Daily Car Pictures: July 2011

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Land Rover LRX

The Land Rover LRX concept vehicle was the most compact Land Rover to date. Its size complemented a wide array of efficiency improving technologies in the form of Land Rover’s e_Terrain technologies. These included biofuel compatibility, lightweight construction materials and technologies such as the removable carbon composite roof panels, regenerative brakes, a stop-start system, and the ERAD (electric rear axle drive) parallel hybrid powertrain system. ERAD encompasses the incorporation of an electric motor into the rear axle of the vehicle. It would propel the LRX to speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h) before the engine was started by an integrated starter generator as part of the stop-start system. ERAD was designed to reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 20 percent under the NEDC test cycle and was expected to offer another 10 percent reduction in extra-urban driving situations. The system was designed to also optimise the off-road ability of the vehicle. Land Rover aimed to achieve 120 g/km CO2 emissions and fuel economy of 60 mpg-imp (4.7 L/100 km; 50 mpg-US) on the European combined cycle with an efficient 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine. The engine would become the only four-cylinder vehicle in the Range Rover lineup.

The LRX also boasted the latest incarnation of Land Rover’s acclaimed Terrain Response system offering a range of new and existing modes. These included general driving; grass/gravel/snow; sand; and new to the LRX are sports and eco modes.

Typical Land Rover design traits designed to improve off-road performance and practicality included the command driving position, hill descent control and good approach and departure angles. A Land Rover first was the air intake being integrated into the roof to offer exceptional wading capabilities.

Land Rover's Range Rover DNA was visually apparent in the form of the clamshell bonnet, the ‘floating’ roof, the dual-pocket headlamps, and, borrowed from the Range Rover Sport, the raked roofline.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or just Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral. All use two litre, turbocharged engines and four-wheel drive systems.

The Evolution was originally intended only for Japanese markets, but demand on the "grey import" market led the Evolution series to be offered through Ralliart dealer networks in the United Kingdom and in various European markets from around 1998. Mitsubishi decided to export the eighth generation Evolution to the United States in 2003 after witnessing the success Subaru had in that market with their Impreza WRX, a direct competitor in other global regions.

Japanese-spec cars were limited by a gentlemen's agreement to advertise no more than 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp), a mark already reached by Evolution IV. Therefore, each subsequent version has unofficially evolved above the advertised power figures, with the Japanese-spec Evolution IX reaching an alleged output of around 321 PS (236 kW; 317 hp). Various versions available in other markets, particularly the UK, have official power outputs up to 411 PS (302 kW; 405 hp).

Lamborghini Reventon

The Reventón is named for a fighting bull, in line with Lamborghini tradition. The bull, raised by the Don Heriberto Rodríguez family, was best known for killing famed Mexican bullfighter Félix Guzmán in 1943. Reventón means "explosion" or "burst" in Spanish, when used as a noun. In the vernacular, it is also used to define a very large party or a night in town. In automotive terms, it means "blowout, flat tire" when used as a noun. When it was used as the name of a bull, however, it was intended to be interpreted as an adjective, a quality or property of that bull in particular. In this last sense, Reventón means "he who seems to be about to burst".

Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640

A roadster version was introduced in 2004, followed by the updated LP 640 coupé and roadster and limited edition LP 650-4 Roadster. The final variation to wear the Murciélago nameplate was the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, powered by the largest and final evolution of the historic Lamborghini V12 engine. Production of the Murciélago ended on November 5, 2010, with a total run of 4,099 cars. Its successor, the Aventador, was released at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

With displacement now increased to 6.5 litres, the new car made 640 PS (471 kW; 631 hp) at 8000 rpm. The Murciélago's exterior received a minor facelift. Front and rear fascias were revised, and side air intakes were now asymmetrical with the left side feeding an oil cooler. A new single outlet exhaust system incorporated into the rear diffuser, modified suspension tuning, revised programming and upgraded clutch for the 6 speed "e-gear" automated sequential transmission with launch control rounded out the performance modifications. Interior seating was also reshaped to provide greater headroom, and a new stereo system formed part of the updated dashboard.

Jeep Renegade Concept

The Jeep Renegade is a concept car of the US American company Jeep. The car was first exhibited at the North American International Auto Show of 2008. The Renegade's main feature is the hybrid engine. The model will remain a study model for the moment and will not be further developed.

The Renegade is the first Jeep that has a hybrid drive. The engine consists of two electric motors which each produce 134 hp as well as a 1.5L Bluetec diesel engine, which produces 115 hp. The total range of the car is 650 km, thanks to the electric drive.

Jaguar C-XF

The car, which replaced the Jaguar S-Type, was launched at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show following the public showing of the C-XF concept in January 2007 at the North American International Auto Show. Designed by Jaguar's design director Ian Callum, it was a significant change to its predecessor.
The XF went on sale in 2008 with a range of V6 and V8 engines and customer deliveries commenced in March 2008.

The four-door is set to take over from the S-Type in the range in January next year, and it marks a new beginning for the brand's design. Out on the road it's even more stunning; the XF concept's shape draws the eye from every angle. But the question is, does the driving experience deliver?

Pull the futuristic door handles and you can slip into the equally forward-looking cabin. The beautifully crafted one-spoke steering wheel sits in front of two paddleshift gear selectors - these allow the driver to take manual control of the C-XF's six-speed automatic transmission.

Push the illuminated starter button in the centre console, and the Jaguar roars into life. Under the bonnet, the firm's 4.2-litre supercharged V8 powerplant makes a familiar hum at idle.

This engine will be available from launch, although the hottest model in the line-up promises to be even more extreme. The 5.0-litre supercharged V8-powered flagship, the XFR, won't join the range until 2009, but it is expected to produce an impressive 480bhp and 700Nm of torque.

2009 Infiniti FX

Infiniti revealed the all-new 2009 Infiniti FX performance luxury crossover. The second-generation FX, with its fusion of sports car and SUV design, will be offered in three models, including a new 5.0-liter V8-equipped Infiniti FX50. The 2009 FX is scheduled to go on sale at Infiniti dealers in the United States and Canada in June 2008.