Toyota has unveiled a concept car that could be the basis for a future hybrid sports car. The concept car is a development of the GRMN Sports Hybrid that was shown at the Tokyo motor show in January 2010. That car featured MR2-based bodywork, but the latest concept vehicle has a bespoke design that hints at how a future model could look. Under the skin there’s an updated version of the original model's four-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain. A V6 petrol engine powers the rear wheels, while an electric motor sends power to the front wheels. Combined power output is 295bhp. With a weight of around 1500kg, we’d expect that to translate to strong performance. The GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II has been developed by Gazoo Racing, a Japanese motorsport group, with Toyota’s backing. The 'MN' part of the name stands for 'Meister of Nurburgring', in reference to Hiromu Naruse, a Toyota test driver and chief of the Gazoo Racing team. Toyota says there are no current plans to put the model into production, but the concept car will be shown at various motor shows and events over the next few months to gauge press and public reaction to the car. It will be on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 30 to July 3. It’s unclear as yet where the new model would fit within the Toyota range. TheFT-86sports car is due to go on sale in 2012 and a hybrid version of this is also a possibility. A decision is expected at the end of the year.-whatcar.com
Our team of spy photographers have snagged the production version of the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class dressed in a see-through plastic wrap as the car was being loaded off the transportation truck.
Clearly descended from the current-generation of Stuttgart’s mini-MPV model, the new B-Class follows a more conservative styling language than its smaller sibling, the 2012 A-Class, official patent images of which we showed you in May (see here).
The five-seat 2012 B-Class is based on an all-new front-wheel drive platform, dubbed MFA, which features a conventional unibody and replaces the sandwich structure used on the current A and B-Class models.
The new platform also brings an increase in dimensions and consequently, improved interior space for both passengers and the luggage area.
The new B-class, dubbed W246, will benefit from an updated lineup of turbocharged four-cylinder engines with direct-injection and start/stop technologies in both diesel and petrol flavors.
It is believed that Mercedes-Benz will lift the covers off the new B-Class at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show this September with sales to follow next year. Mercedes-Benz officials have not revealed any plans to bring the B-Class to the USA.
Stay tuned for more spy shots as well as the actual production versions of both the 2012 A- and B-Class models as we’re nearing closer to their launch.-carscoop.blogspot.com
SUZUKI'S new V-Strom 650 images have been leaked ahead of the bike's official launch, by Suzuki Europe.
In the digital age, marketing bods often think they're being clever by slowly leaking concept sketches and 'spy shots' of bikes to generate hype before the official launch but in what appears to be a bit of a cock-up, the images of the new V-Strom 650 were uploaded to Suzuki Europe's website for a few hours but the page has since been removed.
The 2012 V-Strom 650 ABS looks to us like it's largely cosmetic changes to the current model. It appears to be powered by the same engine, no specific horsepower or torque figures were quoted on the website however the capacity remains at 645cc, the bore and stroke remains the same but the compression ratio has dropped from 11.5:1 to 11.2:1.
The 2012 model's dimension changes mean it's now taller and longer, with a seat height of 835mm up by 15mm on the current model and a 5mm longer wheelbase.
Its 20-litre fuel capacity is two litres smaller than the current model.
Lookswise, it certainly appears to have been designed to mimic the new Triumph Tiger 800.-visordown.com
We've been looking forward to this ride for a looooong time; this is a truly significant motorcycle. Ducati has stamped its authority on the Adventure bike segment in the only way it knows how. The new Multistrada 1200 S is vastly more powerful and exciting than anything else in the segment. In fact, it's more powerful and exciting than an awful lot of pure sportsbikes. What's more, with its traction control, ABS, fly-by-wire throttle mapping and electronic suspension adjustments it boasts the most technologically advanced computer system we've ever seen on a streetbike - while still being marvelously simple to ride. Loz Blain and Noel McKeegan strap the boots on for the latest in our HD Video Road Tests. Enjoy!
The big bore "Adventure" touring segment is starting to look pretty crowded at the moment - you've got grandpa Beemer, the big KTM, the viciously ugly but practical V-Strom, Yamaha's proto-beemer Super Tenere, Triumph's Tiger, Guzzi's Stelvio ... each with its own mix of off-road capability versus on-road touring practicality.
Ducati's Multistrada has always sat just outside this category, somewhere on the fringe. Chunky-looking, comfy, quick and almost entirely road focused, the old Multistrada really sat better under the naked or sports touring umbrellas. You'd probably do just about as well in the dirt on, say, an FZ1 - and you'd be substantially less worried about scratching the paint.
The new Multistrada 1200 S has paint just as shiny as the old model, but it's a complete rethink of the Multistrada concept from the engine out. The old bike made a useful, if not sprightly, 92 horsepower from its 1100cc, 2 valves per cylinder L-twin engine. The new one rips tarmac with a gigantic 150 horsepower out of a lightly revised 1198 superbike engine with 4 vales per head.
This figure alone tells you where the MTS sits in its class - it's the bully. Half as much power again as a KTM 990 Adventure, and a healthy 40 ponies over the much heavier BMW. It's an absolute monster on the road, revving like crazy and throwing the front wheel skyward every time you jerk the throttle in the lower three gears.
With its powerful, radial Brembo brakes, Ohlins TTX suspension and relatively light weight at 189kg (420lbs), the Multistrada has taken a gigantic leap forward from its predecessor as a roadbike. In fact, it steers so fast and true in the twisties, and explodes so violently out of apexes, that there's very few bikes on the road that will get away from one if it's well ridden. If it wasn't for some minor ground clearance issues, this would make a pretty convincing sportsbike - and it'll take a heck of a rider to find its limits at the racetrack.
But 150 horsepower is a recipe for disaster in the dirt, and the firm suspension that you need for maximum traction on a smooth twisty road would rattle your teeth out on a bumpy dirt road - and this is where the true genius of the 1200 S comes into play.
Riding mode switches have been popping up on fuel injected motorcycles since the 2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000, as manufacturers realized that the stratospheric horsepower of today's performance bikes is simply too much for some riders under some conditions. Early efforts like the 07 Gixxer simply offered different fuel maps, restricting the bike to lower horsepower.
The Multistrada takes the mode concept to unprecedented levels, and allows Ducati to fit an incredibly broad electronics package into a bike that's still dead simple to ride.
The MTS mode switch (built into the indicator cancel button) toggles between 4 riding modes: Sports, Touring, Urban and Enduro. Each mode has a custom (and customisable) setup that includes peak engine output, throttle response, intervention level from the Ducati Traction Control system, ABS settings, and even electronic suspension setup.
In Sports mode, for example, the suspension is set quite firm, with added preload, compression and rebound damping at both ends. The power output is set to the full 150 horses, and the throttle mapping is similar to the track mode on Aprilia and BMW sportsbikes - that is, power comes on strong and immediately with minor throttle movements. Traction control is set to allow a reasonable degree of powersliding out of corners. It's a tough mode to ride in - your throttle control has to be godlike to avoid jerky spikes of power, so you need to be concentrating 110% to get the most out of the bike.
Touring mode is a softened version of Sports mode - you get all 150 horses, but the throttle mapping is backed off to a softer delivery. This means you have to twist the throttle a little further to get big power down, but it's much smoother, less aggressive and easier to ride hard. Traction control is brought up to allow less wheelspin, and the suspension is softened off so that your freeway miles are more comfortable.
Urban mode cuts peak power to 100 horses, and retains Touring mode's gentler throttle response. Traction control is maxed out, and the suspension setup feels similar to Touring mode, or perhaps a little more comfort focused. One-hundred horsepower sounds like a cruel neutering of the 1200cc powerplant, but in all honesty Urban mode still feels brutally powerful when you twist the throttle round far enough. The bike still leaps forward, wheeling with ease and obliterating traffic and speed limits.
Enduro mode sets the suspension long and soft, gives you the same soft 100 horsepower throttle map as Urban mode, and backs off the traction control so you can steer the thing with the rear wheel a bit in the dirt.
The new Multistrada (especially the Ohlins-equipped S model) feels much more capable in the dirt than its older brother. It's quite light and nimble, not uncomfortable to ride standing up, and while the fairings rattle a bit, the suspension does a fairly good job dealing with ruts, holes, tree branches and other light offroad debris. You wouldn't go too hard with it - ground clearance is much more roadbike than dirtbike, and if you tip it over you're risking the cost of four regular dirt squirters, but for gravel and light trails it handles itself pretty well.
The Bosch-derived ABS system is excellent on the road, and surprisingly effective on dirt or gravel. It's actually quite shocking to see how quickly it will stop you when traction conditions are low.
Of course, Ducati sells the traction control and ABS systems as safety additions - but we riders know otherwise. Armed with the ability to brake right at the limits of traction from extreme speed, you tend to charge into corners harder and brake later. Safe in the knowledge that you're not going to highside, you feel morally obliged to wind it out to the throttle stop as soon as you see a corner exit. Finesse be damned, you can ride this thing like a neanderthal if you want - it just pays to remember that traction control and ABS can't save you if you run into a corner too hot - and with the cataclysmic grunt of that 1200cc engine firing you from one corner to the next, your braking points are going to be further back than you're used to. So beware!
In terms of complaints, well, the Multistrada does give us a few niggles. Centrestands are magnificent things, but the Multi's centrestand is the first thing to drag in a corner, and this isn't helped by the fact that when you put your toes up on the pegs, your heel bumps into it and pushes it down further. So when the pace really starts heating up, it becomes a bit of an issue.
The screen, while adjustable, is absolute garbage. It forces a concentrated stream of wind straight into your helmet wherever you set it. You're best off leaving it wherever you leave the winter liners for all your jackets.
There's no option for cruise control, which is just about the only thing stopping the MTS from being a top flight tourer. It's comfy enough for big miles, you can get 400km from a tank if you're cruising, and you can key in suspension adjustments for pillions and/or luggage in each mode with a few prods of the left thumb. Cruise control is sadly absent, which is surprising because the bike is so overwhelmingly electronically governed. Surely with this many sensors, fly by wire throttle and all the other computers, cruise would be an easy thing to add.
And the panniers, which are lockable, waterproof and free with the S Touring model, are in my view poorly designed. They do a great job on the bike, but when you take them off, you need to rest them on pillows if you don't want them to scratch. Hard luggage on a bike needs to be able to take a beating - it needs to be able to be treated like a suitcase. We treated it like fine China, and we still managed to scratch it enough for a horrific repair bill to come our way. Be warned!
The gearbox, straight from the 1198, seems to have picked up a gremlin or two in its new home. Shifts don't feel as solid or precise as they should, and false neutrals happen semi-regularly even if you shift with a firm boot. It's a disappointing flaw.
But it's not a deal breaker. When you've got a bike so overwhelmingly capable in so many different capacities, you're onto a real winner. The Multistrada can genuinely out-sports a lot of sportsbikes on the road, it's blisteringly fast. But it's also comfortable, practical, simple to ride and endlessly flexible. It feels like one of the great standards of old, a Swiss army knife of a thing that will handle itself admirably in all sorts of conditions. "All-rounder" might be a dirty word in this day and age, but I'm breaking it out here as a big compliment. The Multistrada 1200 S is probably one of the most exciting, practical and capable motorcycles on the market right now. It's a beauty.
Price is an eye-watering AU$29,990 for the Multistrada S Touring or S Sport (which ditches the panniers and heated grips for a few bits of carbon fibber) - or you can lose the electronic Ohlins suspension and trade down to the standard MTS1200 for AU$23,990. It's a lot of money, but take one for a test ride and it'll be obvious where the money has been spent.-gizmag.com
Following the official ‘spy shots’ BMW Group has unveiled the official pictures and details of the new 2012 Mini Coupe, which will go on sale in the United States this fall.
“The first two-seater in its line-up sees MINI not only breathe new life into its successful racing history but also provide a shot in the arm for the super-compact sports car class,” Mini said in a statement. “The selection of engines, chassis set-up, weight distribution and aerodynamic properties of the MINI Coupe are all focused on delivering optimum performance. As a result, the new car radiates the brand’s hallmark go-kart feeling with a whole new depth of intensity and achieves the best performance statistics ever recorded by a volume-produced MINI… it is the fastest-accelerating MINI ever and has the highest top speed.”
The 2012 Mini Coupe lineup is available in:
MINI John Cooper Works Coupe: Power comes from a 1.6 liter twin-scroll turbocharged 4-cylinder engine making 211-hp at 6,000 rpm and 192 lb-ft between 2,000 and 5,100 rpm. 0 to 62 mph comes in 6.4 seconds with a top speed of 149 mph.
MINI Cooper S Coupe: Power comes from 1.6 liter 4-cylinder with a twin-scrool turbocharger making 184-hp at 5,500 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque between 1,600 – 5,000 rpm. 0 to 62 mph comes in 6.9 seconds with a top speed of 143 mph.
MINI Cooper Coupe: Power comes from a 1.6 liter 4-cylinder making 122-hp at 6,000 rpm and 118 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. 0 to 62 mph comes in 9 seconds with a top speed of 127 mph.
MINI Cooper SD Coupe: Power comes from a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel making. 143-hp at 4,000 rpm and 225 lb-ft of torque between 1,750 and 2,700 rpm. 0 to 62 mph comes in 7.9 seconds with a top speed of 134 mph.
In the United States, the 2012 Mini Coupe will be available in three trim levels including Cooper Coupe, Cooper S Coupe and John Cooper Works Coupe.-egmcartech.com
Press Release:
The MINI Coupé. At a glance.
MINI gives the small car segment another fascinating injection of variety with the presentation of the first two-seater in the brand’s current model range. The MINI Coupé represents the faithful transposition of the brand’s sporting DNA into a cutting-edge vehicle concept with a new interpretation of the super-compact sports car class; unrivalled handling agility and the best performance figures in the model portfolio.
New expression of the distinctive MINI design with extremely high emotional appeal; unique proportions created by distinctive “helmet roof” design; extraordinarily sporty presence with sharply raked A-pillars; hallmark MINI structuring of body, wrap-around glass areas and superimposed roof; characteristic design principles and exclusive MINI details underline its brand identity.
First “three-box” MINI with strikingly stepped rear end in the classic style of a gran turismo; sporty, flat coupé silhouette; sits up to 52 millimetres lower than the MINI; new, faithful expression of the hallmark MINI design language; distinctive roof form with optimised aerodynamic properties thanks to integrated roof spoiler; first MINI with an active rear spoiler to optimise airflow at higher speeds; rear spoiler extends automatically at 80 km/h (50 mph); MINI John Cooper Works Coupé with John Cooper Works aerodynamic kit as standard.
Strict two-seater concept with extended stowage and loading capacity behind the driver and passenger seats; large, variable-use luggage area; large through-loading facility into the passenger compartment; wide and extremely high-opening tailgate makes loading easier.
Latest generation of four-cylinder engines; most powerful petrol and diesel units in the MINI range; engine technology underpinned by the development expertise of the BMW Group / derived directly from motor sport; MINI John Cooper Works Coupé with 155 kW/211 hp, MINI Cooper S Coupé with 135 kW/184 hp, MINI Cooper Coupé with 90 kW/122 hp, MINI Cooper SD Coupé with 105 kW/143 hp; exceptional efficiency thanks to wide range of standard MINIMALISM technology; six-speed manual gearbox fitted as standard, six-speed automatic optional for MINI Cooper S Coupé, MINI Cooper Coupé and MINI Cooper SD Coupé.
A chassis set-up, weight balance and body structure geared squarely to providing unbeatable driving fun gives the car’s go-kart feeling unrivalled depth; Electric Power Steering and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) as standard, DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) with EDLC (Electronic Differential Lock Control) optional (standard on MINI John Cooper Works Coupé); innovative pedestrian protection systems and measures to enhance body rigidity shift the car’s weight balance slightly further forward, giving the front-wheel-drive MINI Coupé optimised traction; agility and safety boosted by increase in torsional rigidity using carefully targeted, model-specific strengthening elements.
Interior design clearly emphasising two-seat layout; oval recesses in the roof liner provide extra headroom for the driver and front passenger; sports seats fitted as standard (MINI Cooper S Coupé, MINI Cooper SD Coupé, MINI John Cooper Works Coupé); two-piece luggage compartment cover in striking, three-dimensional design.
Exclusive colour and materials concept; roof in contrasting colour as standard; new interpretation of the optional Sport stripes in the same contrasting colour on the bonnet, boot lid and rear apron, and in body colour on the roof; anthracite roof liner as standard; new upholstery variants, exterior mirror colours, trim strips and Colour Lines offer additional scope for customisation.
High-quality standard equipment and innovative options underlining the premium character typical of the brand yet unique in the segment; speed-sensitive power steering, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, Park Distance Control, height-adjustable seats, air conditioning (MINI Cooper S Coupé, MINI Cooper SD Coupé, MINI John Cooper Works Coupé) and an audio system with MP3-compatible CD player and AUX IN connection as standard; optional equipment includes black headlight housing, xenon headlights, Adaptive Headlights, Comfort Access, automatic climate control, automatically dimming rear-view mirror and exterior mirrors, storage package, preparation for a rear luggage carrier rack, the John Cooper Works Pack and exclusive options from the
MINI Yours range; a variety of entertainment and communications functions unparalleled in the segment: Harman Kardon Hi-Fi loudspeaker system, Bluetooth mobile phone preparation, USB audio interface; innovative MINI Connected functions – including web radio, Google local search and Google Send to Car services, reception of RSS news feeds, plus in-car use of Facebook and Twitter – available in conjunction with the MINI Visual Boost radio or MINI navigation system.
Engine variants:
MINI John Cooper Works Coupé:Four-cylinder petrol engine with twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection, plus numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm, max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 2,000 – 5,100 rpm (280 Nm/207 lb-ft with overboost at 1,700 – 4,500 rpm). Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.4 seconds, top speed: 240 km/h (149 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres (39.8 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 165 g/km.
MINI Cooper S Coupé: Four-cylinder petrol engine with twin-scroll turbocharger, direct injection and fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm, max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm (260 Nm/192 lb-ft with overboost at 1,700 – 4,500 rpm). Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 6.9 seconds, top speed: 230 km/h (143 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres (48.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 136 g/km.
MINI Cooper Coupé: Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Group’s VALVETRONIC technology. Displacement: 1,598 cc, output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm, max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm, Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 9.0 seconds, top speed: 204 km/h (127 mph), Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres (52.3 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 127 g/km.
MINI Cooper SD Coupé: Four-cylinder turbodiesel with aluminium crankcase, common-rail injection and variable turbine geometry. Displacement: 1,995 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm, max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750 – 2,700 rpm. Acceleration: 0–100 km/h (62 mph): 7.9 seconds, top speed: 216 km/h (134 mph). Average fuel consumption according to EU standard: 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres (65.7 mpg imp), CO2 emissions: 114 g/km.
