Automotive
The car "learns" to see and understand
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September 14, 2005 Siemens VDO Automotive presents an ergonomic network of driver assistance systems at the 61st IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany. As the volume of traffic on the road increases, will help assist drivers by warning them of potential hazards with such systems as Night Vision, a lane-changing assistant or by making routine operations, such as parking, easier. Siemens VDO's key focus is the interaction between the driver and the system. After all, it is the interface between human and machine that will ultimately decide if future assistance systems are accepted by drivers and can work to help prevent accidents. Read More
BMW Z4 Coupe Concept Car
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September 13, 2005 The Frankfurt Motor Show began yesterday and despite months of previews and first glimpses of the production debuts and concept releases, there were still a few show cars we hadn’t seen. One of the highest profile surprises of the day was from BMW, which re-ignited a passion for closed-roof sportscars with its show-stopping Z4 Coupe Concept Car. Based around the architecture of the fast-paced BMW Roadster, the sleek and eye-catching two-seater delivers the first ever look at a fixed roof Z4.
Mini Wagon Concept surfaces
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September 13, 2005 Forty-five years after the launch of the Mini Traveller (wagon) in September 1960, MINI has unveiled a new MINI wagon concept at the Frankfurt motor show. The MINI Concept Frankfurt is the first MINI design study since the launch of the MINI brand at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997 and it re-interprets the feel of the original British-built Traveller via a new concept of “Travelling in Style” for the 21st century. The MINI Concept Frankfurt is packed with innovation inside and out. Its coupe-like profile and wide-opening doors feature intelligent parallelogram hinge mechanisms. Read More
smart crosstown show car for the urban jungle
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September 12, 2005 smart has a surprise in store for visitors to this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) which opens later today: the world premiere of the smart hybrid crosstown show car. With features such as a stowaway windscreen, electric convertible roof and the promise of even better fuel consumption, the crosstown seeks to show that it is possible to have the best of both worlds: low fuel consumption and a high degree of driving pleasure. Read More
Belgian F1: Raikkonen wins again, Alonso second again -
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September 12, 2005 McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps yesterday, taking his sixth victory of the season and the eighth of his career but moving not much closer to the title many see as inevitably his at some point in the next few years. Raikkonen won the event, but the 2005 McLaren curse struck again with both of the team’s cars safe in first and second place with just two laps to go when Montoya was taken out by a slower driver, dropping the team’s points haul and allowing third placed Fernando Alonso to take second spot and maintain his championship lead buffer at 25 points with just three races to go. Read More
Unprecedented Hybrid Drive Global Alliance: Cooperation between BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors
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September 13, 2005 That’s not thunder you can hear in the distance, it’s just a few global automotive giants getting together in a spirit of cooperation that might have some far-reaching consequences beyond the far-reaching consequences being announced here. In a remarkable move, the BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors Corporation have signed a “memorandum of understanding” governing the formation of an alliance of equals for the joint development of automotive hybrid drive systems. The three global automakers are cooperating in order to pool their expertise to accelerate the development of efficient hybrid drive systems. The objective is to jointly develop a two-mode hybrid drive system that reduces fuel consumption while not compromising vehicle capability. While the base two-mode hybrid design will be common, each company will individually integrate the hybrid system into the design and manufacturing of vehicles in accordance with their brand specific requirements. BMW is effectively joining the GM-DaimlerChrysler alliance announced last December (story details two-mode hybrid with diagrams).
Lancer Evolution 4WD Wagon: the Estate Car on steroids
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September 9, 2005 The concept of a high performance estate car (as opposed to the working class “station wagon”) is something we have explored before in Gizmag, but there’s now something quite different on offer from Mitsubishi. Think of the concept as a rally car you can take the kids to school in, and we’re predicting with human nature being what it is, that this very limited edition Lancer Evolution Wagon which went on sale in Japan yesterday, will become highly sought after and may even force Mitsubishi to reconsider the limited run of 2,500 vehicles with production due to cease in December. The Lancer Evolution Wagon marries the awesome dynamic performance of the Lancer Evolution IX high-performance 4WD sedan, which employs Mitsubishi's advanced and proprietary All Wheel Control (AWC) traction and stability enhancing technology, with the utility-enhancing luggage compartment of the Lancer Wagon. Available in two specifications, the GT uses the latest MIVEC 280 bhp intercooler-turbocharged engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission to generate performance that is unmatched in the err, “station wagon” category. The GT-A uses the same engine with a smaller turbocharger and a 5-speed automatic transmission for outstanding low-end and mid-range torque with little drop-off in peak power - 272 bhp. The GT goes for 3,412,500 yen (US$31,300) and the GT-A about US$500 more. Read More
Italian F1 Grand prix: McLaren 1-4, Renault 2-3
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September 4, 2005 McLaren once again showed it had the fastest cars and the worst luck of the leading Formula 1 teams at the weekend when its drivers won the race, but Renault and its champion-elect Fernando Alonso continue to fight an effective rear-guard action – Alonso increased his championship lead while Renault only conceded one solitary point in the manufacturers championship and maintains an eight point lead. The race was only the third time in F1 history that all cars have completed a race, and the first time since the 1961 Dutch Grand Prix. It was also the official end of an era – Michael Schumacher and Ferrari came away without points and neither have any chance of retaining the titles they have owned for half a decade. Read More
The “Transparent“ Porsche: Laboratory-on-wheels cuts electronics development time
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September 2, 2005. The word “Cayenne” designates one of Porsche’s best known automotive achievements but it also, apparently, means “clarity.” Which is the relevant word pertaining to one of the world famous design company’s development vehicle used in assessing new components and design changes. The “transparent” laboratory-on-wheels used by Porsche is quite unique the world over and used by Porsche’s engineers for the ongoing development of safe and reliable electronic systems. It enables Porsche engineers to test future electronic systems on the road under driving conditions a year earlier than is normal in the development process and Porsche believes its leadership in this area will enable it to develop the most sophisticated, reliable and high-performance electronic systems available and reduce the development time for new models to reach market. Read More
Ford's iosis concept - four door gullwing
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August 31, 2005 – Ford has unveiled the striking iosis concept car – a vehicle that defines an exciting new design direction for Ford of Europe. Building on the style of the Ford SAV Concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, iosis demonstrates Ford's new 'kinetic design' philosophy. The car will debut at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. "iosis is more than just a show car, it is sending a message about how Ford of Europe's future design will be defined,” says Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Design Director. "It sends a bold message because our future products will be bold."
Mazda SASSOU B-car Design Concept
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August 30, 2005 Mazda’s design concept at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September will be called the SASSOU (‘sa-so’) – a small, lightweight, three-door hatchback powered by a turbocharged, three-cylinder, 1.0-liter MZR DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition) gasoline engine. Combined with “evolved Zoom-Zoom design language” and a unique interior concept, Mazda SASSOU is a look into the future at where Mazda might be heading with its B-car. It will share the stage with the Mazda MX-Crossport concept, Mazda2 facelift, the high-performance Mazda6 MPS and the recently launched Mazda6 facelift. Read More
Toyota’s ENDO Urban Car Concept
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August 31, 2005 Toyota is the world’s second largest automotive manufacturer and it has known for some time that it would not become number one selling automobiles as we now know them. Over the last few years the Japanese giant has both entrenched itself in traditional automotive enclaves such as prestige motoring and Formula 1, while it has evolved numerous concepts for mobility solutions in the grey area where robotics meets personal transport – ranging from walking chairs, through intelligent transforming personal wheeled transporters. Two of the concepts to be shown by Toyota at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show are in this “personal mobility” area - the Endo and the I-unit. Emanating from the company’s ED2 design studio in Southern France, the Endo is an urban-friendly car designed to address some of the key issues of modern urban life, while the i-unit has been seen previously at the New York Auto Show in January this year and is one of the major attractions at EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan and is "a new approach to human mobility that enables the driver to interact with his or her surroundings. The design of the i-unit is "inspired by a leaf, a natural expression of life on earth." Read More
Jaguar's new generation XK sports car unveiled
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August 28, 2005 Jaguar has revealed details of its eagerly anticipated new sports car – the all-new 2007 Jaguar XK. Making its world premiere next month at the Frankfurt International Auto Show in Germany, the all-new Jaguar XK will go on sale in North America next spring as a 2007 model year product. The light and agile XK is the first of a new generation of cars. It accelerates faster and stops quicker than the previous generation, steel-bodied XK8 and has exceptional dynamic abilities. Traditional Jaguar craftsmanship elements have been retained on the all-new Jaguar XK, but it's the use of aerospace technologies that have resulted in the most technically advanced Jaguar production car ever created. Read More
Peugeot's 500bhp 907 GT for Frankfurt
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August 28, 2005 Peugeot always saves its best for it's home motor show and at last year's Paris Motor Show it unveiled several radical new designs, and without doubt one of the most beautiful motor vehicles ever seen - the magnificent 12 cylinder Peugeot 907 GT coupe. The 907 GT has been so popular and such an icon for the brand over the last twelve months that it will again be seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. See our extensive photographic coverage of this archetypal touring car Read More
Ambulance of the future Concept
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August 26, 2005 An ambulance of the future concept vehicle was unveiled at EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Expo in New Orleans yesterday. American Medical Response (AMR) and American Emergency Vehicles (AEV) showed their second-generation prototype which was jointly developed as part of research on providing advanced care to patients and improving safety in the ambulance industry. The first prototype debuted last year and travelled coast-to-coast, with hundreds of paramedics and EMTs inspecting the vehicle and providing detailed feedback for the development of a second model. The vehicle on display this weekend at EMS Expo is the result of the research undertaken with the first vehicle. Read More
Tests show your heart beats five beats per minute lower in a Mercedes
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August 25, 2005 We all know that driving can be stressful and to a large extent, most of us have long since accepted it as an occupational hazard. To luxury vehicle manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz though, producing feelings of well being in the driver is one of the core values of the brand. Now Mercedes benz has released research showing the psychophysical stress experienced by drivers travelling long distances in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is lower than in other vehicles. DaimlerChrysler Research compared the S-Class and competitor models under identical driving and traffic conditions on a 500 km route and found the average heart rate of drivers was up to six per cent (or five beats per minute) lower in the Mercedes than in the vehicles it was compared with. Read More
Concorso Italiano: Lamborghini Concept S production version breaks cover
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August 26, 2005 Gizmag's sometime-scribe David Fox ventured down to the Concorso Italiano in Monterey last weekend and posted his report focussed on a dramatic new production Lamborghini seen in public for the first time. Back in February we showed the first images of Lamborghini’s Concept S. Drawing inspiration from the classic single-seat racing cars of the fifties, the modern-day open top car was based on the Gallardo as “an extreme and spectacular expression of the Lamborghini brand.” Created at the Centro Stile Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese by Luc Donckerwolke, Head of Lamborghini Design, the "Concept S" in production form has yet to be named, but Lamborghini gave the first production car a public outing this weekend at the Concorso Italiano in Monterey along with the news that it will produce the machine in limited quantities. It didn't stop there though, because people are posting us links of great photographic coverage of the event, so this article is now linking to an evolving list of Concorso pages. Other Concorso and Pebble Beach links welcome. Read More
BMW Reveals M Sports Package for New 3 Series Sedan
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August 15, 2005 BMW Group has announced the introduction of the M Sport Package for the successful E90 3 Series sedan. The optional M Sport Package highlights the performance-oriented qualities of the 3 Series sedan and enables customers to personalise their car to an even higher standard. Among its features, the M Sport Package comprises a specially tuned sports suspension set-up, the Aerodynamic Package (comprising the front and rear air dams as well as side sill covers), fog lamps and exclusive light-alloy wheels (in 17-inch or optional 18-inch sizes) featuring wider rear tyres. The M Sport Package is available on the 320 Executive, 325i and 330i. Read More
The new Golf R32 – 250 bhp, 250 km/h, 4-wheel drive.
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August 11, 2005 The Golf R32 powered by a 177 kW (241 bhp) engine was first launched in August 2002. Not only was it one of the hottest cars on the road, it also sold like hot cakes: three times as many R32's were sold than originally planned. These prospects for its successor, the new R32 based on the Golf V generation, are equally as promising. This time it packs 184 kW (250 bhp) under the bonnet; the permanent 4MOTION four-wheel drive again promises excellent roadholding. The new model will see its world premiere at the 59th Frankfurt Motor Show (15 to 25 September). Presales in Germany start on 19 August and the market launch will be at the end of September. Prices for the new Golf R32 start at 32,200 Euro. Read More
Renault Egeus concept car: the elegance of a saloon, the dynamic personality of a coupe
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August 10, 2005 Renault will show a new Egeus concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, a resolutely upmarket 4WD SUV with the seductive elegance and luxurious, comfortable interior of a saloon. Thanks to its SUV size, Egeus offers a spacious interior while its exterior promises solidity and a dynamic personality. The longer bonnet highlights a soft, flowing design worthy of an upper-segment coupe. Egeus is about how Renault sees the high-end SUV segment. Patrick le Quement, Senior VP of Corporate Design at Renault describes the Egeus thus - an SUV for city driving and the open road, a sort of tall coupe that combines driving pleasure with elegance and sportiness. Read More
Citroen's C-SportLounge concept car
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August 10, 2005 It's that wonderful time of year before the major European Auto Show again, and all the heavyweight automotive manufacturers are teasing the automotive world with their next big concept vehicle that will be released at, in this case, this year's Frankfurt International Motor Show (12-25 September). The latest example of cutting-edge styling from the Citroen design team, the C-SportLounge concept car looks set to wow the crowds this year. With its distinctive combination of powerful, sleek lines and 2+2 comfort and refinement, the C-SportLounge captures the true essence of a 21st century Grand Tourer. Read More
Valentino Rossi test drives Ferrari F1 Car
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August 6, 2005 The prospects of the World’s best motorcycle racer switching to Formula 1 Motor Racing were enhanced significantly this week when Italian World Motorcycle champion Valentino Rossi tested the Ferrari F2005 car for two complete days at Ferrari’s private Fiorano test facility, lapping fast enough for former Ferrari test-driver Jean Alesi to describe his performance as “formidable”. Apart from Rossi’s 58.3 second lap of Fiorano (Michael Schumacher's track record is 55.999), further indication of the importance of the test was evident when Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo and F1 supremo Jean Todt were on hand for the drive. Read More
Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) engine to power the production “i” car
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August 5, 2005 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has developed two Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control (MIVEC) aluminium cylinder block engines to power two new models slated for introduction in the domestic Japanese market later this year. The new Outlander SUV, due to debut in showrooms this October, is to be powered by a new 4-cylinder 2.4-liter MIVEC engine. The new-concept minicar i, scheduled to join the MMC lineup in January next year, will use a new 3-cylinder 660cc MIVEC engine. The Smart lookalike “i” concept car was shown at the Frankfurt motor Show in 2003 and was a crowd favourite. The new turbocharged 3-cylinder 660cc MIVEC engine delivers outstanding power and torque, fuel economy and emissions performance. The unit produces 47kW (64PS) and with the MIVEC variable valve timing system, it is expected to return significantly better fuel economy than the concept vehicle which achieved maximum 5-Star ratings (lowest environmental impact) in fuel consumption and emissions testing conducted in Europe in 2003. The engine for the vehicle at that stage was a one litre motor producing 50kW. Read More
Hungarian F1 Grand Prix: Raikkonen and Schumacher keep the season alive
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August 1, 2005 McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen won the Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest here yesterday. After 70 laps he took the chequered flag 35.5sec ahead of Michael Schumacher's Ferrari, with runaway championship leader Fernando Alonso failing to score points. McLaren continued to dominate races with its results ravaged by reliability issues – McLaren’s other driver Juan Pablo Montoya retired on lap 41 with a driveshaft failure while leading the race. Third and fourth places were filled by Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli, putting both Schumacher brothers on the podium for the first time in a long time and giving Toyota a clear fourth place in the constructors championship behind Renault, McLaren and Ferrari. Read More
Fiat unveils the Punto Grande - the voluptuous economy car
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July 29, 2005 Fiat has released the first pictures of the Punto Grande, a car that follows in the wheeltracks of the original hugely successful Punto hatchback, which has accounted for over six million sales since its launch in 1993. The new Punto Grande's global objective is to regain leadership of the highly competitive and crucially important European compact hatchback market. In order to accomplish this aim, Punto Grande has been designed from the outset to be a larger vehicle than is typical for the class, so as to offer the highest possible safety standards, class leading quality credentials, and the best range of diesel engines available in this category today, all at a very competitive price. Read More
German F1 GP: Alonso's sixth win, Renault's seventh
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July 24, 2005 Fernando Alonso took his sixth win of the season and the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team took its seventh win of the season at this afternoon’s 2005 German Grand Prix in Hockenheim. Fernando Alonso converted his third position on the grid into a comfortable victory after another McLaren DNF led to Kimi Raikkonen’s retirement from the lead halfway through the race. The Spaniard’s run to the chequered flag was uneventful, and he controlled his pace throughout the final stint. Any doubts about Alonso not becoming the youngest F1 champ in history were dispelled with the win – he now leads the drivers’ championship by 36 points with seven races to go. At 10 points for a win and six points for a second place, he could conceivably win the title if he didn’t turn up for the remainder of the season given the unreliability of his main adversary’s car. McLaren has had the fastest car at the last half a dozen races, but has failed to take advantage of its speed. Read More
NARO Tilting Car Concept Progressing
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UPDATED August 13, 2005 8 NEW IMAGES The NARO vehicle concept we featured in January is progressing and the company is currently undertaking extensive market research prior to the construction of prototypes at the same time as testing public reaction to several new styling themes for the executive commuter, taxi, and light van trade market segments. The NARO vehicle concept is a "free leaning" vehicle that improves the mobility of the commuter and addresses the key issues of congestion, pollution and parking scarcity in urban areas. Read More
British F1 GP: McLaren 1st and 3rd but Alonso/Renault extend lead
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July 10, 2005 McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya took his fifth career win here at Silverstone, but the real story played out on the lower podium steps where Renault’s Fernando Alonso took second place and extended his championship lead over third placed Kimi Raikkonen. For Montoya, it was his first ever win for West McLaren Mercedes (indeed his first ever podium with the team) since he joined at the start of this season. Kimi Raikkonen put in another gritty drive, overcoming a ten place penalty on the grid due to an engine change after qualifying, fighting his way up from 12th on the grid to third at the flag. Read More
Rare racing cars in Goodwood sales
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July 5, 2005 One of the global highlights of the automotive year is the Goodwood Festival of Speed – an event that draws the cream of the world’s auto and motorcycle racing machines and talent of yesteryear. And one of the highlights of Goodwood each year is Bonhams Festival of Speed auction where extremely rare and impeccably credentialed Grand prix machines change hands. This year the highest priced sale was a pre-war Grand Prix Bugatti which realised GBP 1.32 million (US$2.32 million). Other notable sales included a 1929 Bentley 4-litre Le Mans Sports for UKP3 97,500 and a 1911 Delage 3-litre Type X Two Seat Racer for UKP 331,500. Each of the cars has a unique story behind it, as have two very special Grand Prix winning Bugattis that will go under the hammer in September. The car pictured will sell in September - it is the winning car from the very first Monaco GP in 1929 Read More
Mitsubishi Concept E-boost Wins 2005 Idea Gold Award
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July 4, 2005 Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) has picked up a Gold 2005 Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) gong for its E-boost concept vehicle. The Gold Award was given in the category of Design Explorations. Presented for the last 25 years by the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA), this year's IDEA competition is prominently featured on the cover of BusinessWeek and on businessweek.com web site with more images, additional information and an interactive slide show. The Mitsubishi E-boost concept car introduces a new direction for sports car design, demonstrating the possibilities for expanded performance hybrid systems of the future. E-boost combines the look and performance of an exotic car with sport-coupe fuel efficiency. Many of the design innovations in the E-boost are found in its mechanics with the electric motor also doubling as a performance-enhancing device. The car's evocative appearance and soft, athletic lines are a unique departure from the current automotive trend toward heavy, sharp, boxy forms. The exterior color features a specially developed pigment that appears to glow from within to create the effect of molten metal, while the interior styling is forward thinking with a clean, uncluttered instrument panel centered around an LCD screen. Read More
Open-air Porsche duo with all-wheel technology
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July 4, 2005 Porsche has announced a new generation of open 911 versions with all-wheel drive. The 911 Carrera 4 and 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolets will be shown for the first time in October this year with the 280 km/h Carrera 4 Cabriolet powered by the 239 kW (325 bhp) 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engine and the 288 km/h 4S model powered by the 261 kW (355 bhp) 3.8-liter engine. As is already the case with the coupe version of the Carrera 4, power transmission in the Cabriolets is by all-wheel drive with a Visco multi-plate clutch, which consistently brings between five and 40 percent of the driving power to the road via the front wheels. Read More
French F1 GP: first French victory for a Renault car in 22 years.
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July 4, 2005 Fernando Alonso took a dominant victory for the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team in yesterday’s French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours. The Spaniard took pole position and led every lap of the race to take his fifth victory of the season from ten starts, and the first for a 100% Renault car in the French Grand Prix since 1983. In winning he extended his lead in the drivers championship by two points, and now has 69 points, 24 ahead of nearest rival Kimi Raikkonen. All three of the main contenders for the drivers title finished on the podium with Raikkonen scond, Michael Schumacher third and Jenson Button finished fourth, giving the BAR Honda team its first points of the year. Read More
How Renault F1 uses Advanced Digital Manufacturing to enhance competitiveness
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July 3, 2005 Renault’s Formula 1 team has made massive headway in recent years, coming from a distant third place in the 2004 Formula 1 constructors title to dominate the 2005 title to date. Now before you skip over this story thinking it’s about motor racing, it’s not – it’s about Advanced Digital Manufacturing. Renault’s F1 budget is considerably less than Ferrari or Toyota yet it has won six of ten races this year. Earlier this week it was revealed that the team had installed a Sinterstation Pro SLS rapid 3-D printing, prototyping and manufacturing system at its Advanced Digital Manufacturing (ADM) Centre in Enstone, England. This is the first of these systems to be installed in Europe and Renault has found that it has reduced the time taken to manufacture a part for the F1 car by an incredible 90% - quite an advantage in a world where a tenth of a second a lap can make the difference between winners and losers. Read More
Audi Q7 SUV portal signs prospects by the thousand
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July 1, 2005 Multiple medium promotional campaigns using internet sites as the campaign hub continue to grow in functionality and capability and response, as the world penetration of internet connectivity trends towards ubiquity. Accordingly it has been interesting to watch the surge in traffic to Audi's online Broadband portal, “Q7 Globe” - it's the biggest multi-channel marketing project ever undertaken by the company for the launch of a new model and although the Audi Q7 SUV will not have its premiere until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the "Q7 Globe" online portal has already signed up 110,000 prospects. Read More
BMW to compete in Formula 1 from 2006
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June 23 2005 BMW is striking out on a new path in Formula One. After acquiring a majority shareholding in the Swiss Sauber team, a BMW managed team will be contesting the Formula One World Championship as early as 2006. This was decided by the BMW Board of Management on Tuesday. It means that, for the first time in company history, BMW will be competing independently in Formula One. The principle BMW association in Formula 1 in recent years has been since 1997 with the Williams BMW team with the BMW engines among the fastest, though no championship has been forthcoming. BMW formerly supplied engines to F1 constructors in the mid-eighties, winning nine Grands Prix and a championship with their road-car based turbo engine in Nelson Piquet's Brabham. BMW's participation will strengthen the Formula 1 grid. Read More
