Envisioning a Small Electric BMW for the World’s Very Big Cities

FUTURISTS are talking about the effects of megacities — often defined as cities of more than 10 million people — and so, too, are designers devising new types of vehicles for the world’s congested metropolitan areas.

The United Nations estimates that the population of cities, now 3.2 billion, will rise to 5 billion by 2030. And by 2050, the U.N. projects, 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. How will drivers (and those who co-exist with drivers) cope?

Automakers are looking at ways to reduce the automotive footprint.General Motors has shown its EN-V, for Electric Networked-Vehicle, a podlike two-seater for the megacities of 2030. It is currently being demonstrated at the Expo 2010 world’s fair in Shanghai.

Ford showed its Start concept car at the Beijing auto show this year. The Start is built of composite panels on a metal frame, with a shape that recalls the New Beetle and Mini Cooper.

Now BMW is offering a glimpse of its Mega City Vehicle, or MCV, an urban electric carthat is to arrive in 2013.

In briefings this week, BMW mostly discussed the car’s materials and technology. But Adrian van Hooydonk, director of BMW Group Design, also talked about the MCV’s design. In a telephone interview, he said the Mega City would be part of an entire new BMW subbrand. The challenge, he said, is whether BMW “can produce a car that is both sustainable and premium.”

BMW knows how to create premium products. “They are highly emotional, with refined materials and high level of attention to detail,” Mr. van Hooydonk said. “But there was a belief that premium and sustainable could not go together.”

The company assembled a special group to speed the project to completion. “We put a team together of 15 exterior and interior designers, together with engineers, he said. “If you want to create something very new in a short time frame you have to have everybody sitting together.”

The team is led by Benoit Jacob, a French designer who worked on a successful small car, the Dacia Logan, before he left Renault for BMW.

New technologies offered the possibility of a radically different look, but Mr. Jacob’s team ultimately retained some of the traditional cues of a small sporty car.

Still, the all-electric propulsion system — and the absence of a large internal combustion engine up front — let the designers alter the car’s proportions. And the use of very light carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic for the body required a new design sensibility: drawings that translate nicely into steel may appear less felicitous in plastic.

“It is sometimes hard for designers to get their heads around the change,” Mr. van Hooydonk said. He added, “The chance to work on such a new formula is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The Mega City Vehicle is imagined not simply as an in-city errand hauler, but as a commuter car. “In the beginning of the program we asked, what does ‘megacity’ mean?’” he said. “What kind of people will drive this car? What will they do everyday?”

He noted that while “many people are looking forward to zero-emission cars,” some worry about the vehicles’ range and their safety. “Many are afraid they will have to give up coolness or sense of style,” he said. “People fear that a responsible car might look ugly or weird.”

To find ways to reassure them, Mr. van Hooydonk said, the designers looked not so much at other cars as at other sustainable products, from food to furniture. Most sustainable products involved sacrifice; BMW’s design team did not think people would be willing to sacrifice much with a car.

The MCV looks sportier than most electrics. The front end is short, but the dynamic sweep of the roof and beltline (the line that runs below the side windows) keep it from being podlike.

“It will look stable and solid on its wheels,” Mr. van Hooydonk said.

One bit of pizazz suggested in the sketch is a jagged bar of lighting, probably intended to be LEDs, running from the headlamps to the mirrors.

The sketch does not show the front of the MCV, and Mr. van Hooydonk was elusive when asked if it would wear BMW’s signature kidney grille or another face, like the Mini.

BMW’s advertising celebrates the joy of driving, and Mr. van Hooydonk said the MCV would be fun to drive. “Electric cars are not slow,” he said, though no one should expect blistering M3-style performance. “It will celebrate the good life,” he said, “over the fast life.” - nytimes

New 2011 Volkswagen Sharan

WOLFSBURG, GERMANY – 2 July, 2010: Volkswagen is building a new MPV. An MPV that at 4.85 metres is precisely 22 centimetres longer than the previous model. With up to 7 seats. And up to 2,430 litres cargo capacity. With up to 9 airbags and 33 storage options. With the most solid body in its class. With sliding doors. With countless small detailed solutions that make everyday driving better. With integrated child seats and an enormous panoramic sunroof. With a Start-Stop system and battery regeneration. This is an MPV which – in the most popular engine version in Europe that still packs 140 PS – only consumes 5.5 l/100 km fuel (equivalent to 143 g/km CO2). This value is a new world best in its class. It is the new Sharan.

It all begins in high summer. After more than 600,000 of the first two generations of Sharan have been built, the successor model is taking over. Its four direct injection TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines are now up to 21 percent more fuel-efficient than comparable engines of the outgoing model. The two TSIs output 110 kW / 150 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS, while the TDIs develop 103 kW / 140 PS and 125 kW / 170 PS. Each of these Euro-5 engines is also available with a 6-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG); it is even standard equipment on the 200 PS TSI.

The 2010 model year Sharan is a completely redesigned vehicle. Clever: The optionally electrically powered sliding doors have a pinch protection function that ensures safety on entry and exit. Innovations run throughout the body area like a common thread. The Sharan sets the new benchmark in the segment for the static and dynamic torsional rigidity of its body, for example. Despite this, weight was trimmed down. Consider the Sharan 1.4 TSI BlueMotion Technology. It was made a full 30 kilograms lighter than the comparable version of the previous model.

Responsible for the new Sharan’s visual styling are Walter de Silva (Head of Design for the Volkswagen Group) and Klaus Bischoff (Head of Design for the Volkswagen Brand). They designed the vehicle based on the new Volkswagen ‘design-DNA’ matrix. As a result, the vehicle’s body styling - both appealing and functional - is epitomised by clear, horizontal lines. It is fresh, yet certainly not dictated by any transient fashion. The aim of the design is rather to create an extremely energetic look in the body with a minimum of lines. The new generation Sharan was also designed to be one of the most aerodynamic MPVs on the market. Its Cw value: 0.299! This represents a 5 percent improvement over the already very good previous model.

The new Sharan will be offered on all markets in the three equipment versions Trendline (base vehicle), Comfortline (mid-level) and Highline (most exclusive version) as well as in 9 different body colours. In its normal configuration, the MPV has 5 seats (2:3). Thanks to the new EasyFold seating concept, the individual seats of the second row no longer need to be removed to utilise the vehicle’s maximum cargo space, rather they are stowed in the vehicle floor with a very easy-to-use folding mechanism. Like the front seats, the rear seats also adjust longitudinally and can be reclined by up to 20 degrees.

In addition, 6-seat and 7-seat packs are available. As a 6-seater, the Sharan’s second seating row is equipped with two seats that have cushioned armrests; there are also two individual seats in the third row (2:2:2). There is no middle seat in the second row, but the two remaining seats there can be moved toward the middle, offering even better comfort. The 6-seater is ideal for business customers. If the customer chooses the 7-seater, just like on the 5-seater, the second row has three individual seats; naturally, there are two individual seats in the third row in this case as well (2:3:2). Regardless of which equipment line is ordered, the 6 and 7-seat Sharan versions have standard 3-zone climate control (Climatronic), the EasyEntry feature for easy access (to the third row of seats) and acoustic and visual warning signals if the rear seatbelts are unbuckled.

Driving properties of the Volkswagen MPV exhibit the same high levels of performance and comfort as the excellent Passat. Convenience and safety are enhanced by an electronic parking brake and the new Park Assist system (automatic steering when parking in even smaller parking spaces, and on cobbles, between trees or on street curves – and now offers automatic parking perpendicular to the driving direction). Even the base version Sharan comes with features such as semi-automatic climate control (Climatic), radio-CD system (RCD 210), mobility tyres (self-sealing in case of puncture) and an uncompromising safety pack that includes 7 airbags and ESP. Highly advanced entertainment systems and a 3-zone climate control system (Climatronic) - standard on the 6 and 7-seat versions - guarantee ideal travel conditions at any time of year. The third generation Sharan is also the only MPV in its class to be available with all-wheel drive. A Volkswagen for a life in motion. It can already be configured via the Internet for initial country launches.

2011 Mazda5 In Details

The all-new 2011 Mazda5 will hit the showrooms across Europe this fall and they say this time their sure that the 5 has covered all the bases to become the number one choice for families looking for a stylish and practical MPV. Although Mazda has said the current design language is over, but Mazda5 has been designed based on that, and heck, it looks good!

The new Mazda5 comes with a new 2.0-litre DISI direct injection petrol engine equipped with i-stop, and a six-speed manual transmission. This unit makes 110kW/150 PS at 6,200 rpm and 191 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm which is enough for a top speed of 120 mph or 194 km/h. It features Mazda i-stop system and as a result it has an average fuel consumption of 40.9 mpg or 6.9-litres per 100 km.

The other choice is an updated version of the MZR 1.8 petrol engine, optimized for fuel efficiency, with 85 kW/115ps of power at 5,300 rpm and 165 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. This one averages 7.2 litres per 100 km / 39.2 mpg combined.

Standard equipments onboard with 2011 Mazda5 include power-adjustable side mirrors, manual air-conditioning, driver seat height adjustment, power windows front and back with one-touch driver window operation, power door locks, safety touch sensor for electric sliding doors, six airbags, four-channel ABS, electric brake-force distribution (EBD), brake assist, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), traction control (TCS) and DSC.  Also standard are an AUX jack (that allows you to play MP3 players using the car’s audio system), and a new four speaker audio system with digital signal processor (DSP) technology that reduces unwanted radio noise, and double tuner (exclusively for Europe) that ensures clear radio reception almost everywhere.

And optional features: rear parking sensors, seat heating, an in-dash 6 CD changer, a FIX-EQ audio system that automatically optimises sound characteristics according to the interior space, Bluetooth® audio functionality that plays MP3 players cordless, a Bluetooth® telephone system with voice recognition and upgraded steering wheel control, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and Xenon headlamps.

Spy Shots: Aston Martin DB9 Facelift

NCI – for Aston Martin lovers, should mush know about Astorn Martin DB9, some time ago Aston Martin DB9 facelift captured by our reporter. This car look like Aston Martin DBS

little changes for DB9 because we can’t see the diferent from previous model, but DB9 will get a new front bumper, newheadlights with LEDs, side sills and rear of a different new. This is makes the car look more elegant than the previous model.

For The engine, maybe Aston Martin will make little change for their change change V12 engine or mix with something, maybe.

SPY SHOTS: 2012 Volkswagen Golf Mk7 Test Mule

What at first blush appears to be the current VW Golf, is in fact a test mule for the all-new, seventh generation of Volkswagen's best-selling model, which is planned to hit showrooms worldwide sometime in 2012. Although hidden under bodywork from the current car, the blistered and wider wheel-arches are a clear indication that the test mule is running the next generation Golf's underpinnings. 

More specifically, the Mk7 will be built on the VW Group's more space-efficient and, according to sources, substantially lighter, MQB platform that comes with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs. First seen on the new Sharan minivan, the flexible MQB platform will be used on a raft of VW Group models including the next Audi A3, which is expected to be revealed either in late 2011 or early 2012.Under the bonnet, the Golf Mk7 will feature the latest generation of turbocharged petrol engines with direct injection and fuel-efficient turbo diesels, ranging from a small-displacement 1.2 TSI all the way up to upgraded versions of the 2.0 TSI in the GTI and the 'R' AWD sport models.
Volkswagen has already confirmed that it will also offer an all-electric, plug-in variant as well as hybrid [gasoline-electric or diesel-electric] versions of the new Golf.
The Golf EV plug-in model will make its market debut in 2013 and according to the automaker, it will be equipped with an electric motor delivering 115HP and 270Nm / 199 lb-ft to the front wheels and a set of lithium ion batteries. In the current development phase, that combination is said to offer a driving range of up to 150 kilometers or 93 miles.
Given that Volkswagen has not yet started to test actual Mk7 prototypes, it's hard to say what the next Golf will look like. However, the new Jetta saloon with its sharper profile and snout as well as some video shots of an early clay model that we showed you last year (see pictures below), should provide some hints for the styling.

Along with the three- and five-door hatchback body styles, the new Golf will form the base for a range of future models including a convertible, estate and the successors to the Scirocco andTouran MPV.