Volkswagen’s small car architecture, which today underpins the VW Polo, Seat Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, will offer the possibility of all-wheel drive for the next generation of VW group small cars.
"The new small-car platform architecture includes an all-wheel drive option," Erich Schmitt, president of Seat said. "Seat won’t offer awd for its new Ibiza, but other group models could use it."
The first use of the latest development of this platform, called PQ25, is for the new Seat Ibiza. The new-generation VW Polo will be the next model later this year, followed by the all-new Audi A1 in late 2009.
The current version of VW’s Cross Polo has the looks of an awd crossover model, but comes with front-wheel drive only. "Think of an awd option for the next generation Cross Polo, or next Audi A1," an VW group source said. "And Audi already has an awd tradition anyway with its Quattro models."
General Motors Corp.’s revolutionary new 4.5L V-8 Duramax turbo-diesel, which makes its debut in Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks in the 2010 model year, is compact, powerful and fuel-efficient. The engine also is lighter, an important consideration in the competitive light truck market, because it was designed with more than 70 fewer parts.
The new dual-overhead cam, four-valve V-8 diesel engine boasts a number of innovative design approaches that have enabled its compact size and mass, including integral aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds, integral cam cover intake manifolds and a narrow V-angle block. The new V-8’s compact size enables it to fit within the same space of a small-block V-8 gasoline engine and offers GM the flexibility to introduce it in a wide variety of vehicles to meet market demand.
The new 4.5L V-8 diesel is expected to deliver more than 310 horsepower (231 kW) and 520 lb-ft of torque (705 Nm), while delivering a 25-percent engine fuel efficiency improvement versus comparable gasoline engines.
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Saleen is offering, for the first time in company history, its high performance 302 cubic inch (5.0L) premium crate engines for sale through its SpeedLab Aftermarket Division. The engine will be available in either short block or long block varieties to satisfy the most seasoned of engine builders and power enthusiasts.
Saleen offers the same OEM quality, durability and precision-built engines used today in Saleen built performance vehicles. The legendary 302 engine has already made its rightful return to the performance stage in Saleen product offerings such as the Parnelli Jones Edition, Heritage Series, and the new 25th Anniversary Sterling Edition. Consumers now have the opportunity to upgrade their existing vehicle with a high performance Saleen 302 crate engine.
"This addition to our aftermarket product lineup was a no brainer," says Carlos Duran, Manager of Saleen’s SpeedLab Aftermarket Division, "This engine is currently at high production rates, which allow for quick delivery to Saleen SpeedLab consumers. We want to provide our customers with the utmost in confidence relating to this new line of products."
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BMW has announced the 555i trademark last year. This began with a bunch of rumors earlier this year that a new 5.5l engine was in the works, but it is just not in the plans for the 5 at this time. The N63 engine being released in the new X6 ‘50′ will be the engine of choice. The N63 is an aluminum 4.4L, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V8 engine from BMW that will be released officially to dealersrs this May.
The N63 produces 400 hp and over 450 ft/lbs of torque according to BMW. It utilizes a newly developed concept in the location of the turbos. The turbochargers are mounted in the “V” of the engine and the intake manifolds are located on the sides of the block. This allows for a more compact engine and reduces the overall width of the assembled engine.
Expect to see this motor utilized in the 555 much the way the current V8 is. Overall it will be the sportier model in the line up and offer the standard options and features the current model has. The availability of the sport package with aerodynamic body kit option will remain with some slight changes, including limited edition color choices. Choices of transmissions have not been officially confirmed but we have received several hints that point to a milder DCT will be available when combined with the sport package.
There is something decidedly fantastical about this scene: We observe the approach of a Passat estate, it stops, the driver gets out, slams the door shut and, as he walks away from the car, he aims a remote control back at it. That car now proceeds to reverse park itself into the available space, it then independently cuts the engine and activates the door locks. End of performance. In reality, there is nothing at all fantastical about this demonstration.
The live performance by Volkswagen can be viewed at this year’s Hanover Fair (21 to 25 April), where the carmaker is premiering its “Park Assist Vision”, a system with the ability to guide a Passat prototype with absolute precision into a perpendicular parking space, i.e. the kind available on parking lots and in underground car parks. These parking spaces are often too narrow to allow drivers and passengers to get in and out of the car comfortably. In the not too distant future, “Park Assist Vision” will put an end to that.
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The 2008 Engine of the Year winners will be announced on the 7th of May 2008. if last year the winner was BMW with its 3-litre Twin Turbo engine found in the 335i, this year BMW has seriously competition as Audi, Nissan, Cadillac and many others are fighting for the title.
The Engine of the Year categories are: Best New Engine of the Year, Best Fuel Economy, Best Performance Engine, sub 1 liter engine, 1.0 to 1.4 liter engine, 1.4 to 1.8 liter engine, 1.8 to 2.0 liter engine, 2.0 to 2.5 liter engine, 2.5 to 3.0 liter engine, 3.0 to 4.0 liter engine, above 4.0 liter engine.
And some of the nominees are:
- Subaru’s new turbodiesel engine
- Nissan’s VR38DETT in the new Nissan GT-R
- Audi’s new twin turbocharged V10 in the RS6
- BMW’s new 4.0 liter V8 in the new BMW M3
- BMW’s new twin turbocharged turbodiesel in the BMW 123d
- BMW’s new 4.4 liter twin turbocharged V8
- Mitsubishi’s turbocharged 2.0 liter 4B11T in the Evo X
- Fiat’s 1.4-litre Turbo
- Chevrolet’s 6.2-litre turbo from the Corvette ZR1
The 2008 Engine of the Year Awards will be decided by 65 automotive journalists from 32 countries.
What better way to mark the 150th anniversary of Rudolf Diesel’s birth than a brand new generation of four-cylinder diesel engines from Mercedes-Benz which outstrip all previous benchmarks for performance, torque, emission properties and, most notably, fuel economy in their segment? In its most powerful variant, the new four-cylinder unit musters up 204 hp from its 2143 cubic centimetres, meaning that it delivers around 20 per cent more power than the engine it replaces.
At the same time, peak torque has risen from 400 Nm to 500 Nm, equating to an increase of 25 per cent. Despite the 25 kW increase in output, the new four-cylinder diesel burns substantially less fuel than its predecessor, which was itself highly economical. As a consequence, CO2 emissions are reduced by as much as 13 per cent and the new four-cylinder diesel unit already complies with the future EU5 emissions standard.
The new four-cylinder diesel generation from Mercedes-Benz can be briefly summed up as follows: greater power, greater economy, greater cleanliness. The new power unit from the Untertürkheim plant needs to be explained at greater length to be fully appreciated, however. It really does charter territory from which diesel engines - and four-cylinder units particularly so - have previously been excluded. It redefines standards for power output and torque on the one hand and for fuel consumption and exhaust emissions on the other, setting benchmark figures which no other comparable series-production engine is able to match at the current time.
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According to Reuters, Royal Dutch Shell and US bioscience firm Virent Energy Systems, are to research a gasoline alternative from non-food crops. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions without increasing food prices.
Shell said that unlike ethanol, the fuel it aims to develop with Virent will be able to run in existing vehicles without the need to modify their engines. Current gasoline engines can usually only run on small amounts of ethanol blended with gasoline, typically 5%. Much higher percentages can be used with modification.
The project follows a trend of major oil companies investing in plans to produce motor fuels from crops. The focus is mainly on second-generation biofuels, which will be produced from non-food crops. These can be grown on land not suitable for wheat or sugar cane.
Shell and Virent have not disclosed the amount they are investing in the project and produced no targets for achieving commercial production of the new fuel.
Last year, Shell and Virent announced a partnership to develop processes to manufacture hydrogen from biomass, using the same technology. The companies hope this will now produce "biogasoline".
Trapster is a very smart choice for all of you that own a mobile phone with integrated GPS system. Once you have installed the Trapster application (free), your phone will automatically alert you when you come close to law enforcement device such as speed trap, red light camera and other goodies. Their database still need refinement so in case you still get pulled over, you can still help...others by adding your location quickly with their mobile widget. Finally you can put this GPS phone to some use !
Remember the first time when you took your car to the petrol station? Let me tell you what happened that day- You drove into the station, parked next to the pump, and just wondered which side of the car the fuel tank was situated. Right side or left? After all, where else would you pour the fuel into?
It took a few times and a lot of guesses, and finally these days, you can fill em’ up without any trouble. But there is one simple way of finding out which side the fuel tank is located on any car. Yeah, even on a Ferrari or a Bugatti. It will save you all the energy spent on the stretching and moving, desperate to know which side the hole is.
If you look at your gas gauge in the dashboard, you will see a small icon of a gas pump. The handle of the gas pump attached to a tube will extend out either from the left or right side of the pump. If your tank is on the left, the handle will be on the left. If your tank is on the right, the handle will be on the right. Refer picture if you can’t get it. Its been there all this time on your dash. And you never noticed. I know. And remember that topspeed.com brought this to your notice and its a basic courtesy to thank them, no?
When we completed typing all that, we weren’t very sure about the claim. My Fiat Palio has her tank situated on the right hand side, and as per the claim, the nozzle on the gas pump icon is on the right. Help bury the hatchet by telling us whether the location of the tank corresponds to the dash icon on your car.
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