Automobile Blog

Subaru has unveiled the Japanese domestic specification version of its Model Year 2006 Impreza WRX STi. It features new look front bumper, grille and headlights, using Subaru’s design theme that draws on its origins as an aircraft maker.

The headlights are designed to project a sharper image and rear light clusters also feature a rounded design, complementing the headlight style. Sweeping character lines run from the grille over the bonnet, highlighting the distinctive new style.

Saleen knows all about power. As in S281 Mustangs, N2O Focuses and the S7, America’s first (and still the only) mid-engine exotic supercar. When it went on sale in 2002, the S7 was the only street-legal car in the U.S. with more than 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque.

While there are a number of different roads Saleen’s engine designers could have traveled down to achieve those high-altitude horsepower and torque figures, for this second edition of the S7 they decided to think beyond atmospheric. And because this is Saleen, they added a double twist to a tried and true racing technique for boosting power and torque: twin turbos.

Designed by Saleen engineers, the S7’s engine and drivetrain incorporate the latest in modern racing technology. The new all-aluminum V8 engine casting was engineered and tooled by Saleen to displace seven liters. Redline is 6500 rpm. Space age materials and engineering are used throughout, including stainless steel valves, titanium retainers, beryllium exhaust valve seats, an aluminum throttle body, Saleendesigned aluminum CNC-machined cylinder heads and stainless steel exhaust system.

The S7 chassis and suspension incorporate decades of Saleen’s experience in racing, racecar construction and high-performance road car manufacturing. The Saleen S7 architecture begins with a space frame chassis to which honeycomb composite reinforcing is grafted. The body is structural, aerospace-quality, autoclave carbon fiber. Suspension is via fully independent unequal-length double wishbones with coilover springs, lightweight aluminum dampers (shock absorbers) and stabilizer (anti-roll) bars front and rear.

The S7’s beautiful shape was “designed� by the wind. Optimal aerodynamics and top speed performance objectives were achieved with extensive wind tunnel work. Targets included a low coefficient of drag, optimum drag-to-lift ratio, and extreme down force. The S7 has “full tray� body sculpting underneath.

For the 2005 S7 Twin Turbo, the redesigned front and rear diffusers, along with the new rear spoiler, result in a 40 percent reduction in aero drag and a 60 percent increase in down force. Those of you who know anything about aero forces recognize the significance of that last statement. Typically, you would have to trade down force to reduce aero drag.

The Porsche Carrera GT, which was introduced as a 2004 model, is a low, sleek, lightweight roadster that is as beautiful to the engineer as it is to the eye. Foul weather protection is also available in the form of two removable panels that can be stored in the front trunk.

Among the car’s unique features are its 5.7-liter, 605-horsepower (SAE) V10 engine, its monocoque chassis with Porsche-patented engine and transmission mounts made of carbon-reinforced plastic and the first use of a ceramic composite clutch in a production car.

The Carrera GT’s aerodynamic and race-bred suspension package provides safe and stable travel at speeds of up to 205 mph (330 km/h). The Carrera GT features the extensive use of lightweight materials, such as magnesium for the car’s substantial wheels and the frames of its special sport seats.

The result of such artistic and athletic equipment is a car that accelerates from a standing start to 62 mph (100 km/h) in only 3.9 seconds, reaches 100 mph (160 km/h) in less than seven seconds, 125 mph (200 km/h) in less than 10 seconds, and can achieve a top test-track speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).

Nissan will continue building the Skyline GT-R in the 21st Century, providing the ultimate driving pleasure to even more people worldwide. In its next generation Nissan is looking to introducing the Skyline GT-R in other markets worldwide.

Successive generations of the GT-R have consistently pursued the ultimate in driving pleasure. Over the years, the GT-R has continued to be a supreme-performance road-going car that delivers superb driving pleasure by responding faithfully to the driver’s demands. Just sitting in the driver’s seat of the GT-R produces a feeling of excitement that envelops the entire body.

The GT-R has been the showcase for the highest levels of acceleration, cornering and stopping capabilities. The delicate balance between the powerful engine and responsive suspension has been pushed as each system surpassed last generation technology.

Successive generations of the GT-R have already established an unshakable position in Japan as a result of incorporating the highest levels of technology available in pursuit of ultimate driving pleasure. That superior performance transcended the oceans to make the GT-R the focus of envious looks the world over. Nissan is developing a new generation of GT-R for the 21st Century with the aim of placing it in the spotlight of the global stage, beyond the borders of the Japanese market.

The all-new Nissan 350Z sports car, unveiled last January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit just three years after the first Z Concept vehicle was rushed onto the North American auto show circuit as an initial styling and feasibility study, went on sale in the United States and Canada as a 2003 model.

The stylish, 287-horsepower 350Z continues the Z heritage of design, performance and value that has remained unchallenged since the original Datsun 240Z was introduced 33 years ago as a 1970 model.

The 350Z was designed to impress viewers at first sight with its newness as a sports car and to remain an object of unending adoration for ages to come. While inheriting the “Z-ness� passed on through successive generations, this Z embodies many new features for a sports car, all of which have been perfected to exceptionally high quality.

Design cues passed on from the first-generation Z include the long nose and short deck styling, triangular cabin form and the lines extending from the arch-shaped roof to the hatchback opening. To that heritage, a newness has been added to contrast the soft, warm body shape with the geometrical forms of the headlamps and other parts.

The 3.5-liter VQ35DE V6 engine produces 287 horsepower and 274 lb-ft of torque, an expanded power range that comes as a result of reworking the intake port design and adopting Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) technology.

All 2005 350Z models receive a number of other enhancements for the new model year, including standard Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS), driver’s seat front and rear lifter, reduced clutch pedal effort for manual transmission models and downshift rev matching for automatic transmission models, heated outside mirrors and a faster navigation system processor for improved route calculation times.

The striking new 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, bred from legendary racing DNA and a legacy of heart-pounding excitement on the FIA world rally circuit, was introduced at the 2005 New York International Automobile Show. Loaded with power and aerodynamic enhancements culled from Mitsubishi’s rally-racing success during the past 13 years, the Lancer Evolution IX further distinguishes the vehicle as the undisputable leader in the high-performance compact sedan market.

This latest edition to the Lancer Evolution model line, designed to compete against far more expensive sports cars, easily lives up to its Mitsubishi motorsports pedigree. By combining brute power and graceful agility, the Lancer Evolution IX is sure to raise the adrenaline of driving enthusiasts at every turn.

Charged with taking the Lancer Evolution driving experience to the next level, Mitsubishi engineers complemented the vehicle’s unmatched riding and handling characteristics – refined on the world’s most demanding test tracks – with even more power and torque for 2006.

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The new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an impressive testament to the competence and experience of Mercedes-Benz and their Formula 1 partner McLaren in the development and production of high-performance sports cars. The two-seater, with its striking swing-wing doors and styling elements borrowed from the Formula 1 Silver Arrows, builds on the legacy of the famous SLR race cars of the 1950s.

Equipped with cutting-edge race car technology and groundbreaking new Mercedes developments, designed to ensure a high standard of safety and suitability for day-to-day use, the new SLR creates a distinctive image for itself as a 21st-century Gran Turismo – a thrilling synthesis of tradition and innovation.

The newly developed V8 supercharged engine delivers an output of 626 bhp and accelerates the sports car from 0 to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds. The top speed is approximately 207 mph. The body of the new SLR, like those of the Mercedes-McLaren Formula 1 race cars, is made from carbon fibre composites – lightweight materials which demonstrate exemplary energy absorption, hence ensuring the highest standard of occupant protection.

The SLR is the world’s first series-produced car to have a front crash structure manufactured entirely from carbon fibres. Adaptive airbags, newly developed kneebags and sidebags, belt tensioners, high-performance ceramic brake discs and an automatically adaptive airbrake in the boot lid round off the range of safety equipment on board the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, setting new standards in this vehicle class.