Sports Cars

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Maybach Exelero Cars

A one-off custom-built Maybach was unveiled in May 2005 at the Tempodrom in Berlin. Commissioned by tyre company Fulda, the Exelero is a chopped-down two-seater coupe, though it's more than just a show car - in tests at the Nardo high-speed oval, the prototype reached a speed of 218.38mph, despite weighing over 2.66 tonnes. It is capable of acceleration from 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.

The car's design was the result of a competition amongst students at the Pforzheim Polytechnic Department of Transport Design, which has worked on show vehicles for Fulda in the past. The design of 24-year-old Fredrik Burchhardt was chosen, and his work was co-ordinated with that of the Maybach design centre in Sindelfingen. The project, based on the Maybach 57 limousine, required a certain amount of re-engineering; the A-pillar and doors had to be shifted rearwards, and the steering column, pedals and gearshift all re-located. The standard 550bhp V12 engine was bored out to 5.9 litres, and tuned for 700bhp and over 738lb ft of torque. With final dimensions of 5890mm long, 2140mm wide and just 1390mm high, the car was kitted out with a full-spec interior, including leather, neoprene, aluminium and carbonfibre finishes.

Maybach Exelero

Maybach says the car, built by Stola in Turin, is "a one-off vehicle created to showcase the new ultra-high performance Exelero tyre range from leading tyre manufacturer Fulda"; it's not the first time the two companies have teamed up, as back in 1938 Fulda demonstrated its tyres on a Maybach SW 38 limousine. There are, however, "no plans to produce the model in series", though it has been certified for on-road use.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA

2011 Mini Crossman

Mini recently confirmed that it intended to maximize the Mini Cooper with a crossover variant, seemingly with the name Crossman. Such a vehicle has long been rumored but had been referred to as the Colorado.

Based on our recently snapped spy shots of a running prototype, we can surmise that the Crossman is basically going to be a jacked-up version of the new Cooper-based Mini Clubman. Sort of like a Volvo XC70 in a snack-size package.

2011 Mini Crossman

2011 Mini Crossman

Although the styling is certain to change from the Clubman, the Crossman will undoubtedly share platform and powertrain characteristics with the spunky wagonette. A bit more ground clearance and big wheels pushed way out compared with those of land-bound Minis will also afford it a bit more cross-cred.

The view from beneath the rear bumper gives away various interesting tidbits. This car has all-wheel drive, and in spite of the big hood scoop and the “S” badges on the sides, the single exhaust system shows that this particular car is not a turbocharged S-model. But we fully expect a Cooper S Crossman when the vehicle finally comes to market, likely in 2010 as a 2011 model, as that is when there will be available assembly capacity at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. The extra capacity will come when BMW moves X3 production from the contract assembler to its own plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

2011 Mini Crossman

2011 Mini Crossman

We expect the Crossman to be available with at least the best two of the Mini Cooper’s miserly four-cylinder engines—the only ones we get in the States, anyway. The direct-injection 1.6-liter inline-fours produce 118 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque in the Clubman and 172 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque when turbocharged for the Cooper S version.

Europeans likely will also have a turbo-diesel D Crossman with automatic start/stop and regenerative braking—fuel-saving technology not available on Minis in the U.S.

Meanwhile, we will have to wait to find out how much the added weight of the drivetrain and rolling stock will affect the Mini Crossman’s spunky personality.