At the Melbourne International Motor Show on February 29, Malaysian carmaker Proton will reveal a pre-production version of the R3 Satria hot hatch. The R3 Satria has been developed by Proton’s special vehicles and motorsport arm - R3, which stands for Race, Rally, and Research - at its headquarters in Shah Alam in Malaysia. The pre-production model features a range of special body enhancements as well as suspension development and, according to Proton, a high performance power plant – though no details where released. -Continued

At this stage the R3 Satria is still in development and no on sale date has been decided however the R3 division is working to bring the performance model to market as soon as possible.

Source: Proton R3 Satria Hints at New Hot Hatch at Melbourne Show

Anthony Kodack
Filed in: KTM | auction

Source:KTM          Post a comment

Wings for Life, the research foundation started by Heinz Kinigadner and Dietrich Mateschitz is to receive a massive boost from an eBay online auction in which Cyril Despres’ Dakar winnning KTM 690 Rally bike is up for grabs.

Kinigadner, former MX world champion and KTM’s Offroad Motor Sports Consultant was prompted to create Wings for Life following a tragic motorcycle competition accident in which his own son was left paralyzed. The Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation is a privately funded non-profit organization that promotes worldwide research directed at finding a putative cure for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI).

“When we started to ask for a few unusual items we soon came to realise that these people were more than willing to give us some of their personal memorabilia and trophies,” Kinigadner said speaking of his efforts to raise items for the auction. .

The auction, to be held on the eBay internet platform from March 13-30, offers a unique opportunity for bidders to acquire more than 40 premium articles. They include memorabilia from the world of action sports, pieces of art and the opportunity to purchase a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Cyril Despres’ Dakar bike to go to highest bidder

Cyril Despres

Leading the list is David Coulthard’s F1 racing car used in the Silverstone GP in Britain but one of the most sought after items will be the second item in the auction catalogue, the KTM 690 Rally bike ridden by KTM factory rider Cyril Despres. The machine, tested in the extreme conditions of the world’s toughest rally, features a single cylinder, 4-stroke motor, 654 cc displacement and weighs 162 kg. The French rider, a member of the KTM Rally Factory Team, won the Dakar Rally in 2005 and 2007 and is ranked among the absolute elite in rally sport. The bike is expected to attract enthusiastic bidding and raise a significant sum for the Wings for Life auction.

Other premier KTM items

For bidders with a more modest budget but who have a passion to acquire some outstanding motorcycle gear, Article 22 on the auction list, the personally autographed leather jacket of KTM factory rider Marc Coma, is also being offered. Coma and Despres not only share their factory rider status with KTM but are the closest of rivals in the world of top class motorcycle rallying. Coma was all set to use the jacket in the ill-fated Dakar 2008 when it was cancelled 24-hours from the start because of terrorist threats.

Kallio’s Helmet

In the world of international 250cc road racing, the number 36 is that of a very prominent Red Bull KTM factory rider, Mika Kallio of Finland. 125cc Rookie of the Year in 2002 and vice world champion in 125cc in 2005 and 2006, Kallio started to make his mark on the 250 cc class in 2007. He rides into the 2008 season as a title favourite and his racing helmet is among the auction attractions listed as Article 32.

MX treasures

Motocross enthusiasts will also be able to bid for two unique MX items – the racing helmet of multi-world MX champion Stefan Everts, who now leads the KTM Red Bull MX Factory Team, which is listed at number 34 in the auction catalogue and the Motocross racing shirt of Spanish MX1 KTM factory rider Jonathan Barragan, listed at item number 23. Barragan of Spain goes into the 2008 racing season as leading MX1 rider in the Italian-based, KTM-supported Team Silver Action, naturally onboard his KTM machine.

The Wings for Life Charity Auction not only creates an exceptional opportunity to acquire unique sports and art memorabilia but also to support a worthy cause directly related to sports injuries - and one that is enthusiastically supported by KTM. Heinz Kinigadner underlined that funds raised from auctioning this unique collection of items will be used to make further progress in the field of spinal cord research through the Wings for Life Foundation.

Wings for Life Charity Auction @ eBay March 13-30, 2008.
URL: www.wingsforlife.com/ebay

Source:KTM

Source: Dakar winning KTM 690 up for grabs at Wings for Life auction

"Managing expectations." It's a term near and dear to the hearts of the people who pull our politicians' strings. Increasingly, it's the rhetorical weapon of choice for executives seeking to maintain their grip on America's large corporations. While there's nothing wrong with casting your company's efforts in a positive light, the danger is both simple and lethal. When a company's culture becomes based on hype, it loses its ability to react to reality– both good and bad. It becomes lost in the fog of war. One such company is GM.

Last Tuesday, GM CFO Fritz Henderson did something his boss, CEO Rick Wagoner, has refused to do throughout his entire tenure at the top. Fritz set a deadline for GM NA's return to profitability. Well, not a deadline, exactly. More like an estimate. Actually, make that a prediction– with caveats. Anyway, in the now-familiar post-bloodbath (a.k.a. financial results) conference call with industry analysts, Fritz said General Motors' North American operations should be solidly profitable by 2010. Or 2011.

Now that's saying something. GM North America is currently in complete turmoil, verging on chaos, heading towards meltdown. It's losing market share, production capacity, skilled workers, profitability (incentives are up) and, most of all, cash money. If you exclude the mother of all tax credit write-downs (which placed GM's '07 losses at $38.7b), NorAm dropped $1.5b last year. Not bad? Lest we forget, that number was propped-up by the sale of the Allison Transmission unit for $4.3b.

Speaking of fire sales and clever accounting, Fritz claims GM has $27b in cash and "cash equivalents" in the kitty. Take away $10b for life-sustaining cash flow, and GM is only $17b away from empty.

GM's cash conflagration continues unabated. Despite dramatic downsizing, the American automaker still has enormous overheads: advertising ($2.6b per year), research and development, factory modernization, pensions, health care, administration, servicing its massive debt ($2.9b per year) and, of course, executive compensation.

If we presume that these costs are holding steady– at least until the new labor agreement yields significant reductions– GM's $6.8b '07 loss (with Allison removed from the equation) indicates that they've got two-and-a-half years to turn the ship around– or go down. In other words, if Fritz isn't right, if GM isn't "solidly profitable" by 2011, they will be bankrupt.

Of course, this also assumes there won't be any "exceptional" calls on GM's cash pile. Heading into a major industry downturn, that's about as safe as assuming that the IRS will forget that you're legally obliged to file a tax return.

For one thing, bankrupt parts supplier Delphi, is looking for a billion dollar plus cash infusion. If GM's former division doesn't find the financing, well… Chrysler's unresolved Plastech debacle shows how vulnerable GM's assembly lines are to a parts disruption (a.k.a. renegotiation/extortion). A quarter of Detroit's main parts suppliers are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Even if GM's suppliers simply ask for their money up front, The General's liquidity would take a massive hit.

And then there's GMAC. Since GM sold 51 percent of the lender to Cerberus, The General's former cash cow has cratered. GMAC just posted a $724m fourth-quarter loss; the ResCap mortgage-lending unit bled $921m worth of red ink. If ResCap collapses, creditors may pierce the veil and sink GMAC. Meanwhile, cheap GMAC loans to high risk debtors are a thing of the past, which pulls the rug from under one of GM's main weapons in its war on excess inventory.

And that brings us to the income side of the ledger. While GM boosters view the new Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Malibu and GMC Acadia as evidence that the automaker has got its NorAm product-related shit together, it most decidedly does not.

As nice as they are, these vehicles are not class-leading import conquerers. Sure, GM's finally woken-up to the fact that they have too many brands  (eight), products (49) and dealers (6750). But their "throw the losers (Buick, Saturn, Pontiac, Saab) into a gulag and starve ‘em to death strategy" is a long-term play that will make things worse– before they get worse. No matter how you slice it, GM needs LOTS of turnover the keep the lights on.

Post corporate fire-sale, you could consider GM's brands its only remaining asset. If so, the company is already dead. Aside from Hummer, none of GM's brands has a clear remit or a coherent product line. There is overlap, cannibalization, confusion and chaos. Fleet sales aside, you can't sell products in a highly competitive environment without proper branding.

So, Fritz, how IS GM going to become solidly profitable by 2011? "We need to step on the gas on how we are performing in the market." At the moment, in terms of market share, branding and overall product desirability, GM is going backwards. Stepping on the gas will simply accelerate that process. Right until they hit something. That's the only realistic expectation.

Source: GM Death Watch 163: What doth it profit a man?

Sam Abuelsamid
Filed under: MPG, Porsche, Volvo

The autos section at business magazine Forbes has compiled a top ten list of most fuel efficient luxury cars. While some of the vehicles on the list seem obvious - the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec diesel and the hybrid Lexus GS450h - there were some surprises. Giving Porsche’s complaints about European Union plans to impose limits on carbon dioxide emissions, finding the Boxster sports car on the list might come as a shock. However, driven tamely, it can achieve pretty decent mileage. Of course like many sports cars, it thrives on being driven quickly and doing so can easily drive the mileage into the single digits. On the other end of the spectrum most might not consider the Volvo C30 a luxury car. The little hatchback is based on the same platform as the European Ford Focus and, although well appointed, calling this a luxury car might be a stretch. Also, the 19/27mpg rating for such a small car is hardly exceptional and barely matches the 19/28 of the Porsche.

[Source: Forbes]

Source: Picking out the most fuel efficient luxury cars

Maxx Biker
Filed in: Ducati | roadster | Ducati Monster

          1 comment

Ducati presents two new color options for the also new Monster 696 a modern naked best characterized by agility, performance and especially Italian styling.

In order to better show the bike’s fine lines, the manufacturer decided that apart from the traditional Ducati Red, the Monster should also feature the Pearl White and Dark Black paintjobs.

2008 Ducati 696 shown in White Pearl

The Pearl White paintjob, already seen on the 848 Superbike makes the bike’s sinuous lines stand out even more and plans on increasing the model’s success. Ducati made this smart move so that the Monster 696 would reach the expected sales and although the three-colors offering starts with April, we reckon the success is guaranteed!

Source: Ducati Monster 696: New Colors Announced

Tony Stewart won the Busch Nationwide race today in Daytona, beating Kyle Busch and, you guessed it, Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the end of the race, with Busch blocking Jr. to finish second. Kyle also came in second the night before in the truck series race, losing to Todd Bodine and driving past Johnny Benson for second. Appears tomorrow’s race is going to be a good one, with Kyle and Dale running so well every time they get in a car, they are going to be hard to beat.

Polesitter Tony Stewart repelled a strong challenge from teammate Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the Camping World 300 Nationwide Series race Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

Stewart surged to the lead on Lap 117 of 120 and stayed there as the rest of the field diced for position behind him. On the final lap, Busch blocked Earnhardt’s last-ditch attempt to improve his position and all but assured the victory for Stewart, who crossed the finish line .259 seconds ahead of Busch, with Earnhardt .412 seconds back.

Brian Vickers ran fourth, followed by Matt Kenseth, rookie Bryan Clauson, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, David Ragan and defending series champion Carl Edwards. Source: Stewart starts, finishes first in N’wide season-opener

Busch Series, Busch Series News, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart

Source: Stewart Wins First Nationwide Series Race at Daytona

Xavier Navarro
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Hydrogen, Carbon Capture

What, motoring without polluting? That sounds like a good thing to me. But before we take our champagne bottles out to celebrate, let’s see what this means.

According to a group of researches at the Georgia Institute of Technology, pollution-free transportation is possible. While major projects in places like Europe are focused on using emissions-free technology at power plants to generate electricity, people from Georgia Tech are thinking about automobiles, transportation vehicles and industrial power generation applications (e.g., diesel power generators).

The team’s target is creating a closed-loop carbon circuit system. This means burning a liquid fuel in the engine and trapping the carbon emissions at the tailpipe to be stored until the next refueling. At that point, the carbon would be transformed again into liquid fuel and reused to power the cars.

The researcher’s current strategy is trying to capture carbon from gasoline (or any fuel) using a fuel processor to separate the hydrogen in the fuel from the carbon. The hydrogen will be used to power the vehicle and the carbon would be kept stored on board in liquid form. This process is not unlike DECARBit’s project, to separate carbon before combustion. This rich-in-carbon liquid would be disposed at the fueling station and taken to a centralized site. First to sequester it (as explained here) or, as a long-term strategy, transforming it into another fuel.

[Source: Physorg]

Source: Carbon capture strategy could lead to emission-free cars

Simona Alina
Filed in: Morgan | 2008 | Geneva Motor Show | Morgan Lifecar

          1 comment

Morgan will unveil at the Geneva Motor Show, the LifeCar concept, a fuel cell hybrid sportscar based on the Aero Eight and developed in partnership with QinetiQ, OSCar and Oxford University. The new vehicle will be ultra quiet, and its exhaust system will produce only water vapor thanks to its fuel cell converting hydrogen into electricity.

LIFECar has been a 2 ½ year project. The consortium hopes that the LIFECar will produce a combination of performance, range and fuel economy that should alter our view of motoring for the future. Costing a total of £1.9m, with a mix of industry and DTI funding, the two and a half year project has been broken down into the following areas of responsibility.

Press release after the jump.

Press release

The green car that will deliver on performance and looks as well as emission reduction

Now less than 12 months from reality, the British consortium involved in the project, which includes the legendary sports car manufacturer Morgan, QinetiQ, Cranfield and Oxford universities, BOC and OSCar, is on target to unveil the completed and running prototype at the 2008 Geneva show.

The new vehicle, known as LIFECar will be ultra quiet, and its exhaust system will produce only water vapour thanks to its fuel cell converting hydrogen into electricity.

“The real challenge is to design and build a car that is fun to drive – a proper sports car” quoted Charles Morgan, the strategy director for the Morgan Motor Company. “The use of ultra capacitors to store the surplus energy and then use this for acceleration and braking does promise a dynamic ride, especially when combined with our ultra light chassis. The pairing of weight to a minimum is our strength, and allows a much smaller fuel cell than conventionally thought necessary. This gives energy and yet more weight savings”

Part funded by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), LIFECar has been a 2 ½ year project. The consortium hopes that the LIFECar will produce a combination of performance, range and fuel economy that should alter our view of motoring for the future.

The key to delivering this step change in energy efficiency lies in a combination of factors, including weight reduction and a different design approach. Costing a total of £1.9m, with a mix of industry and DTI funding, the two and a half year project has been broken down into the following areas of responsibility.

• BOC Developing the hydrogen refuelling plant
• Cranfield University Systems simulation , on-board computing and control networks
• Oxford University Design and control of re-generative electric motors
• QinetiQ Developing the proton exchange membrane fuel cell
• Morgan Motor Company Building the finalised design using light weight technology
• OSCar Overall system design and architecture

Technical background

The car’s fuel cell system operates by electrochemically combining on-board hydrogen with oxygen taken from the air outside.

Although in most respects fuel cells are more like engines than batteries, to the extent that they generate energy from fuel in a tank rather than store energy, like batteries, they use electrodes (solid electrical conductors) with an electrolyte (an electrically conductive medium). When the hydrogen molecules come into contact with the negative electrodes, the molecules split into protons and electrons.

The protons are then carried across the proton exchange membrane to the positive electrode of the fuel cell whilst the electrons travel around the external circuit as electricity. The molecules of the hydrogen and oxygen are combined chemically, with water as the only waste product.

The only emission from the QinetiQ fuel cell will be water vapour. The electric power generated by the fuel cells powers the electric motors and turns the wheels of the vehicle.

Source: Morgan LIFECar to be presented in Geneva

Damon Lavrinc
Aftermarket, Tuners, Sports/GTs, Japan, Toyota

There have been a fair number of tuners that have made the trek to the Nardo test track in Italy to see if their modified rides could break an illustrious top speed. The MTM Bimoto TT comes to mind, as does AC Schnitzer’s GP3.10 3-series, Edo Competition’s Lamborghini LP640 and 9ff’s insane GT9. Another contender has been added to the list and it’s just as impressive as the rest.

Top Secret has been making the show rounds with its twin-turbo’d V12 Supra for the past year, but it’s finally putting its money where its mouth is and going for a top speed of 400 km/h (248 mph) later this year in Italy. Breaching 200 km/h hasn’t been an issue since the boosted 6.0-liter V12 is supposedly pushing out over 1,000 hp.

You can read up on Kazuhiko “Smoky” Nagata’s golden boy here and check a Japanese-language video of the Supra after the jump.

[Source: Kulitivate, Photo by Bulletproof Automotive]

Source: Top Secret’s V12 Supra heading to Nardo for top speed run

Sebastian Blanco
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily

There are a lot of ways to make an electric car. Greg Zanis decided his should eschew all traditional design ideas and built an EV that looks like something out of an ’80s science fiction movie.

As you can see in the picture to the right, the ZANIS 1 is a pyramid-shaped EV. Zanis must have made the vehicle road-legal, because he told the Kane County Chronicle he drives it about 10 miles a night. The car has neon lights rimming the bottom and bulletproof windows. The unusual shape isn’t the only thing that sets this electric car apart - it’s also heavy as heck, weighing four tons. Those 8,000 pounds come from 80 (!) batteries and four motors. Building the thing (and yes, I think thing is a good word for the ZANIS 1) cost Greg $60,000 and took 18 months. While the ZANIS 1 was based on pyramid RC cars, it is just a stepping stone to the ZANIS 480, another pyramid car that Zanis wants to build, this one with 480 batteries.

I’ll let the Chronicle describe Zanis’ plans for the 480:

Zanis envisions a pyramid car that could be parked in the base of a 65-foot-tall garage covered with solar panels with a cone-shaped windmill at the top.

Sun and wind power would charge the batteries that run the car.

His car would be safer, more energy efficient than others on the market, and would reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, he said.

“They don’t design cars to save a life, they just never have,” Zanis said. “Build a car like a tank or a total road cage all the way around you. That’s why it’s a one-seater. It has pre-inflated air bags all around you. And also an air bubble in the nose cone … It has half-inch thick bullet-proof glass that will withstand a freight train hitting it. So when you’re in the car, you’re already safer.”

Is he for real? 65-feet-tall garages? 480 batteries weighing heaven know how much? I know the Tesla Roadster has like 6,000 batteries, but they’re small. All I gotta say is that I want a ride in this thing.

[Source: Kane County Chronicle via EVWorld]

Source: Setting aside aerodynamic and weight issues, man creates pyramid-shaped electric car