Ford to Introduce Start-Stop Technology in Conventional Cars and Crossovers

 

Ford Motors has recently announced that they will add the new fuel-saving technology, the ‘Start-Stop’ technology to its lineup of conventional cars, crossovers and SUV’s in North America. The ‘Start-Stop’ technology automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop, a feature currently found on the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Ford Escape Hybrid.

The American automaker said that its patented new auto ‘Start-Stop’ system for gasoline engines can deliver fuel economy savings of as much as 10%. It will also reduce tailpipe emissions to zero while the vehicle is stationary or waiting at a stop light.
The company has more than 244 patents for its Auto Start-Stop technology. This technology will be showcased on a concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January.
The auto ‘Start-Stop’ technology is the latest example of Ford moving aggressively to bring affordable advanced fuel-saving technologies to all customers. The global rollout of auto Start-Stop is under way in Europe.

Latest News: 2015 Lotus Elise Appears in Paris

The new jumps into entirely new styling territory, not so much evolving from the current model but fully reinventing itself as a baby Esprit. The only similarities are the mid-engine layout driving the rear wheels and 2-seats around corners.

amazing Wimmer RS Turns VW Golf R into 478HP Red Devil

Red Devil is the name German tuning firm 'Wimmer RS' chose for its latest take on these of the color chosen for the car, and 'Devil' because this Golf R packs a sinister punch under the hood...

In stock form, the all-wheel drive Golf R rolls out of VW's factory with a 2.0-liter TFSI producing 270-hp and 350Nm / 258 lbs-ft of maximum torque. After Wimmer RS's engineers perform their magic, those numbers increase to a whopping 478-hp and 610Nm or 450 lbs-ft.

The extra power comes from a variety of mods including -but not limited to- changes to the turbocharger, ECU, air intake, injection nozzles and exhaust system.

According to the tuning house, the upgraded Golf R can reach an electronically limited top speed of 291 km/h or 181 mph.

Additional performance enhancements include a coil-over suspension set and more potent braking system.

The German tuner did not release info on pricing.

New Exagon Motors' 340-horsepower Electric Furtive e-GT

Unveiled to a small group of French journalists ahead of its world premiere at this week's, is this sleek-looking coupe from Exagon Motors called the Furtive e-GT.

Somewhere beneath the Renault Laguna Coupe-like lines (or is that just me?) are two electric motors from Siemens that are backed up by a gasoline range extender.

With both electric motors working together, the Siemens-powered Furtive is looking to be a real Tesla performance contender (though probably not anywhere near the same price point).

Numbers are estimated to go something like this: 3.5 seconds to 100km/h (62mph), 340 horsepower, and a 400-kilometer / ~ 249-mile electric range (800 km / ~ 497 miles all told with the gasoline mill kicking in).

Top speed, transmission, and storage capacity have yet to be announced. Hell, maybe they're explained in the video below, but Phil doesn't speak French. Regardless, those stats should appear within the week as the Paris show gets into gear.

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New Model of 2010-2011 and Concept Car Guide

[Updated Daily] Those fortunate enough to be able to attend this year's will be in for quite a treat: according to the organizers, no less than 100 new vehicles, concept cars and updated models will be making their world premiere at the salon, which will be open for the public from Saturday 2 to Sunday 17 October at the Paris-Porte de Versailles exhibition center.

Porsche Cayenne 902 Coupe by Merdad to Debut at London's MPH Show

It was announced today that the grand unveiling of the new 3 door Cayenne 902 Coupe and its somewhat less intriguing 5 door brethren from UK-based tuning house Merdad, which we first told you, will take place at the MPH The Prestige & Performance Motor Show in November.

Both the 3-door and 5-door variants are based off the and come with a variety of styling and performance upgrades with output ranging between 550 and 750-horsepower, depending on the level of tune. The most potent version is said to sprint from 0 to 60mph (96km/h) in 4.4 seconds. Full details on the specifications and extras are to be released at the MPH Show.

The British tuning firm responsible for the Cayenne Coupe is owned by a man who we only get to know by the name (or surname) "Merdad". On the company's website it is noted that he previously worked with Uwe Gemballa for five years before opening his own tuning shop.

Here's what founder and creator Merdad stated about the tuned Cayenne SUVs: "We are very proud that this creation has brought together many British engineers and designers who have contributed to bringing this fantastic beast to the table."

"We now feel the time is right to unveil the Merdad Cayenne 902 Coupe and the Merdad 5 door to the world at MPH and are excited to see what the visitors to the show think of its unique design and unbelievable power will truly set the show and the rest of the world alight," he added.

As always, there are two MPH shows, with the first featuring Top Gear Live to take place at Earls Court from November 4-7th and second one at the NEC in Birmingham between November 11-14th.

Samir Sadihkov’s 2020 Inceptor Supercar Study

What you see pictured here is a futuristic proposal for a hybrid supercar crafted by Samir Sadikhov, a talented 19-year old designer from Azerbaijan. Even though the has an exterior with a few styling cues here and there from cars such as the Pininfarina / Ferrari P45, Bugatti Veyron and Jaguar XJ220, plus a little bit of Lexus LFA in the interior, there is a lot to like about the design.

The elongated A-pillars, for instance, are set far forward, almost directly in the driver's line of vision. This is to make allowances for the cab-forward scissor doors that seem to take their shape from the doors on the GT40 Le Mans winner.

The cat-like haunches at the front and outrigger-style rear wheel covers give the Inceptor a strong, menacing stance. So too do the oversized, jet fighter-style exhausts.

Inside, the Inceptor is pretty standard; the one notable feature is the air condition vents that are literally sculpted into the dash.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

New Study: Traffic lights should respond to cars, not other way around

Anyone who's sat at a red light for minutes on end in the middle of the night when there's no cross traffic can cheer on science for proving what we already knew: lights that adapt to the flow of traffic, instead of dictating the flow of traffic, can improve the flow of traffic. A team of researchers discovered that if you let lights locally decide how to time their signals based on how much traffic they're dealing with, and then communicate that with nearby lights, you get closer to the "green wave" of lights that keeps thing moving smoothly.

The issue with the centralized, top-down system of control is that it is geared to address an average traffic situation that rarely occurs as planned. The variations in rush hour traffic mean that lights are trying to apply one solution to a vast number of situations. In their trial in Dresden, Germany the team found that traffic congestion was eased by nine percent, pedestrian congestion by 36 percent, and bus and tram traffic by 56 percent. With rush hours spreading in time and distance, the proof and implementation of this can't come soon enough.

Renault’s Kangoo Express Z.E. Displayed at ICV Show at Hanover

The International Commercial Vehicle show in Hanover, Germany was the venue for the premiere of Renault’s Kangoo Express Z.E. The vehicle is an all-electric, commercial variant of the Renault Kangoo.

The Kangoo Express Z.E. is a compact commercial vehicle that runs on a 22 kWh lithium-ion battery (which comes with a separate €72 monthly cost if the vehicle is leased) that powers the electric motor to produces 44 kW (60 PS / 59 bhp) and 226 Nm (167 lb-ft) of torque. It has a range of 160 km (99 miles).

The price tag from Renault for the vehicle is €20,000 (excluding VAT). The good news is that the Kangoo Express Z.E. can come with tax rebates of up to a €5,000 in some European countries (like France) that offer tax credits for low emissions vehicles. This would bring down the price further – to around €15,000, not including VAT. The car will be on sale in Europe by the middle of 2011.

According to Renault, charging the vehicle will only cost only about €1 to €2, depending on the price of electricity in each market. Despite this, the Kangoo Express Z.E. will have the same payload capacity of 650 kg as the standard, non-electric model says the company.

Peugeot EX1 Concept to Come With a Futuristic Design

Details of the EX1 concept – built to celebrate the French company’s bicentennial year – have emerged from Peugeot. The roadster features a futuristic design and has a “floating” grille, polished aluminum accents, and reverse-opening doors. The interior is plush with leather upholstery, metal trim, and numerous digital displays.

The concept is powered by two electronic motors, which produce a combined 250 kW (340 PS / 335 hp) and 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque. To get things more exciting, one motor is mounted to each axle, which gives the EX1 an advanced all-wheel drive system.

The company was not too forthcoming on details, but reports say that the EX1 has already broken several acceleration records for an “electric powered terrestrial vehicle.” More details are expected to emerge this month.

Paris Preshow: Peugeot Teases Mystery Concept Car

With this year's edition of the PARIS motoer show just around the corner, the product announcements on new models and concept cars keep dropping in. Today's Paris show strip tease comes from Peugeot, which will show a mysterious new concept vehicle alongside the already revealed 508 sedan and station wagon models .

At this point, all we have are these three cryptic teaser photos that don't really reveal something about the car. Check out the rest of the shots after the jump and tell us what you think Peugeot is hiding here.

Paris Preshow: Opel GTC Paris Concept revealed with 2.0-liter Turbo, ready to battle Scirocco

Finally, details and pics of the upcoming Opel Astra GTC have broken cover. Go on, have a peek. Technically labeled a concept in what can only be an effort to iron out some final kinks and tweaks, Opel's GTC Paris is a preview of GM's new and hunter hunter.

Barring all the artsy literary references and mumbo jumbo, the facts go as follows: the GTC will be a compact, 3-door hatch for five with a coupe-like roofline. It measures 4.46 meters long and incorporates modern Opel design cues like the "blade" running along the rocker. Inside the concept appear to be some optional race-inspired cheek huggers.

Argentinean Donto wants to battle Ariel and KTM with its P1

Donto Motor Company of Argentina has been working on a competitor to take on some world-class track day stars, the Ariel Atom and the KTM X-Bow. The South American two-seater has apparently been in development for the past 18 months and is called the P1.

Exterior designer Lucas Lopez says, "The P1 has a split body and the exoskeleton of an invertebrate, almost floating." Under the removable roof and that "floating" body of unspecified material (maybe some form of carbon fiber / FRP mix) will be an FIA-approved chassis built by Hector Perez, a chassis builder in Argentina known for a variety of racing chassis.

Donto wants to export the adult go-kart to Europe using a German engine with a price of $55,000 / ~ €43,400, but hopes to also have it street-legal (or at least available for track days) in all markets. With a target weight of under 700 kg / 1,543 lbs and using VW's 1.8T in the prototypes, this could be another crazy little track monster that's also emissions-friendly.

Citroën to Debut Production Version of DS4 next week

This just in; a couple of days ago, we told you about Citroën's plans to unveil the first photos of a new model or concept on Monday, August 30th, ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut. We asked around and according to our sources, the French car maker will reveal the DS4, which is the production version of th next week - possibly, as early as Monday.

Unfortunately, our sources didn't confirm or deny that this is the car Citroën teased us about in Friday's video . That said, we wouldn't be surprised if the French automaker has more than one new model [or concept] to show us in the next few days. We'll just have to wait and see to find out.