Bentley is also offering self-levelling wheel badges, a jewelled torch that can be charged from the car’s power outlet/cigar lighter, and car covers for a number of Bentley models, including the GTC models, the Series 51 GT, and the Continental Supersports.
Bentley is releasing these items just in time for the holidays, so in the event you know someone who has a Bentley in their garage, you know exactly what to get them for Christmas.
It’s been a month now since the TomTom navigation app for the iPhone went on sale for about $99.99 a pop, but despite being out on the market already, a lot of people have yet to avail for themselves a unit, partly because most of them are waiting for the GPS’ iPhone car kit that’s expected to drop sometime in October.
The kit, which will come with another GPS receiver in addition to an iPhone car mount, is expected to improve and enhance the TomTom navigation app. If you don’t know how this whole thing works, the TomTom nav app allows your iPhone to perform the full duties of navigation system, giving the iPhone yet another new function that seems to be increasing by the day.
With the incoming car kit that’s coming out, you can now mount your iPhone into your car like a fully-independent navigation system, although we assume that while it’s being used as such, you’ll have an extra difficult time trying to text with or call someone with it.
But those are thoughts for another day and time. What’s important is that the new kit is scheduled to hit in October and will reportedly cost $119.95 (or €99.95 in Europe), which of course is exclusive of the charges you’ll pay for the application itself.
We didn’t know that two items would be sold separately but apparently it is. It’s a steeper price to pay than most of us would’ve expected – around $220 – but then again, it’s still cheaper than a lot of third-party nav systems going out on the market these days.
With a plethora of new cars set to make their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Lotus is taking a different route by bringing with them their newly-developed engine designed for future hybrid-drive vehicles.
The new engine, which comes in a revolutionary aluminum encasing that integrates the cylinder block, cylinder head, and exhaust manifold into one solid casting, which results in the car being extremely lightweight – weighing no more than 56 kilos – while also improving emissions and engine durability.
Likewise, the engine also comes with a 1.2 Liter, 3 cylinder Range Extender that, as Lotus claims, is the first of its kind built to cater specifically to the hybrid market. The new Lotus engine also features a two-valve port fuel injection system that can release a maximum output of 15kQ from 1,500 RPM to 3,500 RPM.
The new Lotus engine, which was developed as part of a project by the U.K. Technology Strategy Board, is a revolutionary achievement by Lotus in producing hybrid engines that are both highly-efficient and affordable.
Thanks in large part to AT&T, your iPhones are about to become more than just a regular handheld.
The telecommunications giant is set to release the AT&T Navigator application on the iPhone, which would, in effect, provide users their very own GPS system – all from the comforts of their iPhone.
The AT&T Navigator is the fastest and most efficient way you can get to your destinations without spending an inordinate amount of your hard-earned cash on a separate GPS system.
The Navigator also supplies a plethora of different features, which includes searching for the closest coffee shops, ATM machines, Wi-Fi hotspots, and gas stations with the lowest gas prices.
The Navigator is unique for its voice-capable, three-dimensional screen that checks all the turn-by-turn directions and at the same time, automatically updates the vicinity you are in so you can skip out on all the congested areas and get to your destination as fast as possible.
Never before has a navigation system been as cheap and as accessible as the AT&T Navigator. For only $10 a month, you’re guaranteed that you’ll never get lost out on the roads again.
Audi has prepared three of their signature models: the A3, TT and R8 with one of the greatest navigation system available at the moment. The new Audi navigation system plus with MMI is being priced between 2,270 and 2,565 Euros; that is depending on which model you choose.
The heart of the unit is the 800 x 480 pixel, high-resolution 6.5 inch screen. Route calculation is now blazingly fast thanks to a latest-generation processor clocked at 600 MHz. In addition to the recommended path, the split-screen display now also shows speed limits taken from the navigation data for freeways and highways. In topographic map view, the driver and front passenger can scroll vertically, horizontally and now also along the route as they wish.
Airbags are supposed to protect us from accidents, right?
Tell that to one Dr. Ken Thompson.
In a somewhat reversal of fortune, the good doctor ended up injuring his thumb when the airbags of his 2006 BMW 325xi deployed after a minor fender bender with another car.
While the airbags did their job in shielding his body from the minor scrape, his right thumb wasn’t so fortunate.
“I had what they call a partial amputation," Thompson said. “My right thumb is just basically hanging and that was the only injury I sustained.”
If you happen to be one of those iPhone users that enjoy your Pocket Hercules of a mobile phone, yet still feel that you’re not getting the most out of it, then here’s news from the grapevine that will surely pique your curiosity.
Word around the 2009 WWDC is that there are a couple of new and extremely useful applications for the iPhone that has a lot of people buzzing with anticipation: the Tom Tom and the Zipcar
The first application is actually something a lot of iPhone users have been clamoring for a long time. It’s a new and ground-breaking app from Tom Tom that will turn your iPhone into your own personal navigation system. Despite having the appropriate hardware to allow this feature, the iPhone has never actually had a GPS application system. Although there hasn’t been a price tag attached to the Tom Tom, it is expected to hit the market soon and in doing so, finally giving iPhone users the navigation system it has long wanted.
Remember the watch we told you about from the party last night. The exclusive timepiece is officially known as the Aston Martin transponder watch made by Jaeger-LeCoultre and is the perfect accompaniment to the new DBS Volante. Aston Martin’s Director of Design, Marek Reichman, took time out of is busy schedule to give Top Speed a personal demonstration. The wrist watch can open and close the doors of the Aston as well as turn the lights on and off.
Did you know that James Bond originally wore a Jaeger-LeCoultre around his wrist? So it is only fitting that drop top DBS buyers can purchase an accessory that would make even Q jealous. Retailing for around $40,000 the wristwatch will easily make any new Volante owner feel just like 007.
The FIAT tuner Abarth has released a new sport buckets, the "Abarth Corse by Sabelt." These racing seats are inspired by the units found in the classic Abarth 595 and 695 from the 1960s, and feature some nice touches like red stitching to match the interior of the Abarth models, the scorpion logo on the reclining adjuster and an opening in the headrest suitable for a racing harness to pass through. The new Sabelt seats weight about 20 pounds less than production seats and are available in a frau black leather and Alcantara combination.
The new seats won’t be exclusive to the Scorpion badged vehicles, they can also be found in the Fiat 500 and Fiat Grande Punto as well.
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