Daily Car Pictures: May 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

2012 Audi A6 Hybrid

Audi A6 hybrid employs an efficient parallel hybrid concept: Its combustion engine, a 155 kW (211 hp) 2.0 TFSI, works together with an electric motor that delivers 33 kW (45 hp) and 211 Nm (155.63 lb-ft) of torque. The electric motor sits directly behind the TFSI, occupying the space of the torque converter upstream of the modified 8-speed tiptronic. The transmission sends torque to the front wheels.

A crash-protected area of the luggage compartment houses a light, compact lithium-ion battery that provides 1.3 kWh of nominal power and generates 39 kW. Depending on requirements, it is air-cooled in two ways – by means of a blower from the interior or by means of an internal refrigerant circuit coupled to the automatic air conditioning system. This technology largely maintains the rechargeable battery within the appropriate temperature range, thereby ensuring that the vehicle operates on electric power a comparatively large percentage of the time.

The Audi A6 hybrid can achieve speeds of up to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) purely on electricity; at a constant speed of 60 km/h (37.28 mph), it has a range of 3 km. It can also operate with the combustion engine only or in hybrid mode; in the deceleration phases, it recovers power and activates both the engine and the electric motor together when accelerating quickly. Special indicators on the instrument cluster and on the MMI monitor provide of detailed display of the different driving conditions.

The Audi A6 hybrid provides the power of a V6, combined with the fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder engine. It accelerates in 7.3 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph), top speed is 238 km/h (147.89 mph) and the average fuel consumption is 6.2 liters per 100 km (37.94 US mpg), a CO2 emissions level of 142 grams per km (228.53 g/mile).

2010 Romeo Ferraris Smart ForTwo

Smart ForTwo by Romeo Ferraris is powered by the three-cylinder 1-liter enginehas been equipped with a remapped ECU which enables it produce an additional 23 PS (17 kW / 23 hp).

The Romeo Ferraris Smart ForTwo sits on new, 17 inch, black alloy wheels and has 15 mm spacers at the front and 25 mm spacers at the rear. The Romeo Ferraris Smart ForTwo also has a new exhaust system with a sport catalytic converter.

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-door

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-Door also stays true to the core values of the Range Rover brand, providing premium levels of craftsmanship, luxury, performance and renowned Land Rover all-terrain capability, but in a more compact package. To deliver optimum efficiency, the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-Door features lightweight construction techniques and offers the choice of a front-wheel drive variant. A new range of state-of-the-art petrol and diesel engines comes with direct injection and stop-start. The Range Rover Evoque also adopts low CO2 systems such as Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) and is built to maximise end of life recyclability.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 5-Door shares its turbocharged powertrain line-up with the Coupé model. The state-of-the-art diesel and petrol engines offer smooth and responsive performance, blending four-cylinder efficiency with six-cylinder refinement and power. Customers can choose between two comprehensively updated 2.2-litre turbodiesel derivatives, with 190PS or 150PS. In the 5-Door model, the front-wheel drive Range Rover Evoque with the 150PS 2.2-litre engine achieves sub 135g/km CO2. A new 240PS, 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing for exceptional driveability and fuel efficiency.

2010 Caractere Exclusive Porsche Panamera

Working with the performance electronics engineer Dynatek, Belgian performance tuner Caractère Exclusive has showcased the new program for the Porsche Panamera. With this refinement program, Caractère wanted to put its own mark on the Porsche “family estate car”.

The aerodynamic equipment is composed of a front bumper complete with integrated lights. The sides are provided with a set of skirts that accentuate the sports nature of the car. At the rear, the Panamera has been added with a second spoiler and a bumper into which air scoops are inserted.

For the engine power, Caractère Exclusive has involved the engineers at Dynatek. Dynatek replaced the two original catalytic converters with two 200-cell sports catalytic converters, and the original exhaust line with an approved AKRAPOVIC line. Thus the dyno test was able to show a power increase from 500 PS to 605 PS and torque from 700 Nm to 840 Nm.

For the wheels, wide is the choice for tyres as Caractère Exclusive is offering CW1 Graphite or Silver rims 9.5×22″ at the front and 11×22” at the rear.These rims are also available in the same widths in 21″. The vehicle is fitted with Yokohama, 265/30R22 at the front and 295/25R22 at the rear.

2011 Aston Martin Vantage GT4

Aston Martin Vantage GT4 2011 car is closely based on the V8 Vantage road car with key attributes being carried over including the aluminium chassis, base engine and suspension design. In addition to the engine and aero upgrades, competitors can, for the first time, choose a race-developed Bosch ABS and traction control system. This system has been specifically optimised by Bosch Motorsport for the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 to provide race-enhanced performance in both wet and dry conditions.

The Aston Martin Vantage GT4′s new splitter increases downforce at the front of the car, as well as channelling cooling air to the brakes and radiator. At the rear, the car gains the V12′s larger boot ‘flip’. This works together with a new carbon fibre diffuser and rear underfloor, which create an area of low pressure under the rear of the car, to increase downforce. The redesigned underfloor also channels more air through a new rear-mounted high capacity transmission oil cooler.

2011 Brabus Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Widestar

Brabus Widestar wide version represents a custom-tailored designer suit for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. In addition to the extravagant high-tech carbon-fiber body program for the gullwing the tuner also offers ultralight forged wheels, an electronically adjustable Ride Control smooth-ride suspension, a titanium high-performance exhaust system with electronically controlled sound management and custom Brabus interiors.

To give the SLS an even more muscular appearance the Brabus designers have developed custom-tailored Brabus Widestar components for the rear axle. Like all other body components they are made from extremely light yet very strong carbon fibers identical to the ones used in Formula 1 racing. The add-on parts for the rear fenders and the rear fascia create an even more spectacular look and make room for special wheels that widen the rear track by 20 millimeters for even further improved driving dynamics.

The suspension engineers developed custom-tailored versions of the ultralight Brabus Monoblock F Platinum Edition forged wheels in sizes 9.5Jx20 in front and 11Jx21 on the rear axle for the wide version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. These wheels are available with a brushed-design or ceramics-polished surface and can also be painted in any desired color. The staggered wheels with 20- and 21-inch diameters on front and rear axles further emphasize the wedge-shaped look of the sports car.

Despite the wheels’ bigger size they deliver a weight reduction of up to 12 percent compared to the SLS production wheels. The reduced unsprung weight further results in even more agile handling. Brabus technology partners Pirelli and Yokohama supply the optimal high-performance tires in sizes 275/30 ZR 20 and 295/25 ZR 21.

The ride-height lowering by up to 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) also plays an important role in the striking appearance of the Brabus-modified SLS. The Brabus suspension is height-adjustable and was developed in cooperation with technology partner Bilstein. At the push of a button its integrated Ride Control function also offers a smoother ride than the production car. From the cockpit the driver can at any time – even while driving – switch between damper settings that offer a more comfortable or a sportier ride than the production car.

Brabus high-performance exhaust system with four slanted exhaust tips with diameters of 84 millimeters (3.3 inches) is somewhat atypical for traditional tuning. Its sound management, controlled by the driver and activated by a pneumatic flap, includes a ‘coming home’ setting that is quieter than the production exhaust. In ‘sport’ mode the 6.3-liter eight-cylinder engine produces an even more powerful exhaust note than with the production exhaust. The Brabus exhaust system is manufactured from extremely lightweight titanium and weighs 12 kilograms (26 lbs.) or 40 percent less than the production exhaust. Another welcome by-product of this exhaust is an increase in power output by 10 hp / 7.4 kW.