CityCab Study May Herald a More Interesting Future for Taxi Design

PARIS — Accompanied by a hilarious video featuring mime artists showcasing the virtues of the vehicle, the Finnish industrial design students presented their latest project, the CityCab.

Toyota supported Finnish Helsinki Polytechnic in the design study by providing the hybrid powertrain of the Prius. Other sponsors participated by donating carbon-fiber composite material for the body. Even the glass was custom made.

The video on the CityCab Web site highlights how easy it is to get in and out of the CityCab. Four-wheel steering also makes the little car easy to maneuver.

Since the late 1990s, Finnish Helsinki Polytechnic students have come up with almost a dozen prototypes, including four different versions of a roadster, a rebodied trash carrier vehicle and junior racing cars.

Although the CityCab is a prototype, it is fully functional. Depending on public reaction and the appearance of potential partner, a limited production run is not outside the realm of possibility.

© Source: original article on insideline

Nissan finds another niche

Nissan does love its SUVs. The Patrol, X-Trail, Murano, Pathfinder... the list goes on.

And in case you felt their current range wasn't catering to your individual SUV requirements, here's the brand-new Qashqai. That's Qashqai, pronounced... erm... actually, we've no idea.

Nissan reckons it has miraculously discovered another new niche (yes, another one - where do all these niches come from?), between passenger car and 4x4.

The Nissan Qashqai is definitely at the soft-road end of the market - front-wheel drive is standard with four-wheel power an optional extra. Nissan reckons its competition will come from the Golf and Focus, which should give you an idea of where they're pitching.

Launching in the UK in early 2007, the Qashqai will come with a choice of four Renault-sourced engines - two petrol and two turbodiesels. There's no definite word on prices, but expect something upwards of £15,000.

© Source: original article on topgear

Volkswagen CrossGolf

PARIS — When we first heard the name CrossGolf, we wondered why Volkswagen's latest Golf/Rabbit derivative was angry. Then we found out that VW describes the hatchback/wagon/whatever as a vehicle that "merges the can-do qualities of a compact SUV with the versatility of a small MPV into a new crossover model."

In other words, we didn't have enough SUV and MPV wanna-bes already crowding U.S. dealerships. Not to worry. The CrossGolf appears to be aimed primarily at those savvy European buyers who seem to understand the nuances of niche marketing much better than their transatlantic cousins.

What makes the CrossGolf different from the plain-Jane Golf? Mostly a more aggressive face and some extra trim bits, à la Audi's creation and positioning of the original Allroad wagon as a faux off-roader. Unlike the Allroad, the CrossGolf comes only with front-wheel drive, presumably to hold down manufacturing costs and retail prices. Ground clearance has been raised, by a modest 0.8 inch.

There are some cute features inside, like a folding backseat that slides lengthwise, folding tables on the backs of the front seats, and little "pigeonholes" below. Safety gear includes standard antilock brakes and stability control, plus six airbags.

European customers will be offered a choice of two gasoline and two turbodiesel engines, ranging up to 140 horsepower.

© Source: original article on insideline

VW Iroc: Mean green machine

Among all the hype and hyperbole of the Paris show, there's one concept car we can expect to see rolling on our streets in the near future: the Volkswagen Iroc.

Billed as the modern day Scirocco, the Iroc is much more than a Golf in a party frock. The only nods to VW's earlier coupe are the name (Iroc is a sliver from Scirocco) and the colour of the concept.

The metallic Viper Green is a shade that was used by VW in the 1970s.

Otherwise, the Iroc is a thoroughly modern coupe with four spacious seats, and styling inside and out that will make the Audi TT look like the homely cousin.

The Paris car is fitted with a 210bhp TSi petrol engine that combines a supercharger with a turbocharger, and it all drives through a six-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox.

The fact that VW has already let slip that the Iroc could be fitted with a 150bhp FSi petrol engine or even diesel units shows that this concept is further down the development line than most.

The other big clues to the Iroc reaching production are that VW says it would be competitively priced if sold, and company insiders say a line is being readied at the firm's Portuguese factory to start churning out Irocs towards the end of 2007.

© Source: original article on topgear

2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Versace Photos

© Source: original article on seriouswheels.com

We R8 this Audi

Even the cool French were left slack-jawed when Audi pulled back the covers from its R8 supercar.

Employing Le Mans legends Jacky Ickx and Tom Kristensen to do the unveiling, Audi showed off the car to the world at a special premiere the evening before the Paris show.

What we got was an R8 powered by a 4.2-litre V8 with 420bhp based on the RS4's that will push the R8 from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.

Audi has shown its intended targets by not fitting a speed limiter at 155mph, but instead quotes a top speed of 187mph.

The main target is the Porsche Carrera S, which the four-wheel-drive R8 is set to challenge directly on price with a cost of £76,000.

UK cars will come with 19in alloy wheels and a choice of eight metallic colours, with a broad 'blade' of alternate colour just behind the rear doors.

A new R-Tronic gearbox will be offered with the R8, which is a development of the Lamborghini Gallardo's e-gear system. This is likely to cost around £5,000 as an option.

Audi says it's already sold out its UK allocation for 2007, and that's before it has even announced the V10 model with Gallardo-based engine due in 2008.

Details on the V10 remain a guarded secret, although insiders tell us it won't be as powerful as the Le Mans concept and is more likely to produce 550bhp.

© Source: original article on topgear

Renault Koleos

Guess what? Another SUV on the show floor at Paris. This time it's Renault having a crack at the 4x4 theme with a concept called the Koleos.

It's a slightly odd looking softish off-roader designed to give a flavour of Renault's future 4WD projects - the French manufacturer says that something resembling the Koleos should hit production in 2008.

It certainly passes muster on Top Gear's patented concept checklist - abundance of glass, groovy dashboard and plenty of ergonomic thingummys.

And we like the sound of the 2-litre turbodiesel producing 180bhp...

© Source: original article on topgear