With a maddening power-to-weight ratio (300bhp for 1320kgs), the Z4-based Alpina Roadster S dashes from to 60mph in 5.3 seconds and reaches 165mph. The Buchloe-made roadster is now cheaper, with a range starting at £38,750 OTR, i.e. the same price as a Porsche Boxster 3.2S, delivering 276bhp, but £1,752 more than a 350bhp TVR Tamora. We can expect the Alpina to be more reliable though. At this price, the Alpina comes with an air conditioning, 19’’ alloys, n extended leather upholstery, a cruise control and 6-CD changer. Almost a bargain in fact…
Author: stephane schlesinger
Alpina Roadster S gets cheaper
159 SW underway
Alfa Romeo could not escape replacing the stylish 156 SW. In a few months, it’ll be done as these spyshots indicate it. Like the 156, the 159 SW will rely more on style than on boot capacity, but then, an Alfa is not made for carrying heavy loads, except on the accelerator. Apparently, both Giugiaro and the Alfa Centro Stile did a great job, and once again, Alfa’s estate (call it Sportwagon) should stand out by its elegance, besides, it might not be longer than the saloon. Alfa targeting Audi and BMW, quality will have to be beyond any reproach, but we can expect prices to rise. The 159 Sportwagon should officially be released for the Frankfurt motor show.Thanks to www.autopareri.com for the photos.
StudioTorino RK Spyder
You think the Porsche Boxster is good but commonplace ? The Studiotorino RK spyder might be a solution for you. Alfredo Stola and Alois Ruf collaborated to create this new Boxster-based sportscar, endowed with the best of Italian and German craftmanship. Such providers as Poltrona Frau, Bilstein, Brembo or PPG are involved in the programme. If StudioTorino assembles the body and the cockpit, Ruf is in charge of the engine. Fitted with a centrifugal compressor, the flat-6 3,8 engine delivers 420bhp at 7000rpm, with a torque of 450Nm at a high 5,500rpm. The RK Spyder can accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 3.8 seconds and from 0 to 125 in 13.8, for a top speed of 175mph.
Even if it derives from the Boxster, the RK Spyder does not share many components with it, only the front left fener, most of the body being built by Studiotorino. The rims have specially been designed by Toora while the leather of the seats is provided by Poltrona Frau. Of course, it’s possible to make it even more personal. No detail has been overlooked, this car’s a fine piece of machinery. Only 49 of them will be assembled.Source: www.autoindex.org
Ssangyong Rodius makes Multipla look commonplace
Weird, strange, huge, bizarre, outlandish : how can we qualify the styling of the new Rodius ? Ssangyong reckon it’s the relexion of the practicality of the Rodius. Indeed, this MPV, designed by former head of the automotive design course at the Royal College of Art in London Ken Greenley offers accomodation for up to 11 people, in its Koran version. In Europe, it’ll seat 7 ‘only’, but thanks to its 5125mm length and its 1915mm width, they’ll be able to take all the luggage they want. The passengers may seat either on foldable (even backwards) rail-mounted (but not removable) central chairs or a rear bench that’s foldable backwards too and removable provided you don’t mind carrying 38kg.
The 2 ,7 163 bhp diesel engine is provided by Mercedes-Benz, and so is the tiptronic style 5-speed automatic gearbox. This won’t be too much to move the 2.2 tons of the Rodius. ESP is standard on all versions, while the interesting 4×4 transmission is optional.
Contrary to the smart Fiat Multipla, the Rodius does not compensate its odd styling with an innovative architecture.
Kyron, Ssangyong’s hybrid
The Korean carmaker, part of the SAIC group, has just released the Kyron, which they present as a " luxury sedan sport-ute vehicle ". It’s supposed to offer the advantages of both a sport-ute and a sedan. Besides, Ssangyong claim they have designed a 2.7 engine of their own for their new model, for which they invested 30 months and $249 million. The Kyron seems less oddly shaped another new vehicle from Ssangyong, the RodiusSsangyong hopes to sell 70,000 Kyrons a year, targetting the middle-class. They reckon they’ve closely been looking to the European market to design the successor of the Musso.
More power for the Mini D
75bhp for the Mini D while many other superminis can offer up to 130 (Seat IBIZA, VW Polo), this was not enough. In September, the Mini will get 13 more horse-powers and reach 88bhp. In the mean time , torque will increase by 10Nm to 190Nm, thus, the Mini will be able to accelerate from to 62mph in 11.5 seconds, reach 109mph and return 58.9mpg. Not enough to worry a Peugeot 206 HDI 110 driver though.
Along with this power increase, all Minis will receive a better equipment –CD player will become standard-, new options and new prices. The new Mini range will start at £10,995 on the road.
BMW buys Sauber
Peter Sauber and Le Crédit Suisse, a swiss bank, will sell the majority of their shares to BMW. Early 2006, BMW will the take over the reins of Sauber and create a new team called BMW. Peter Sauber should work as a counselor, as will no longer rule the team. The Hinwill factory will continue to be a swiss company anyway but it’ll be a sattelite of BMW, which will increase the number of its employees.
The transfer of share will be made in two times, BMW first buying the majority of those held by Peter Sauber, then, in 2008, purchasing those of the swiss bank.
Peter Sauber, 61, considers the purchase of his team by BMW as a good thing, since it’s become very hard for teams like his to keep up with top teams in terms of performance. Since the arrival of important car makers like Renault, Toyota or Mercedes, raising funds has become harder and harder for independant private teams. Max Mosley wants to prevent independant teams from leaving the F1 by setting new rules imposing to cut the costs by 90% in 2008. By this time, those teams won’t have left, chances are they’ll have been bought by carmakers. Too late, Max…
Goodwood Festival of Speed begins today
Today, the Goodwood Festival of speed begins and end on Sunday night. This major international event includes car races as well as car design competitions, soapbox challenges, motorcycles races and fine museum pieces of machinery. Any car of vehicule may take part in the famous hillclimbing, from pre-1914 cars to today’s formula ones, all being grouped thematically.
This year, there will be a selection of not only current formula ones from such top teams as Williams, Renault, Ferrari or McLaren, but also older ones, built between the 50s to nowadays. Legends of Le Mans will be present too : Mercedes 300 SLR, Ford GT 40, Ferrari Testa Rossa (1958), pre-war Bentleys and Delahayes, and Porsche 917. Such famous rally cars as Audi’s Sport Quattro, Lancia’s Delta S4 or Mistubishi’s Lancer Evolution will also be on display. Indycars, Touring cars, hot rods and vintage racers should contribute to the beauty of the show. Of course, most of the current supercars will attend the show : Ferrari, Porsche, Aston-Martin, but also Noble, Pagani, Edonis or De Tomaso will bring their beauties.
This festival is attended by very famous people too : Jean Alesi, Ralf Schumacher, Derek Bell, Juan-Pablo Montoya, Jack Brabham, Rubens Barrichello, Mario Andretti, Jenson Button, Richard Burns, David Coulthard, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jim Hall, Jacky Ickx, Damon Hill, Phil Hill, Juha Kankunnen, Timo Makinen, Niki Lauda, Nick Mason, Collin McRae, Olivier Panis, Ricardo Patrese, Clay Regazzoni, Sir Jacky Stewart or John Surtees will stalk the alleys of the exhibition. The complete list of celebrities can be consulted on the Goodwood Festival of Speed website.
If want to go to this unique event, you’ll have to buy your tickets on the internet, from £30 to £72.
Jetta, Vento, Bora and… Jetta!
As odd as it may seem, not only is the Jetta VW’s best seller in the USA, but it’s also the best selling European car there. Besides, the Golf-based saloon has always been tagged Jetta there, while in old Europe, it was successively called Jetta, Vento and Bora. The latter’s successor, first launched in America, now arrives in Europe. Stretched to 455cm, and widened to 178, the Jetta has been sized up, following the example of the Golf V. As a consequence, it offers better accommodation and boot space, with 527 litres. 7 engines are available, with power outputs varying from 102 (1.6 FSI) to 200bhp (2.0 T-FSI ). Of course, this range includes TDI engines, which can be coupled with the DSG robotized gearbox. Anyway, even if 6.5 million Jettas have been built since 1979, it’s not thanks to the European Market where it is challenged by the Passat. VW expects to see it sold in the US mostly, which explains why it’s built in Mexico.
The new Jetta will reach the British shores early 2006.
New Civic at Frankfurt?
Needless to say that today’s Honda Civic has not been endowed with the same charisma as the 80s-made Civics’. Moreover, its sombre cabin has been of no help, despite its good accommodation. The spyshots as well as the concept-cars shown by Honda let us guess that the oncoming Civic will try to seduce us in the manner of its ancestors. Apparently, the new Honda will hide its rear door handles so as to look like a coupe, just like a 5-door Alfa 147 does. Inside, there should be 2 instrument clusters in front of the driver, one right behind the wheel and another one at the base of the windshield.
Besides, the new Civic will also come as a saloon.Amazingly enough, the concept car recalls a Delta Integrale-based prototype released by Pininfarina in 1988, the Hit.
And the prototype issued by Pininfarina, the 1988 Hit
