IAA 2011: Peugeot's Futuristic HX1 Minivan Concept for Six

Peugeot wants to bring some sexiness to the MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) segment with itsnew HX1 concept study that made its world premiere at the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt this week.

According to the French automaker, the sleek looking concept is built on an MPV architecture with a unique body as it measures just 1,373 tall, but is 1,990mm wide and 4,954mm long.
To improve aerodynamics, the HX1 is fitted with a special set of alloy wheels, each of which incorporate seven blades that open to create a flat disc surface when the car is on the move. At the same time, a spoiler and two side skirts located at the top of the tailgate deploy at speeds over 100km/h (62mph).
Thanks to the HX1's optimized aerodynamics, the MPV concept has a Cd of 0.28, which is low for a vehicle of this type and size.
Passengers enter the vehicle through four reverse-opening ‘half-scissor’ doors. The HX1's cabin features three rows of seats, with the rear section designed to offer maximum comfort. If needed, two retractable seats can be pulled out and configured in a center row.
Under the bonnet, the HX1 makes use of a plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a 204-horsepower 2.2-liter turbo diesel linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels, and a 95-horsepower (70kW) electric motor that turns the rear axle. Peugeot says the combined output of the diesel engine and the electric motor is 299-horses.
A full charge of the lithium-ion batteries can offer up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of pure-electric driving. According to the French automaker, in theory, the HX1 returns a combined fuel consumption of 3.2lt/100km (73.4mpg US or 88.2mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of 83 g/km.-carscoop.blogspot.com
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2012 Brabus Rocket 800 Unveiled at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show: Live Photos, Price and Specs

The brand new 2012 Brabus Rocket 800 made its official worldwide debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show and we can present you the first images from the event.

Based on the second generation of the CLS sports saloon, the 2012 Brabus Rocket 800takes its power from a heavily modified Mercedes-Benz-sourced V12 bi-turbocharged engine. The engine’s displacement was increased from 5.5-liters to 6.3-liters. in addition to that, it made a host of other upgrades including redesigned high-performance turbochargers, a reworked intake and newly configured on-board electronics system.

The result is pretty impressive considering that the output is lifted to 800-horses at 5,500 rpm and an enormous peak torque of 1,420Nm (1,047 lb-ft), available from just 2,100 rpm, but limited electronically in the car to 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft). Thanks to these updates, this car became the most powerful luxury sedan in the world. This massive power is transferred to the wheels through a modified seven-speed quick-shift automatic transmission with steering wheel paddles along with a limited slip differential.

According to the manufacturer, the 2012 Rocket 800 can reach speeds in excess of 370 km/h (230 mph), making it the world’s fastest street-legal sedan, while it can sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.7 seconds, to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.8 seconds and 300 km/h (186 mph) in 23.8 seconds!

As you can see from the pictures, the exterior trim has been enhanced with a new front fascia with massive air intakes, air outlets for the front fenders, add-on parts for the rear fenders and rear fascia. In addition to that comes a rear diffuser and a rear wing. In order to complete the overall design, the tuner fitted the ultra-light 19-inch one-piece BRABUS Monoblock F wheels wrapped around tires in size 255/35 ZR19 up front and 285/30 ZR 19 in the rear.

The interior will features the usual accessories and refinements on offer by the German tuner including a bespoke steering wheel, aluminum trim, custom upholstery and a revised instrument panel with a 400km/h (250mph) speedometer.-speedlux.com

Frankfurt Motor Show 2011: Fisker Surf

American luxury green car manufacturer Fisker Automotive, a company once given a $528.7 million loan from the U.S. government, and one we’ve poked a bit of fun at for delays in production, catering to royalty, over-the-top marketing, as well as the almost $100,000 price tag for its Karmamodel, has announced a new plug-in hybrid vehicle called the Surf.

Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2011, the 2013 Fisker Surf seems to be almost exactly the same as the Karma sedan, only with a larger rear passenger and storage space, although the company says the plug-in hybrid is a crossover between a sports car and a station wagon.

image via Fisker

As you can see from the image below, the Surf does have a larger space for travel, but even as other reporters on the web, such as TopGear, have quickly embraced and praised the new vehicle, we’re more inclined to agree with the GreenCarReports blog that noted the Surf may not be as practical as it claims, specifically because of the rear-mounted 150 kilowatt electric motors.

image via Fisker

We certainly agree components like the rear-mount lithium-ion battery system can get in the way of more storage space, but we’re more concerned with the car’s lackluster performance specifications.

The Surf, like the Karma, has a top speed of roughly 100 miles per hour, a 0 to 60-mph time of 5.9 seconds, an all-electric range of 50 miles, and a total range of 300 miles. This isn’t too bad, but we wonder how many people will be willing to fork over what will likely be a high price tag for a green plug-in sports station wagon, no matter how cool it might look.