Porsche already sells its own Turbo model, which comes complete with a generous 480hp twin-turbo flat six engine straight from the factory, but Germany’s TTP decided to design a new turbo package for the base Carrera that could put the stock Porsche to shame. The Bavarian-based tuner offers three stages of tune for the 911, ranging from 420hp and topping out at 650hp.

First stage offers enthusiasts a peak output of 420hp and 570Nm of torque. To achieve this level, engineers installed a pair of K16 turbochargers, a new air intake and sports filter, a new intercooler and a modified ECU. The second stage incorporates most of these pieces buts also gets a larger pair of K24 turbos, turboheaders, a lowered compression ratio and a reinforced clutch. The end result is a healthy 450hp and 600Nm of torque.

The final stage offers an amazing 650hp and 920Nm of torque. This level of tune sees the car get high-flow turbochargers, larger intercoolers, a sports exhaust system, performance cam shafts and a new ECU. For those seeking even more performance, however, engineers are currently working on a new 720hp kit designed for the 997 Turbo.

Source: TTP turbo upgrade for the Porsche 997 Carrera

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Lascelles Linton
Filed under: Hybrid, GMC

The ad for the hybrid Chevy Malibu did not make it to air but GMC’s Yukon hybrid ad did. Like we said Thursday, the Yukon hybrid ad features the 1976 animated short Sisyphus by Marcell Jankovics. The voice over to the animation says the following:

Why push? Why change? Why grow? Why dream? Questions you don’t have to ask yourself when you never say “it’s good enough.” When you never say “it can’t be done.” When you never say “never.”

Then the text “Introducing the Yukon Hybrid from GMC. Limited Availability” and “50% Better Mileage in a full size SUV is now a reality” appears. In case you missed it during the game, you can watch it above. BTW, the Giants won.

[Source: MySpace]

Source: Video: GMC’s Superbowl ad for Yukon hybrid

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The former chairman of Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has called on the European Union to ban gas-guzzling cars, the BBC reported over the weekend.

"Nobody needs a car that does 10-15 mpg (miles per gallon),’"Mark Moody-Stuart was quoted as saying. "We need very tough regulation saying that you can’t drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin — but only if it did 50-60 mpg.’"

Shell chairman between 1998 and 2001, Moody-Stuart, currently chairman of mining group Anglo American, added that the EU was too lax with motor manufacturers and insisted that wealthier people must play their part in tackling climate change.

His remarks came only a week after Royal Dutch Shell reported annual profits of nearly $28 billion, a record for a UK-listed company and breaking Shell’s own record set in 2006.

Similarly,  Exxon Mobil Corp. reported last week net income of $40.61 billion, a new record fo any U.S. company. The energy company’s fourth-quarter profit of $11.66 billion, set a new company record.

Source: Ban Gas Guzzlers, Advocates Former Oil Company Chief

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Norbert Reithofer will this week become the first chief executive of BMW to go on an investor roadshow as the German automaker seeks to deflect worries about its profitability and shed its reputation as an industry laggard, the Financial Times reported over the weekend.

Reithofer will visit London on Wednesday as well as New York and Boston on Thursday and Friday to update investors on his efforts to cut costs.

The paper noted these visits mark a cultural break for the German carmaker, which until now only made its chief financial officer or other lower-ranking executives available to its shareholders.

The Financial Times reported Arndt Ellinghorst, analyst at Credit Suisse, as saying: “BMW’s management has been hiding away for a year and a half. They’d better have something interesting to say.”

BMW has said it wants to cust costs by the equivalent of $8.8 billion in the next five years, and reduce its workforce by 8,000 from today’s 107,000 employees.

Reithofer is likely to face pointed questions about the company´s sagging margins compared with its resurgent main rival, Mercedes, the London paper noted. Mercedes’ return on sales in the third quarter was 9.5 percent compared with BMW’s 5.4 percent.

BMW has focused on boosting sales volumes by rapidly increasing its number of models – including the X6 crossover unveiled at the recent Detroit auto show – a move has drawn some criticism  – and by offering aggressive incentives. However, the company has been accused of neglecting profitability and becoming complacent about its rivals.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/00234258-d28c-11dc-8636-0000779fd2ac.html

Source: BMW Chief Hits the RoadShow Circuit

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By Bill Visnic

Ethanol derived from cellulosic “waste” sources –- rather than the corn-based stock that produces almost all of the ethanol used today –- takes a big step this week, as the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol plant begins production.

The cellulosic ethanol plant, engineered and operated by KL Process Design Group of Rapid City, S.D., is located near Upton, Wyo. The plant processes soft waste wood into ethanol and is the result of a 6-year cooperation between KL and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Cellulose is the primary structural component in all green plants.

A KL spokesman tells AutoObserver the new plant, which KL describes as a small-scale commercial operation, is designed to annually produce 1.5 million gallons of the renewable fuel.

The company said the facility also has successfully tested the process with wood-source waste materials such as cardboard and paper. KL said it employs proprietary technologies and newly developed enzymes that break down the cellulosic materials into the alcohol-based ethanol.

“In our experience with enzymes and ethanol production, we have incorporated proven technologies that have been utilized for years in other industries,” said Dave Litzen, VP of process engineering for KL Process Design Group, in a release. “Through these processes, we are releasing fermentable sugars hidden within the wood, without the use of environmentally unfriendly acids.”

The ethanol from KL’s new Wyoming plant also will be part of another history-making event: E85 (85 percent ethanol, 15 percent gasoline) fuel will be officially sanctioned in racing competition by the American Le Mans Series. The Corvette Racing team will be first to use racing E85 at the Le Mans Series’ first event, the 12 Hours of Sebring, March 15.

It is the first time any racing series has made a commitment to use E85, said the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. The ALMS said at least one other team, Aston Martin Racing, will use the KL-supplied ethanol during the 2008 racing season.

“This is a groundbreaking achievement not only in motorsports, but also in the drive to relevant fuel technologies,” said Scott Atherton, president and CEO of the American Le Mans Series.

“The American Le Mans Series was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the only motorsports entity to meet the criteria for ‘green racing’,” Atherton added.

The shift to cellulosic ethanol is gaining political and auto-industry momentum as many interested entities engage in the effort to eventually shift ethanol production away from corn, which has manifest economic liabilities. General Motors Corp. recently provided a giant boost for cellulosic ethanol supporters when it announced it is engaged in a significant joint venture to build a plant capable of annually producing 50 to 100 million gallons of cellulose-derived ethanol by 2011.

Photo by General Motors

Chevrolet’s E85-fueled Corvette ALMS racer, as shown at the recent Detroit auto show.

Source: First Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Begins Production; Will Fuel Sebring Race

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Maxx Biker
Filed in: KTM | cross | offroad | KTM XC | KTM XC-W

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  Article summary:
Page 1 :  KTM 300 XC and XC-W (e)

Page 2 :  Test Drive

Page 3 :  SPECIFICATIONS

KTM’s biggest two-stroke XC motorcycles combine toughness with loads and loads of torque in order to keep on rolling towards the culmination of their careers. Power and handling are always key to bike’s successes and these two will stand by you at every speed range.

Introduction

No matter the model you choose to go for, the Austrian bike will become a true work horse with the racing abilities of a motocross two-stroker. This is a benefic consequence of the fact that KTM produces a wide range of off-road motorcycles that perfectly blend in the qualities of a trail bike with the ones of a motocross bike. It can sometimes be confusing and it doesn’t quite help you to decide on a model, but once you’ve swing a leg over one, you’ll not only be Ready to Race, but never willing to get off of it at all. In this case, the 300 XC is more of a motocrosser, while the 300 XC-W (e) with its revolutionary electric starter manages to require less effort from the rider having fun with its pals.

History

2002 KTM 300 MXC

The two models aren’t strange to KTM’s lineup as the simple XC was first introduced in 2004 to replace the 300 MXC two-stroke motorcycle. Since then, this KTM model started becoming more and more popular and the addition of the 300 XC-W (e) in 2006 was a great choice for riders who orientate towards the off-road instead of motocross and still remained hooked to products offered by the Austrian manufacturer.

Competition

As I was saying, by offering a whole bunch of motorcycles both two-and-four-stroke, KTM offers diversity and manages to position himself in front of its contenders which in comparison with these models seem to have the purpose of filling up a gap in the specific manufacturer’s lineup.

2008 Husqvarna WR250

Anyway, the Husqvarna WR250 is an Enduro bike featuring a 249.3cc two-stroke Liquid Cooled Single w/ HTS Power Valve engine mated to a five-speed gearbox and this is enough to position it against the 300 XC-W (e). The displacement difference though is very important as we are dealing with two-stroke engines and this sets the KTM apart from the average 250cc two-stroke motorcycles.

2008 Honda CR250

But when it comes to Japanese motocross bikes, you know that it is all about performance and only these bikes could be compared with the 300 XCs if KTM wouldn’t have offered the 250 XC and 250 XC-W (e) which are competing with the Husky and all the other Japanese bikes, setting the 300s apart from any other model on the market today.

Exterior

2008 KTM 300 XC-W (e)

Another chapter were KTM does a little magic is Design. How come? For instance, there is no difference between a four-stroke’s exterior elements and a two-stroke’s ones.

The 300 XC is slightly different from the 300 XC-W (e) as the first features black mudguards, a shorter exhaust and leaned back front number panel and the last comes equipped with orange mudguards, a longer exhaust, as a result of slight different tuning, and a front number panel positioned parallel with the fork.

But those are just details. If you don’t have the bikes near to compare them, you won’t distinguish the one from the other as both machines feature motocross-like orange front fender, black fork, as well as side panels covered in the “KTM” writing. The thick exhaust pipe underneath the side panels betrays it as being a two-stroke motorcycle, the rest of it looking just like what you would find on the largest bike in the same lineup only that in this case, the exhaust muffler isn’t painted black on the XC, like of the four-stroke KTM’s.

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Source: KTM 300 XC and XC-W (e)

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Who killed the electric car? That's easy: GM. What killed the electric car? Also a no-brainer: an operational range of 55 to 95 miles. From the moment Tesla Motors announced its all-electric Roadster, we've called for independent verification of their official range claims, which started at 250 miles, slunk to 220, and ended up in a real-world figure of 93 (still unofficial). Despite a rear-guard defense on the issue, Tesla's new CEO Ze'ev Drori ain't no dope. At a press conference to announce the historic fact that Elon Musk's personal Tesla Roadster had finally arrived from Europe, Drori pulled a GM: talking about the next next Big Thing. And here's the thing: Tesla will offer the formerly (theoretically) all-electric WhitesStar sedan as a hybrid, with a small gas engine powering an on-board generator a la Volt. Tesla says their sedan will hit the streets by 2009, stickering in the $50 to $70k range. After that, they'll focus their attention on an economy car. First things second, eh?

CNET »

Source: Tesla Birth Watch 31: WhiteStar Gets Gas

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With an estimated selling price of $700,000 - $780,000 this 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT-HO Phase III ‘Bathurst’ Sedan is the highlight vehicle of the inaugural Shannons Brisbane Motor Show Auction.

To be auctioned on the afternoon of Sunday February 10 this icon of the local muscle car scene, the fastest four door sedan in the world in its day, is one of an estimated 150 remaining and has become one of the most collectable production cars ever made.

With a fully documented history from new, this stunning GT-HO is one of just five examples built in Frosted Pewter metallic and with the options fitted from new (including a left-hand mirror and 8-track stereo) is a truly unique Phase III.

Better still for Phase III aficionados and collectors, the car is one of the 50 made with factory fitted close-ratio Top Loaders ( it’s a four-speed gearbox, kids) and a 3.50:1 31-spline Detroit Locker nine-inch rear end.

If you miss out on this GT-HO, the auction has a very attractive ‘consolation prize’ in the form of a nearly-as-rare brand new limited edition 2007 Falcon GT Cobra sedan.

One of just 400 built with the potent 302kW 5.4 litre V8 engine (tweaked by Ford Performance Vehicles) this GT Cobra has less than 50km on its odometer and is one of the hard-to-find and most desirable 6-speed manual cars.

Expecting to fetch between $85,000-$105,000, there’s already a strong interest with some very fierce bidding expected on the night. Anyone with a bulging wallet or keen eye for Aussie Muscle is encouraged to get along for a look.

Further details available through Shannons.

Source: Phase III to fetch top dollar in Brisbane

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Chris Tutor
China, Safety

If you’ve payed attention at all to international news the past few days, you know parts of China are pretty much frozen solid right now. At least 63 people have died because of the storm, as many as 800,000 travelers were at one time stranded at Guangzhou Railway Station trying to get home. It’s the worst winter storm that country has seen in 50 years, and more snow is predicted in the next week.

But the tragedy and hardship of the disaster is hard to grasp until you hear a first-hand tale of survival.

Our friend Ash Sutcliffe over at China Car Times tipped us off to their translation of a forum post at a popular Chinese car site from a Chinese traveler and his efforts to get home. We can’t verify the story and didn’t have any luck contacting the author, but if true, it’s a long but worthy read.

The unnamed writer discovers his route home is shut down due to ice, but is overjoyed to find his alternate route mostly clear and safe. Until a few hours after sunset, when his car begins to slide and his brakes do nothing but vibrate from the ABS trying to do its job. One of several “goods trucks” stops his slide, but luckily he’s ok. But his relief is short lived as a a woman grabs him and they, and drivers of the other wrecked cars run to leap behind barriers in the median just as another group of cars plows into the highway pileup.

“In between the barriers there was an empty space. Some guy fell down the hole and was shouting for help, he was shouting like a mad man. I ran to the barriers to have a look, then realised, the road is actually a bridge over a river.”

Read the translation at China Car Times for heartbreaking accounts of people trapped in crushed cars, one child lost in the cold darkness and another dead on the side of the road. Let’s hope China thaws out soon and that we never have to endure such tragedy.

[Source: xcar.cn via China Car Times]

Source: Traveler shares harrowing account of China’s deadly ice storm

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