Monday, August 16th, 2010
2004 Ford Mustang GT R Concept
The Ford Mustang GT-R Concept that first debuted at the 2004 New York International Auto Show has been sold at auction, the lucky buyer had to cough up $110,000 for the privilege of owning this one off, and by all accounts he picked it up for peanuts as the estimated auction valuation was between $250k and $350k!
The car itself was a put together as a tribute to the 40 years the Mustang had been around, and became a popular dream car to many Mustang fans. This Mustang Concept boasts a 440hp 5.0L power-plant, a six-speed transmission and a race prepared chassis including huge Brembo stoppers, though we somehow doubt that the new owner will ever take this Mustang on to a race track, despite the fact that is one of the few places he will be able to drive it as its not street legal.
We don’t know what the new owner plans for the car, but we would like to think he will cherish it as we would ourselves, its a very special one off, and as an investment, a fantastic buy, we can see this selling in 10 years time for a million bucks… we’ve already started our collection jar.
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Friday, August 13th, 2010
Among the most popular and prestigious events of the year is the LA Auto Show, which takes place in November. This year is likely to be bigger and better than ever, with many car manufacturers hoping to wow the crowds with their latest eco-friendly developments and high value for money products.
One manufacturer will be looking to do exactly that is Hyundai, as they will be debuting one of their most recent concept cars. The Korean car manufacturer has already stressed how important it is for them to reach a goal of hitting 50mpg for all their vehicles and this concept is likely to be one step closer towards that mark.
Here is the thing; John Krafcik, the company CEO, is making some extremely competitive claims to the general public. A recent announcement suggested that Hyundai would average 50mpg across its whole range by 2025.
The claims may be taken with a slight pinch of salt though. Whilst the company does offer the best fleet in terms of averages, they are still far from the 50mpg mark. In fact, their current 30mpg average means that they have a huge task ahead of them.
Everything seems to be just rumors at the moment, but possibilities are endless for Hyundai. They could be developing a whole new concept, or they could be looking to release their Blue-Will Concept. This concept is likely to be one that could easily be competitive with the Toyota Prius.
According to Hyundai, this new hybrid is likely to produce some extremely impressive figures. It will incorporate a 1.6 liter engine, which will pump out 152bhp. This will be accompanied by a 100kW electric engine which incorporates a lithium-polymer battery pack. Together, they will create a mpg figure in excess of 100, whilst the standard mode will still produce an impressive 50mpg.
The problem for Hyundai is this; they have nothing like this already in production. Their current concept may well be able to keep the likes of the Prius on its toes, but without it going to dealerships and point of sale, there is no chance that Hyundai can be considered anywhere near on Toyotas’ level.
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Thursday, August 5th, 2010
Vauxhall have been hard at work, developing the next generation range of vehicles in addition to their current range. Their latest development is in the form of the GTC concept car. The car is likely to have its worldwide debut at the Paris Motor Show which is scheduled to take place this October.
Whilst the design and mechanics of the vehicle provided by Vauxhall are fairly vague, it has given the media a sneak peak into the future. Most people involved in the industry have come to the assumption that this is possibly what the new Astra Sport Hatch is going to be based in – sleek, yet still holding its sporty charm.
Sneak peaks and spy shots have been circulating the web, but no official photographs of the new GTC concept car have yet been released. That being said, we can all come to the conclusion that it is in fact a modified and futuristic version of the current Vauxhall Astra. With that in mind, Vauxhall will have the usual competition on their hands, in the form of the Renault Megane Coupe.
Vauxhall are set to have an extremely busy few months ahead of them. Whilst the focus is currently on the GTC concept car, there are plenty of other developments in the pipeline. In fact, one development that is completed is the Astra Sports Tourer. This vehicle has already had its sale date set and will be leaving showrooms with their new owners some time in October 2010.
Built in the UK, it soon becomes apparent that this has been designed as a passenger vehicle. In comparison to previous models, it has a lot more space and is designed in a much more efficient manner. Bear in mind that this vehicle boasts luggage space of over 1,500 liters, with the seats down of course.
The Paris Motor Show is likely to be an exciting event for Vauxhall overall. A range of new models will be on show, some of which have been under development for years, others which have simply seen minor modifications.
One of the focal points for Vauxhall this year was the further development of the ecoFLEX models. They are now scattered throughout the Vauxhall range, in an effort for Vauxhall to come across as a eco-friendly brand.
Like all concept cars, more details related to the Vauxhall GTC concept and Vauxhalls intentions are likely to become apparent closer to the time of the Paris Motor Show.
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Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Ford Start Concept - Ford aims to capture a large slice of the Asian small car market.
Ford is is looking to wrap the Asian small car market with this little number, the Ford Start.
Looking rather like an evolution of the KA that is so popular in Europe, the Ford Start concept is aimed at capturing a large percentage of the market for a small economical car so sought after in many countries across Asia.
The car will feature a 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost direct injection turbo engine which surprisingly has the power of a 1.6 liter unit, but throws out less than 100g/km CO2, this is the same engine set to make its appearance in the Fiesta and Focus.
The car is set to use various techniques to reduce costs, lots of one piece construction and use of lightweight composite materials where viable.
This Ford Start concept looks great to us and it seems a shame Ford has seen fit to only plan this for the Asian market, the great design and unique look would surely be a hit on the roads of Europe and the more cosmopolitan cities across the US.
Still, that should mean capturing a glimpse of one outside of Asia should make for an even more eye catching experience and we’re sure there will be a fair number of people aiming to import them so as to drive something different.
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Monday, July 19th, 2010
While the spirit of MG may have long been lost, the marque lives on, and here we have something of a departure from what we usually associate MG with, i.e. low volume performance cars for the man on the street.
This concept, and we think it may not actually be so much of concept rather a model on the way as rumor has it this and the MG2 are one and the same thing, is aimed squarely at the volume small car market, will this pay off for MG, probably not would be our guess, there is so much competition in the sector, and incredibly strong competition, that taken on the existing players at their own game might well be a bullet or two in the foot.
That said, the car looks OK, but we have no other details upon which to make any judgements, not yet at least. We think, to be honest, it will be a typical MG in terms of quality, refinement and reliability, China are still playing catch up in these areas of automotive design and production, and we can see this car getting some critical reviews, still the chance is there for this to be a great car, as long as no corners are not cut.
That being said, if it uses the Fiat Punto platform as we believe it may do, then it should at least do the basics very well, and then just the finishing will be the area under scrutiny.
Anyhow, good to see the MG name still around, it could have disappeared forever if things had gone differently, just hope that something is left of the soul, but that is maybe wishful thinking.
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