2011 Suzuki GSV-R

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team has unveiled its 2011 challenger. Sporting a livery from Troy Lee Designs, the Suzuki GSV-R now produces over 220 bhp (165 kW / 225 PS) from its 800 cc V4 engine.

Combined with a weight of around 150 kg (330 lbs), that should be enough for a top speed of at least 205 mph (330 km/h). But that’s just one part of the performance mix - work has also been done to improve driveability and acceleration out of slow corners, while chassis stiffness has received attention to enhance handling and traction.

Rizla Suzuki will only be fielding one GSV-R this season, for Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista. The new bike will make its debut at this weekend’s MotoGP test session at Qatar, ahead of the first race of the season on 20 March which also takes place at the Losail circuit.

Test Drivers "Blamed" for the Re-Design of the Toyota FT-86 Coupe

Toyota's FT-86 II pre-production concept car displayed at the Geneva Motor Show last week attracted a lot of attention, with many viewing the car's styling as a step back from the FT-86. However, as Toyota explained, these changes were not imposed only by designers, but by the company's test drivers and safety regulations as well.
More precisely, the feedback received from the test drivers after the early development stages had the biggest influence on the look of the FT-86 II. The most important change requested was to move back the A-pillars by around 100 mm at the base, which led to a more vertical windscreen.
“We had feedback from drivers who felt that the angle of the A-pillars created a type of ‘tunnel vision’,” Akihiro Nagaya, head of Toyota design division, told Autocar. “This could sometimes make the car hard to place on the road, particularly at higher speeds. The theory behind this car remains that of the ‘86’ (the original Corolla AE-86), which was easy and pure to drive, so we had to change it,” Toyota’s official added.
Another important change from the original FT-86 Concept is the taller nose, adopted in order to comply with pedestrian impact regulations, a modification which alters the sharp profile of the original concept. Toyota's designers complicated things even more with overly aggressive styling on the front and rear ends.
So, how many of these changes will we see on the production car? According to Nagaya, the road car will share around 50 to 70 percent of its looks with the FT-86 II. Another interesting statement made by Nagaya was that Subaru's version of this car will look very much like the Toyota, with the approach being similar to the S-Verso/Trezia rebadging work.

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Volkswagen New Body Kit for Golf Mk6

Volkswagen has released a new set of accessories for its best selling model, the Golf MK6. The most important of these is a new aerodynamic package, which includes slightly redesigned bumpers, side skirts and a larger roof spoiler. Other than making the Golf look sportier, VW claims these new components improve the car's aerodynamics.
Other accessories for the Golf's exterior include two new sets of alloy wheels, both 17-inch large and painted in different hues of silver: the 15-spoke “Silex” and the 5-spoke “Onyx”. For the interior, Volkswagen's aftermarket division prepared a decorative trim set that consists of five pieces finished with a carbon look. The parts are destined for the instrument panel and door panels.
Volkswagen Accessories also offers new gear for utility purposes, such as a roof-box available in three different sizes that uses the DuoLift system, allowing the opening and loading of the roof-box on both sides. Another accessory is the luggage compartment tub made of washable plastic that can be divided into different sections according to needs.
All accessories are available through VW's dealer network.


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Ford CEO Believes that Fiat 500 Won’t Succeed in the USA

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the U.S. launch of the Fiat 500, with many predicting a commercial success for the Italian mini even before it landed on this side of the Atlantic. However, there’s one industry executive that doesn’t believe in Fiat’s retro-penned hatchback. We’re talking about Ford CEO Alan Mulally. When asked about the market prospects of the Fiat 500 in the United States in an interview with Italian-language news magazine Panorama, Mulally said: "I do not see large market in the U.S.A. for a smaller car than the Fiesta. Those that tried failed.”
Even though Mulally did not elaborate, it is believed that his reference to “failure” was aimed at Dailmer’s Smart ForTwo which saw its U.S. sales plummet from 24,622 cars in 2008 to a mere 5,927 units last year.
The Chrysler Group recently celebrated the the production launch of the American market Fiat 500 at the Detroit firm's Toluca plant in Mexico. The starting MSRP for the Italian mini, which is offered with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder producing 101HP, is $15,550.


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2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept

2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept

Wiesmann German sports car manufacturer showcased the design study of a twoseater, extremely purist, convertible sports car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show  this week launched a new brand Spyder Wiesmann. The vehicle was described as a two-seater roadster and pure example of the next generation of serial Wiesmann sports car eccentric.

Powerful, ultra-light and purist, the 2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept is the essence of Wiesmann's philosophy. With a kerb weight of less than 1000 kg, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h less than 4 s and makes a top speed of approx. 290 km/h. Basis for this excellent performance is a 420-hp V8 high speed motor which is powered by a 4 liters of engine capacity. You can recognize these numbers as digits, high speed V-8 motor show in the BMW M3, which is not surprising considering that BMW will find the official engine supplier for Wiesmann.

As for the exterior of the 2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept, the two-seater has no doors, no windscreen and no wing mirrors. It’s also as low to the ground as a kart and features a massive pair of intakes at the front that make it look like Batman’s racing car.

“The 2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept design study is based on the Wiesmann brothers' early designs, though it also incorporates their many years of experience in sports car construction. It demonstrates the sports car manufacturer's receptiveness to trends because many Wiesmann fans have approached the company founders in recent years with requests for an extremely purist model,” stated the official press release.

2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept

In Geneve there will be a design study presented, which needs to undergo the judgement of the experts. General Manager of the manufactory Friedhelm Wiesmann says: "We want to test the marketability of such cars in Geneve", and he goes on: "The feedback of customers, partners and experts has high influence on the consideration of advancing the Spyder model." Wiesmann has not yet decided whether to put the Spyder into production. If it does go into production, this won't be before 2012.

2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept

About Wiesmann:

Wiesmann is the leading manufactory of purist sports cars, combining classic design with state-of-the-art technology. Since its foundation by Friedhelm and Martin Wiesmann in 1988, Wiesmann stands for the manufacturing of individual sports cars whose every detail is crafted by hand. The premium features are designed according to the customers' personal preferences, so every Wiesmann is a truly unique car and one that creates an exclusive driving experience for the individual unlike no other.

2011 Wiesmann Sport Cars Spyder Concept