Toyota is recalling around 214,500 2006-2008 GS300/350, IS250/350 and LS460/460L sedans over potentially faulty fuel delivery pipes.
The Japanese automaker is working with NHTSA on the US recall, which centers around fuel pipes that can corrode, eventually resulting in a leak. The problem reportedly stems from certain ethanol fuels with low moisture content that can lead to rust, occasionally (but not always) triggering a dashboard indicator lamp indicating a system malfunction.
Affected GS, IS, and LS owners will be contacted about the recall via mail, and Lexus dealers will install replacement parts at no cost.
As we move forward, there little doubt that the internal combustion engine -- in its current form -- will eventually be phased out in favor of... something. It's already begun to take place in the millions of hybrids that are currently on the market and many believe that these vehicles are just a stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of a fully electrified machine. We're not quite ready to proclaim the ICE dead, but it's firm grasp on nearly 100% of the market seems likely to wane, and Larry Burns of General Motors knows it. GM is working feverishly on the Chevy Volt and the newly-christened Voltec powertrain that powers it and the Cadillac Converj concept, but there's no guaranteeing its success in the marketplace.
Burns has posted a plea to the American people to put their power behind American companies and their stake in the new-wave automobile, calling for "a partnership between the U.S. government, auto manufacturers and suppliers, the energy and infrastructure industries, and other key stakeholders focused on transforming the automobile." Before any real drastic change can take place, the U.S. government would need to sign off on specific technologies, an EV infrastructure would need to replace our current gasoline-fed economy and American citizens would need to buy the newfangled cars and trucks. So, American people, [Source: GM Fastlane]
It’s been a few months since we’ve seen the first trailer for the new The Fast and the Furious, so the good people at Universal decided we needed another one to keep us going until April 4th. This one gives us a little more isight on the plot, but thankfully it doesn’t leave out the racing. After all, with enough cool cars and CGI graphics, who cares if there are even actors in the flick?
Ferrari's Formula One driving aces have a history of branching into other forms of motorsport. Michael Schumacher has tried his hand at motorbike racing with some success, Felipe Massa continues to mount the occasional karting assault, and now Kimi Raikkonen is slated to tackle the Arctic Lapland Rally behind the wheel of an S2000-spec Grande Punto Abarth.
The Arctic Lapland Rally is the opening round in the Finnish Rally Championship, where Raikkonen will put his nickname "Iceman" to the test against a handful of other ex-F1 drivers, including Mika Hakkinen, Mika Salo and JJ Lehto. Veteran rally co-pilot Kaj Lindstrom, who won the Monte Carlo Rally with rally ace Tommi Makinen, will be by his side in Raikkonen's own Abarth, with which we don't doubt his patrons at Fiat had any trouble hooking him up. As for Scuderia Ferrari, they've got no problem with Kimi occasionally moonlighting on the rally circuit, where he said he might move to after retiring from Ferrari's Formula One team. And with Fernando Alonso knocking at Maranello's door for Raikkonen's seat, that could come sooner than expected. We'll be watching to see how the Iceman does on ice when the Arctic Lapland Rally kicks off on January 22.
The Beck LM 800 is built on the principle of lightweight and aerodynamic efficiency. It uses composite materials to to keep the weight down and a form over function styling brief to keep the frontal area and drag coefficient to a minimum. The LM 800 is a supercar from Beck Engineering & Composites GmbH based in Switzerland. The Beck LM 800 went on show in January 2007 in Vienna. The construction of the Beck LM 800 is similar to that found in Formula 1 race cars with a carbon, Kevlar and aluminium composite monocoque protecting the driver and passenger, as well as providing a rigid base to attach the engine and transmission mounts and front control arms of the chassis. The LM 800 has an electronically controlled, hydraulic active chassis also influenced by F1 technology, which reacts to telemetry data and helps to keep the car firmly stuck to the road. The engine is a V8 especially produced by MTM for the Beck LM 800 with a displacement of 4.2 litres and, thanks to two turbochargers, delivers a performance of around 650 HP (variable from 550 - 1000 hp) to the drive shaft. The drive unit is designed in such a way that even acceleration is achieved across the entire range up to a top speed of over 217 mph. The semi-sequential 7-speed gearbox is perfectly coordinated with the Beck LM 800 and reacts instantly to driver input. The wheels of the Beck LM 800 are specially made and formed from aluminium. An in-built hydraulic jacking system makes tire changes a breeze.
The Pagani Zonda did something incredible. It proved that the supercar world did not revolve around Ferrari and Lamborghini. So to commemorate Horacio Pagani's achievement, the hypercarmaker has created one last version of the Zonda before its replacement arrives next year.
After 24 months of development, and at the urging of an unnamed Italo-American customer that already owns three Zondas, the Pagani Zonda R was created as a lightweight, track-only variant of the iconic coupe. Production is limited to ten examples with a price tag of 1.4-million euro.
Although the carbon fiber exterior is deceiving, the Pagani Zonda R only carries over 10% of its structure from its predecessors. The wheelbase has grown by 47mm, the overall length is 394mm longer and the track has been widened by 50mm. An all-new carbon fiber monocoque resides underneath the wind-tunnel tested body, along with a forged aluminum suspension, new six-speed sequential gearbox and four aero-spec fuel pumps that feed a Mercedes-Benz AMG-sourced 6.0-liter V12. Pagani claims the new heart – nestled into the 2,425-pound R – will produce 750 hp at 8,000 rpm and 524 lb-ft of torque, for a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 248.54 mph. Air is fed into the bent-twelve through a carbon fiber air intake system, while an Inconel manifold and "F1-style" exhaust releases spent hydrocarbons and keeps engine temps in check.
Pagani makes it clear that the Zonda R is a not street legal, and one owner is taking that to the illogical extreme. One of the first Zonda Rs to be delivered will be installed in the customer's living room and fitted
When Bugatti started production of the Veyron back in 2005, it was supposed to build 300 examples. For a long time, that total seemed pretty ambitious considering the seven-figure price tag on the most super of contemporary supercars, but according to Molsheim, all but 50 have been built and sold. Add to that another 150 examples of the Grand Sport roadster version and you've got 450. Whether special editions like the Pur Sang, Sang Noir and Hermes are counted as part of the original production figures or considered supplemental specials is insignificant, considering that only a handful of each are to be built.
The one wrinkle that has us wondering about all of these million-dollar supercars is that it was only last March when it was announced that Bugatti had sold 220 cars (of which only 132 had been built). Given how long it took them to get to 220, that seems like one heck of an order ramp-up, particularly given the state of the global economy.
The bottom line is that if you've been dragging your feet over whether to spend that extra million on a Bugatti or not, better make your mind up fast. Like, Veyron fast.
General Motors published the first photos of the Barack Obama's new ride a week before his inauguration as the new president of the United States. The latest Cadillac Presidential Limousine is a completely new design, succeeding the DTS Presidential Limousine that debuted in 2004 and was used by George Bush. Predictably, GM has not revealed any specific details on the President's new wheels besides the fact that it "includes many of the brand's signature design elements."Carscoop.blogspot.com
When the Mazda6 first hit the scene back in 2003, it was nimble and playful, and the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was exemplary. In fact, it was favorably compared to the BMW 3 Series—an impressive feat for any vehicle, let alone a mid-sizer in this price range.
But it was too small and, some say, underpowered to truly compete in the tough mid-size sedan segment against the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. That’s a big reason why Mazda says sales in the U.S. have been somewhat underwhelming—well below the 100,000-vehicle per year sales mark they were hoping for.
The all-new 2009 model was designed to change that. It’s bigger, it comes in three trim levels, and it’s still got our favorite quality: The Mazda6 is a hoot to drive, unlike its less sporty foes in the marketplace. —Barry Winfield
The Specs
Unique to the North American market, the redesigned mid-size sedan now comes in at 72.4 in. wide by 193.7 in. long (6.9 in. longer than its predecessor), with a robust 109.8-in wheelbase (4.5 in. longer). These increases might seem small, but they translate into quite a bit more cabin space. According to Hiroshi Kajiyama, Mazda’s chief program engineer for the 6, these new dimensions give the car more leg, shoulder and hip room (plus more luggage space) than the Accord, Altima or Malibu. Better still, he says that the car has put on no more than 200 pounds in the process.
To handle the new size and weight, Mazda upped the power of both the base four-cylinder engine and the top-of-the-line V6. With 170 hp and 167 lb.-ft. of torque, the slightly larger 2.5-liter inline-4 no longer is plenty powerful. Along with its bump in displacement from 2.3 liters, the four-cylinder features a new two-stage intake, more efficient cylinder heads and a less restrictive exhaust manifold.
When connected to the standard six-speed manual, the four-cylinder delivers 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. The automatic option adds an extra mile per gallon in the city and on the highway.
The Ford-designed, Mazda-built V-6—featuring 3.7-liters, 272 horses and 269 ft.-lb. of torque—is the same engine found in the much larger CX-9 crossover. But it offers less attractive fuel numbers (17 mpg city/25 mpg highway), and the six-speed automatic is the only available transmission for the V-6.
Mazda zeroed in on noise and vibration reductions, and the cabin area is 30-percent more rigid than in the previous car, according to Mazda’s R&D director Kelvin Hiraishi, who pointed out bulges in the floor pan intended specifically to stiffen that panel—and prevent it from acting like a noise-generating diaphragm. Engineers also focused on cutting down the wind noise leaking through door seals and sunroof surrounds.
There are a bunch of chassis improvements, including a one-piece, forged-steel front lower-control arm to provide better lateral stiffness and to eliminate any compliance in steering over bumps. The front wheels now turn almost 5 degrees more than before, reducing the turning circle by over 3 ft.
Each trailing arm in the rear suspension has an attachment point raised 1 in. to increase the anti-dive effect, keeping the body flat during hard braking. Larger diameter bushings allow a little rearward movement on harder bumps to improve impact absorption, and the twin-tube KYB dampers are placed further outboard in a more vertical position for better wheel control.
Michelin Pilot four-season radial tires are standard issue on all Mazda6 models, and come sized to fit either 16- or 17-in. wheels on the “i” model, with 17 or 18-inchers on the “s.” In terms of safety, the ‘09 Mazda6 is replete with airbags, ABS, LATCH child-seat hookups and stability control as standard equipment. There’s also an optional blind-spot monitoring system that checks the lanes alongside the car and warns of the presence of vehicles if you try to change lanes.
Other interesting gadgets include keyless entry and a 10-speaker, 333-watt Bose stereo. An owner can utilize the vehicle diagnostics connector (via a special tool at the dealer) to tune various functions such as headlamp on-and-off cycles, turn-signal buzzer volume, blind-spot warning activation, power door lock operation and about 20 other functions.
The Drive
Whether or not the redesign has the desired effect on consumers remains to be seen, but we like the look of the new Mazda6 on the road. The interior is artful and tidily crafted—basically what we’ve come to expect from this inventive car company. And there’s certainly ample room inside, even for this 6-ft.-5, long-torso reviewer to sit in the back so long as he scrunches down a tiny bit to avoid contact with the headliner (the headroom is slightly compromised by the fast roofline). Luckily, there’s enough knee room to allow that. And the sound dampening measures really worked; this car is as quiet as a church mouse.
Of course, with its “zoom zoom” reputation at stake, the new Mazda6 has to handle nimbly, and the firm bushing durometer values used in its suspension transmit a little ride noise back into the cabin—well, at least in the Mazda6i model powered by that new 2.5-liter, 170-hp engine.
We certainly expected more power—and got it. Where the 2.5-liter four feels pretty peppy out on the road, the 272-hp V-6 is downright intoxicating. Coupled only to a six-speed automatic with manual shift mode, the 6i models demonstrated great flexibility with a serious high-end punch.
The Nano will be launched in India later in 2008. The car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual's preferences.
Stylish, comfortable
- Designed with a family in mind, the Nano has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room.
- Can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.
- With a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas.
- Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars. Why Nano? The name 'Nano' was chosen as it denotes high technology and small size. Most eagerly waited car People world over were keen to see what Tata Motors' People's Car looked like, and know more about it. The Tata Motors website saw nearly 7.9 million hits on January 10 (the day the Nano was unveiled), while the Tata Nano website saw 4 million hits in 30 hours, making these sites among the busiest in the world.
The Nano website (www.tatanano.com) was developed within a short timeframe of 1.5 months and with limited resources.
The entire portal has been built on open source technologies, involving minimum investment, following the essence of the Nano - low cost, but high technology.
Fuel-efficient engine
- The Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft.
- The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency.
- Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.
Meets all safety requirements
- The Nano's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body.
- Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.
Environment-friendly
- The Nano's tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today.
- The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.Related modifikasi Skywave new
President Obama will inherit a lot of things when he takes the oath of office on Tuesday. So good, some... not so good. And while his new digs on Pennsylvania Avenue are the same as his predecessors, his ride has been thoroughly refreshed for the 21st century.
With fuzzy spy photos of the new presidential limo out in the open and Obama's inauguration less than a week away, Cadillac has finally released official photos of the Command-In-Chief's new ride. As expected, the new limo inherits Cadillac's current front- and rear-end design cues, but the overused fender vents on civilian Caddies are notably -- and thankfully -- absent. The back compartment where our new CIC sits is equipped with all the communications gear needed to stay in touch, and while we're picturing a few LCD screens, lots of buttons and a big red phone that silently rises from the center console, all we can do is imagine.
As expected, Cadillac hasn't released much in the way of details about what's underneath and inside the behemoth for security reasons. But speculation says that some of the General's heavy-duty truck platforms are used to support the immense mass of armor carried by the Cadillac Presidential Limousine. Of course, GM put out a press release that covers a few of the Caddy's features and includes a brief history of the automaker's involvement with shuttling Presidents around since World War I.
After teasing us for months with photos of switches and boot up screens, followed by a leak of the whole car, Toyota finally dropped the third generation 2010 Prius today in Detroit. We already heard many of the mechanical details over the past year or so, but today it was confirmed that the Prius will get a combined EPA rating of 50 mpg. That's 50 mpg under the new tighter EPA testing method, mind you. The engine has been up-sized to 1.8L with an output of 98 hp and the total net output of the hybrid drive system is 134 hp.
The basic design is still instantly recognizable as a Prius, but the body does have a bit more character than before. Nonetheless the shape is smoother with a drag coefficient of just 0.25. The peak of the roof has now been moved back 4 inches giving the car a slightly less egg-shaped profile and increasing rear headroom. Aside from optional extras like LED headlights and lane departure prevention, the most interesting new option is the solar roof. A roof-mounted photo-voltaic panel will power the air recirculation system when the car sits in the sun, reducing the internal temps and the subsequent load on the air conditioning system. The Prius goes on sale later this spring but pricing hasn't been announced yet.
