Porsche resurrects V8-powered 911 prototype from the Eighties

These days, we take it for granted that the Porsche 911 uses a flat-six engine. That's because every version of the iconic rear-engined sports car has had one. Right? Well, for the most part. There was the 912 that joined the original in the late Sixties with a flat-four. And in the mid-Eighties, Porsche toyed around with the idea of a V8-powered 911.

After the first-generation 911 had been in production for over two decades, Porsche began development of its successor, the 964, in the 1980s. And one of its ideas was to use a V8 engine. So it took a 964, borrowed a V8 from Audi, gave it the rear bodywork from a 959 and dubbed it the 965.

The idea was to create a more affordable successor to the 959 that included its advanced all-wheel drive system and active suspension. The Audi V8 would have been replaced with one of Porsche's own design - possibly based on the it had built for Indy racing - but Dr. Ulrich Bez (who was then head of Porsche R&D long before taking the reins at Aston Martin) ultimately killed the project.


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Volkswagen wants you to help design its new concept

Volkswagen wants a new concept car for a video game, and some of you are being invited to design one - we say "some of you" because the Volkswagen Design Contest is only open to students enrolled in design-related studies. If you can get over that hurdle, then you'll be glad to know that the contest just started on May 5 and submissions are due on August 15, in case you had nothing else to do with your summer break.

This isn't just about a car, though; if you read the small print at the contest site, entrants need to come up with a new concept video game for their car. Specialists are welcome, with submissions allowed to focus on just one or a few areas: exterior, interior, interface, graphics, color and trim. Teams of up to two are permitted, but VW wants each person's contribution to be clearly identifiable. And, naturally, they want their own brand character to be clearly visible as well.

Why all the minutiae? Because three winners will be selected by VW head designer Klaus Bischoff and his team, and their prize will be a six-month internship at the VW design center in Wolfsburg, Germany. Winners will be notified on September 30, 2014.
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Vladimir Putin's all-Russian limo revealed

It seems like you can't turn on the news this year without seeing the icy stare of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Whether he's opening the Olympics, sending troops to the Ukrainian border or just riding a horse while shirtless, he's seemingly everywhere. But behind the scenes, Putin has a big engineering project under development to create a new Russian-built and engineered official limousine for him and other top officials.

?Russian media recently snapped a few pictures of the design concept. As you can see, the current version has the country's seal emblazoned all over the vehicle. The front end has the monolithic flatness that is associated with super high-end luxury cars from Bentley and Rolls-Royce. It's not exactly a beauty, but you probably wouldn't want to criticize the look to Putin's face. He doesn't seem to a guy who takes critique well. Prototypes of Putin's new limo are scheduled for testing later this year, and final production is planned for 2016.

Known as Project Cortege, the plan has several Russian automakers working together to design several vehicles, but the limo is the first priority. According to Yahoo Autos, the venture might even be getting some engineering input from Porsche. Putin has sunk an estimated $150 million to $400 million in government money into the project. Eventually, he wants it to spawn other vehicles - like a van and SUV.

This is actually the second attempt at a new Russian limousine. Initially, ZiL, which made vehicles for top officials in during the Communist era, was spearheading it, and its limo even started production. However, Putin was reportedly not happy with the design. Now, it's back to the drawing board.
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Honda Gear concept explored at Montreal Auto Show

Our friends at Autoblog Canada have just come away with a closer look at Honda's surprise Gear Concept at the Montreal Auto Show. The little three-door hatchback is arguably the automaker's first real shot at the North American city car market (the Gear is much smaller than the Fit) and may be an indication that Honda is getting serious about going after Scion on this side of the world after the CR-Z hybrid failed to deliver. Honda says the Gear Concept takes its inspiration from the fixed-gear bicycle scene, and should allow buyers an unprecedented level of customization. Designers also wanted to show that a car can be both fun and practical.

We're all for a compact stylish three door with functional room inside, but given Honda's propensity for draining the personality from its concepts on the way to production (at least the ones that don't look showroom ready), we don't hold much hope for the Gear.

Honda GEAR Concept Makes Global Debut at the Montreal International Auto Show

MONTREAL (January 17, 2012) – At today's Montreal International Auto Show, Honda Canada provided the world with its first look at the new GEAR Concept Study Model – a vehicle that demonstrates Honda's innovative approach to providing the automotive answer for young, urban, Gen-Y lifestyles.

Inspired by fixed-gear bicycles, GEAR is a concept that represents an entirely new way of looking at the sub-compact vehicle. It is simple and utilitarian, but also customizable, connected and full of personality.

"Subcompact cars are usually either utilitarian, but uninspiring or they're fun, zippy cars that are impractical and too expensive for the Gen-Y buyer," said Dave Marek, Design Director at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. "GEAR Concept tears down those walls – it's practical but fun, customizable, connected and affordable. Everything that young, discerning urban buyers would want in a car."

News Source: Honda via Autoblog Canada

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GM's Reuss says rear-wheel drive Scion FR-S rival "on the list"

According to Australian site CarSales.com.au, General Motors North American boss, Mark Reuss, has expressed high interest in creating a small, rear-wheel-drive coupe to rival the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. If something like this ever came to production, it could take the shape of the Chevrolet Code 130R concept car (pictured) that debuted at last year's Detroit Auto Show.

"It's on the list. It would be a great entry for us," Reuss told CarSales.com.au, adding, "I don't know if they (Toyota) are making any money but it is a very attractive car."

A production version of the 130R would likely ride on a small, rear-drive platform like GM's Alpha architecture, which currently underpins the Cadillac ATS and will eventually be used in the next Chevrolet Camaro. "We would do something with the knowledge of Alpha and the background, but we wouldn't take Alpha and try and shrink it," said Reuss.

We've heard faint whispers about exactly this scenario previously, and the fact that it's still on the table is a good sign. Of course, if development hasn't started yet and a project like this gets the green light, there's no telling how far off a small, rear-drive coupe from GM could be. And considering how popular the Scion and Subaru twins have proven (at least in their early life), GM would be wise to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later.

News Source: CarSales.com.au

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China's GAC Group brings E-jet Concept, and bad translation, to Cobo

Automotive conglomerate GAC Group was the lone representative of the Chinese auto industry at the Detroit Auto Show this year, showing two near-production,alternative powertrain Trumpchi-branded vehicles, as well as a new concept car.

The concept in question – the E-jet Concept – was the star of the GAC stand. The exterior design was not far off what we'd expect from more established automakers at a big show, with a generally pleasing shape and some cool detailing on the grille and rear valence. The E-jet is set up as a Voltesque range-extended hybrid, with a 1.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine acting as a generator for an electric drive motor. The motor output is listed as 127 horsepower (95 kW) and 168 pound-feet of torque, though the total system output is unknown. In any event, the car isn't particularly quick – the only acceleration specification listed is a 0-50 kilometers per hour (0-31 miles per hour) time of around 4.5 seconds, with a top speed of just under 99 mph.

There was a sedan on stage called simply Trumpchi 4WD Hybrid, which is reportedly ready to go on sale in China in the next few months. GAC has produced 200 units of the Hybrid for testing and demonstration purposes so far. The Trumpchi sedan will be the first all-wheel-drive "full hybrid" for sale in China, and makes use of an electric motor in conjunction with its 1.8-liter, 142-hp engine. True to its name, the sedan also offers real-time all-wheel drive.

The final vehicle shown, was the Trumpchi GS5 BEV, which we take to mean "Battery Electric Vehicle," a fully electric, small crossover. A non-electric version of the GS5 SUV is already for sale in China, and we were told the EV would be available before too long.

While the GAC presentation was largely to-the-point and uneventful relative to other Chinese automaker pressers that we've attended, we did find the specification sheets for the two production cars to be replete with good/bad mistranslations. Lost in transmission were the meanings behind options like "Lamp of Sleeve," "Grainy Gearshift Levers" and the handy "Portable Ashtray." Though it was the utterly cryptic "Tweeter & Sackbut" feature that we'll be puzzling over the longest.

Introduction of Compact NEV E-JET

Compact NEV E-JET，powerful, efficient and green，is a Range-Extended electric car with fashionable and modern appearance, designed by GAC Engineering based on its independently developed brand-new compact passenger vehicle platform. Equipped with a 95 kW (peak) permanent magnet motor and a 13kwh lithium-ion battery pack, E-JET can achieve a top speed of 160kph, an acceleration from 0 to 50kph within 4.5 seconds, and a gradeability higher than 32%. With its excellent energy management strategy and lightweight technology, E-JET can have a pure electric drive range of more than 100km. E-JET uses a 1.0L gasoline engine and a 30 kW PM generator as the range-extender to charge the battery when the battery SOC is low, which extends the total drive range to more than 600km with a fuel consumption of less than 2L/100km (NEDC cycle).

In pure electric drive mode, E-JET has demonstrated the advantage of zero tailpipe emission, low noise and low energy cost. In range-extending mode, comparing to battery-only EVs, there will be no more "range anxiety" thanks to the on-board range-extender, and as well, the vehicle cost is dramatically reduced. As a whole, E-JET works much better than conventional vehicles both in fuel economy and emission.


4x4 HYBRID Version of TRUMPCHI Sedan

4x4 HYBRID Version of TRUMPCHI Sedan is the first mass-produced full hybrid vehicle with all-wheel-drive feature in China, independently developed by GAC Engineering based on its mid-high class vehicle platform. It differs from the conventional Trumpchi sedan, mainly by adding an ISG (Integrated Starter/Generator) between the engine and the transmission at the front axle, a ERAD (Electrical Rear Axle Drive) PM motor onto the rear axle and an advanced lithium ion battery pack mounted back to the back seat. With this configuration, it has all the functions a full hybrid supposed to have: electric drive, engine automatic stop/start, regeneration brake/cruise, engine assist, etc. Further, the 4x4 hybrid has additionally a unique function of gear shift power assist, namely, during the gear shift the ERAD motor can provide power assist from the rear axle when the clutch is opened at the front, achieving a seamless gear shift of the RMT (Robotized Mechanical Transmission) without any torque interruption. In addition, this hybrid can automatically switch between 2WD and 4WD drive mode, depending on the real driving situation. Comparing to conventional Trumpchi, the 4x4 hybrid version has demonstrated excellent fuel economy (30% fuel saving), acceleration (2 seconds less from 0 to 100kph), drivability and ride comfort.


BEV Version of Trumpchi GS5 SUV

BEV Version of Trumpchi GS5 SUV, a prototype pure Electric Vehicle with exhilarating performance and charging convenience, is developed independently by GAC Engineering with support of AC Propulsion Inc. based on GAC's Trumpchi GS5 SUV. It is powered by a super efficient induction motor controlled with a highly integrated Power Electronics Unit. The high speed motor provides instantaneously available 225 Nm of torque and up to 150 kW (200 hp) of power, enabling a 0 to 100kph acceleration within 8.5 seconds. The Power Electronics Unit integrates the motor drive electronics and onboard charger to minimize system cost. The 18 kW high power charger allows a recharge time as fast as 2 hours and features bi-directional power capability, thus Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), Vehicle-to-House and Vehicle-to-Vehicle power flow are all possible. The 35 kWh Li-Ion battery pack is mounted low for excellent vehicle stability and is controlled by a dedicated battery management system. The highly efficient drive train and excellent energy management system enable the vehicle to achieve a drive range of 100 miles at 60 mph.

News Source: GAC Group

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Nissan Resonance Concept gives glimpse of next Murano

The Nissan Resonance Concept has bowed at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, giving the world a glimpse at the company's future design direction for crossovers. Specifically, the concept heralds what the next-generation Murano may look like once it touches down. Nissan has already confirmed the successor to the big crossover's throne will be produced in Mississippi for the first time. With a "floating" roof and dynamic head lamp arrays, the Resonance boasts a far more athletic appearance than the snub-nosed current generation. Inside, designers worked up a cockpit aimed at conveying what "the future of first-class space travel might be."

Nissan isn't saying what the upcoming Murano will have under the hood, but the Resonance boasts an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain with a small-displacement internal combustion engine and an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery delivers power while a CVT takes care of putting power to the wheels. 

INNOVATIVE NISSAN RESONANCE CONCEPT CROSSOVER FEATURES BOLD, DIFFERENTIATING STYLE

• Signals the future direction of Nissan crossovers with smart, edgy design
• Inspired by a new "innovation era" and optimism for a bright, energetic future
• Elevates the crossover experience with engaging aerodynamic exterior, spacious and sophisticated interior and advanced HEV powertrain
• Global concept aims to present an intelligent, fresh alternative for U.S. consumers

DETROIT (January 15, 2013) – With its boldly futuristic aerodynamic styling and fuel-efficient hybrid-electric powertrain, the Nissan Resonance concept proposes an all-new dynamic and edgy design that once again leads the trend for the crossover category. The global concept makes its world debut today at the 2013 North American International Auto Show.

Said Francois Bancon, Nissan Motor Co. division general manager, Product Strategy and Planning: "When the designers were first working on conceptualizing the Nissan Resonance, they were inspired by amazing scientific advancements in technology and material innovations. They also were inspired by the aspirations of those people who unabashedly embrace innovation and are optimistic about the future. It was about serving those people a concept vehicle that is forward-looking and fuses style with an athletic ride."

While seen as a concept of global relevance, Resonance was created by Nissan Design America, San Diego, CA, under the direction of Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

An Energetic, Premium Exterior Design that Resonates
Light on its feet, the exterior design signals that Nissan Resonance is pushing the crossover segment forward.

The energetic surfaces show a counterpoint of dynamic fluidity and pure edginess. Nissan's designers worked to express an aerodynamic feel that was lightweight yet also protective, and drew inspiration from the futuristic allure of hypersonic travel.

The front exterior design shows the V-Motion, which starts from the front grille, moves through the hood and resonates with the iconic boomerang shaped headlights. The body is strengthened by powerful surfaces and provocative lines and is accented by the flow through the car to the kick-up shape around D-Pillar. These distinct details give the crossover a very advanced yet spacious impression.

The roof's unique "floating" design is created through the use of the thin, steeply raked A-pillars, large full-length glass panel and flowing D-pillar design. The effect created gives the impression of a flowing structure carried by the large windows and overall spaciousness of the cabin.

The body color, named Flare Orange, adds even more energy and warmth to the overall exterior design. Other exterior features include a tinted acrylic grille with Satin Chrome accents and 22-inch, full dynamic flow aluminum-alloy wheels.

Inside, a Futuristic VIP Lounge
With the interior, the designers imagined what the future of first-class space travel might be: Welcoming yet exclusive and high-tech yet premium. The resulting "VIP lounge," with its light, buttery leather and premium-stitched seats, exudes genuine sophistication.

Thoughtfully considered details, including sequential welcome lighting, add warmth and drama upon entering the vehicle. The dramatic interior illumination highlights the natural wood pattern in the modern cabin.

An advanced instrument panel floats on a generous console, creating a forum where the driver can access all infotainment and communication features. Technology is graphically layered to give a holographic experience and visual depth is used to separate information in order of importance.

The open glass roof gives passengers a unique panoramic view of the world and floating elements like the roof lining add to the sense of space and airy lightness. The spacious interior atmosphere is enhanced by the sculpted door panels and elegant, deep shape of the center console.

Said Bancon: "The Resonance interior reflects the enlightened modernity of today's crossover buyer, who values an amazing experience over traditional indulgence. The architecture of the cabin is open and structured. Like the exterior, it redefines and pushes the segment beyond convention."

Sustainably Dynamic Performance
Though Resonance is presented strictly as a design concept, its efficient hybrid electric drivetrain signals the desire by crossover drivers to be respectful of the environment without sacrificing driving pleasure. The all-wheel drive Resonance includes Nissan's proprietary "one-motor, two-clutch" system that combines a smaller displacement internal combustion gasoline engine with an electric motor/lithium-ion battery and advanced management system. Resonance also features Nissan's next-generation Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission).

An Other-Worldly Concept for Real-World Customers
The bold Resonance follows Nissan's longstanding leadership in crossover design, demonstrated by such cutting-edge vehicles as Murano, Qashqai and Juke, while pushing the boundaries of design into another dimension.

Concluded Bancon: "Resonance is meant to be provocative, energetic and engaging – even polarizing. Its edgy yet sophisticated design, combined with an environmentally sensitive powertrain and intelligent utility provides a clear, exciting view into the future of crossover innovation.

"This design is not meant to appeal to traditional two-box SUV shoppers, but rather to those whose fashion and design choices make a statement. For Nissan, this concept makes our statement about the future of this segment."

News Source: Nissan

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