Daily News
So here is our round-up from the weekend for all that is new in the world of motoring. First off this weekend there was a cracking victory for Chris Meeke in the Rally Mexico, despite his diversion around a car park. You can watch the video here!
How many of you like the idea of an electric car, but get put off by the dull as dishwater looks. Renault have created the ZOE e-Sport Concept, which if built would certainly not have that issue. It is the sizzling love child of the current ZOE road car and the Renault-e.dams electric single-seater which landed two titles in the FIA Formula E Championship.
The crazy folk Renault have taken a ZOE platform that was lting around the factory and fired in the internals from a racing car, bonkers but brilliant and capable of 0 to 100kph in 3.2 seconds. The ZOE e-Sport Concept has two motors which deliver a total of 340kW, almost 460bhp. The two motors are identical, with one at the front of the car, the other at the rear. To exploit all this power, the ZOE e-Sport Concept has two batteries (one per engine) for a total capacity of 40kWh.
The ZOE e-Sport Concept is the Satin blue colour of the Renault e.dams team’s 2016/2017 livery, with yellow flashes and oodles of carbon fibre. The ZOE e-Sport Concept weighs just 1,400 kg, including the battery, thanks to the design of its chassis and the extensive use of the woven black stuff. Inside the ZOE e-Sport Concept has two RECARO bucket seats equipped with competition harnesses, roll cage and that’s about it really… Now that’s an electric car we would happily own!
Audi engineers have been busy extending the model range with a very final looking concept Q8. There are aero feature built into the front and rear, whilst the power is provided by a 476 bhp (350kW) 3.0 TFSI six-cylinder engine featuring a mild hybrid system and an electric powered compressor. This gives performance of 0-62 in just 4.7 seconds and keeps going until it reaches its top speed of 170 mph. Meanwhile, its range of more than 745 miles (1,200 kilometres) ensures it is also suitable for long journeys. This is achieved through combining the six-cylinder engine with an electric powered compressor and an effective mild hybrid system for recuperation. The starter generator positioned between the crankshaft and the transmission handles recuperation and, if required, can work in the opposite direction as an additional electric motor. The 48-volt electrical system assures the supply of electrical power. Positioned at the rear is a lithium‑ion battery with an energy storage capacity of 0.9 kWh makes it possible to keep moving slowly in stop-start traffic with the combustion engine switched off, as well as allowing for manoeuvring and parking under electric power alone. During braking, efficient recuperation using the 20-kW-strong starter generator quickly recharges the battery to ensure that the vehicle can regularly be driven under electric power, clever huh?
In the Audi Q8 sport concept, the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system gets an outing, as you would expect. Then there is adaptive air suspension sport – an air suspension system with controlled damping – allows for a broad spectrum of ride characteristics, ranging from cushioned cruising to firm and tight handling. Furthermore, it sets the ground clearance in five levels with 90‑millimetre (3.5 in) height differences, selecting the ideal level in each case, Range Rover beware.
Over at VW they’ve been busy creating the Arteon, a big five door with coupé-like lines. Frameless side windows, a wrap-around bonnet and finely detailed dynamic lines in the style of a GT – these define the look of the new Arteon. The R-Line and Elegance equipment lines positioned above the base version further accentuate the sporty and elegant character of the new Volkswagen model.
The latest generation driver assistance systems are celebrating their premiere in the Arteon, such as the further developed Emergency Assist and the further developed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) which control the car's speed while taking route data and speed limits into account. In addition, there are premium features such as a navigation system with a glass cover and full-LED headlights.
The engine range comprises three turbocharged TSI petrol and three TDI diesel engines. All are transversely-mounted four-cylinder engines with direct fuel injection. The highest power level engine is coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG) and 4MOTION all-wheel drive as standard.
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Big fastbacks are obviously the flavour of the month because Kia have been at it as well. The Stinger (not sure if that’s cliché or super cool) is a modern looking four door, and it’s going to come equipped with some decent engines and rear wheel drive for what Kia hope will be an exciting driving experience.
In Europe, the Stinger will be available with a choice of three engines: a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, a powerful 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6, and a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine – expected to account for the majority of European sales. The Stinger’s proportions 4,830 mm in length and 1,870 mm in width, making it longer and wider than many sport saloons, and allow for a spacious cabin and cargo area.
Under the long bonnet of the Kia Stinger is a choice of three longitudinally-mounted turbocharged engines. The engine anticipated to account for the majority of Stinger sales across Europe is a 2.2-litre turbodiesel, capable of producing 200 bhp. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 255 bhp whilst the Stinger’s most powerful engine is a 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol knocking out 370 bhp. The Stinger will only feature an eight-speed automatic transmission, which is fitted as standard with all engines, the transmission offers up to five different shift and throttle programmes which drivers can change themselves with flappy paddles should they so wish. If rear wheel drive is too much of a handful, or you have had issues with driving your beamer in the snow, fear not the Stinger has an AWD option for even more sure-footedness.
The Kia Stinger will enter production in the second half of 2017, and will go on sale across Europe during the fourth quarter of the year. Pricing will be announced closer to the Stinger’s on-sale date, so we will find out then if we will be stung...
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