Andoniscars - passion for excellence

Hamann Range Rover Evoque Coupe

2012-03-05T13:35:00.000+01:00

Scharf und sexy: Audis neuer Kompakter aus Sicht des Designers (DE)

2012-03-05T13:28:00.002+01:00

Fiat 500L Vid

2012-03-05T13:26:00.001+01:00

Cool Ferrari Wallpaper - 250 GT Lusso

2012-03-05T13:01:00.000+01:00

Touring Superleggera Disco Volante. In Hi-Res this time.

2012-03-05T12:56:00.000+01:00

Hamann Hawk Roadster (R197

2012-03-04T23:51:00.000+01:00

800HP V12 - Brabus Bullit Coupe 800

2012-03-04T23:39:00.002+01:00

Good nite with Koenigsegg Agera

2012-03-04T21:29:00.001+01:00

NSX Concept for Geneva

2012-03-04T10:28:00.000+01:00

VW Cross Coupé TDI Hybrid Plug-in: 1,8L/100km, 46g CO2

2012-03-04T10:16:00.003+01:00

Leaked again: Viper

2012-03-04T10:07:00.001+01:00

viperclub

Forgotten Wonders: Vauxhall SRV

2012-03-04T09:45:00.000+01:00

The Vauxhall SRV, the Styling Research Vehicle, was a concept car designed in 1970 and exhibited in London in October 1970. Designed by Wayne Cherry and Chris Field for Vauxhall Motors in the UK, the car featured a transversely mid mounted engine and the car was constructed in GRP (glass reinforced plastic). The SRV featured an aerofoil nose, to help aerodynamics, an electric levelling system at the rear, and a pump to distribute fuel around the car's various fuel tanks. Although the car appeared to have 2 doors, infact in had 4 doors and 4 seats. The cars controls were mounted in the driver's door. Never intended for production, the car was an attempt to raise Vauxhall's profile and image, while providing a platform for researching some unusual design concepts.

The car's exterior design was inspired by the short-nosed, long-tailed Le Mans racers of the time, but was able to seat four adults in comfort, despite being just 41 inches (104 cm) high. Unusually, the design featured fixed front seats, but with all of the driver controls adjustable for position, angle and reach. The car also featured four doors, with the rear doors being handle-less and largely disguised - this feature is only now being incorporated into real production cars over thirty years later.
Ahead-of-time thinkingThe car could change its aerodynamic profile using an adjustable aerofoil located in the nose section. The SRV also had electrically adjusted suspension leveling at the rear, and the car could redistribute fuel to different tanks to adjust handling. The instruments were fixed to a pod hinged to the drivers door.

Engine
The engine was a 2.3 litre mid-mounted transverse version of the Slant Four, but featuring fuel injection. The engine fitted to the SRV was a mock-up, and the car was unable to run under its own power, and the necessary transverse transmission was never developed for the vehicle.

Text and images: Lotusespritturbo.com and Wikipedia

Good morning with Iso Grifo Spider

2012-03-04T07:50:00.000+01:00

Corvette Drag Race

2012-03-04T07:37:00.000+01:00

MP4-12C High Sport

2012-03-04T07:30:00.000+01:00

Copyright Tomirri Photography

Good evening with Mansory Cormeum (C197)

2012-03-03T19:21:00.000+01:00

David Coulthard: 2012 DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé

2012-03-03T19:17:00.000+01:00

Lexus RX - Gallery

2012-03-03T17:10:00.000+01:00

Leaked: Hyundai i-oniq images

2012-03-03T17:01:00.000+01:00

Aventador Speeeeedster Leaked

2012-03-03T16:56:00.000+01:00

autoforum.cz

Lamborghini Videoteases something for Geneva. But WHAT? Share your opinion

2012-03-03T08:14:00.002+01:00

New Aston Martin Zagato V12

2012-03-02T22:51:00.002+01:00

Ferrari 458 Italia Loud Accelerations & Fly Bys

2012-03-02T22:44:00.002+01:00

Cambiano 2012

2012-03-02T22:41:00.002+01:00

Good nite with Koenigsegg CCXR

2012-03-02T22:33:00.000+01:00

Lamborghini history: The Islero

2012-03-02T15:35:00.000+01:00

The Lamborghini Islero is a sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1968 and 1969. It was the replacement for the 400GT and featured the Lamborghini V12 engine. The car debuted at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show.

The Islero (pronounced "eez-LEHR-oh") was named after a Miura bull that killed famed matador Manuel Rodriguez "Manolete" on August 28, 1947 (Lamborghini also produced a car named the Miura, from 1966 to 1973).

Since Carrozzeria Touring, the company that designed Lamborghini's chassis, was bankrupt, Carrozzeria Marazzi was the next logical choice as it was funded by Mario Marazzi, an old employee of Touring. The design was essentially a rebody of the 400GT, but the track was altered to allow for wider tires and while the Islero's body suffered from a lack of proper fit between the panels, its good outward visibility, roomier interior, and much improved soundproofing made it an improvement over previous models. It had a 325 brake horsepower (242 kW; 330 PS) 4.0 L (3929 cc) V12 engine, a five-speed transmission, fully independent suspension, and disc brakes. Its top speed was rated at 154 mph (248 km/h) and acceleration from zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) took 6.4 seconds.Only 125 Isleros were built.

An updated Islero, dubbed the Islero S, was released in 1969. The engine in this model was tuned to 350 brake horsepower (260 kW; 350 PS), but the torque remained the same. There were quite a few styling changes, including brightwork blind slots on the front fenders, an enlarged hood scoop (which supplied air to the interior of the car, not the engine), slightly flared fenders, tinted windows, round side-marker lights (instead of teardrops on the original), and a fixed section in the door windows. Various other changes included larger brake discs, revised rear suspension and revamped dashboard and interior. The top speed of the S improved to 161 mph (259 km/h) and acceleration from zero to 60 mph 6.2 seconds. Only 100 examples of the Islero S were built, bringing the production total of the Islero nameplate to 225 cars. Ferruccio Lamborghini himself drove an Islero during that era - as did his brother Edmondo. The car is also famous for its appearance in the Roger Moore thriller The Man Who Haunted Himself.

Text Wikipedia

No comment. Everything is in the picture.

2012-03-02T14:26:00.001+01:00

Lotus International Rally Team Presents

2012-03-02T11:46:00.000+01:00

The Lotus International Rally team is set to make its race debut in April in the FIA European Rally Championship. Bernardo Sousa is in-line to race the new Exige R-GT at the Rally 1000 Miglia in Brescia, Italy, on 19-21 April.

The All-New SL 63 AMG PromoVid

2012-03-02T11:44:00.000+01:00

Carlsson Tweaks the SLK

2012-03-02T10:57:00.002+01:00

POTD: Morgan Plus8

2012-03-02T10:42:00.000+01:00

Touring Superleggera Disco Volante

2012-03-02T10:12:00.001+01:00

touringsuperleggera

JE Design Porsche Panamera (970)

2012-03-02T09:10:00.001+01:00

Leaked: Ruf CTR3 Clubsport

2012-03-02T09:10:00.000+01:00

7 hi-tech stuff to be introduced by Audi

2012-03-02T08:55:00.000+01:00

Audi wireless charging

Audi is working flat out on the future of ‘electromobility' - on its e-tron models and their technology. The brand with the four-ring badge pursues a comprehensive concept that includes every aspect of the task, including recharging the traction battery. In this area, automatic and contactless charging is an especially interesting prospect: Audi's name for this is Audi wireless charging.

Project Leader Dr. Björn Elias says: "We aim to offer our customers a premium-standard recharging method - easy to use and fully automatic, with no mechanical contacts. It uses the induction principle, which is already well known from various products, from the electric toothbrush through the induction cooker hotplate. We are now using it to recharge cars."

Dr. Elias is in charge of the Audi wireless charging pre-development project at Audi Electronics Venture GmbH (AEV), an AUDI AG subsidiary. Within the scope of pre-development in the area of Audi electronics, AEV has the task of identifying new trends in the vehicle electronics environment, checking their suitability and bringing them up to series-production readiness, if necessary in cooperation with outside companies.

An important partner in the area of wireless charging is the WiTricity Corporation from Watertown, near Boston. The American company supplies technical components which are integrated into the vehicle's complete system, in particular the coil systems that are integrated into the plates. The primary coil is normally located at the roadside or on a parking lot; the secondary coil is on the underside of the Audi e-tron vehicle.

When the Audi e-tron or some other suitably equipped electric vehicle is driven to a point above the primary coil in the road surface, the battery charging process starts automatically. Alternating current in the primary coil generates an alternating magnetic field that crosses the air gap and induces an alternating voltage in the secondary coil on the car. This voltage is rectified and fed to the car's traction battery. The process is terminated when the battery is fully charged or if the recharging process is interrupted by driving the car away or switching it off manually.

The primary coil - for instance in the car owner's garage - can be flat on the floor or even under the surface. It is unaffected by rain, ice or snow, and since the alternating magnetic field is only built up when a vehicle is above it, there is no risk to human beings or animals.

This charging technology can be integrated into the traffic infrastructure wherever needed, for instance as garage parking equipment or on housing estates. Dr. Elias outlines a medium-term scenario: "Imagine you drive to work in your Audi e-tron, and on the way home you stop off at the store. Wherever you park the car, its battery will be recharged - perhaps even at traffic signals. These short recharging cycles are ideal for the battery: the smaller the difference between the values before and after recharging, the longer the battery's potential operating life."

Much more work will be necessary before countrywide recharging infrastructures can be built up. Audi is playing an active part as a member of the expert workgroups in Germany and America that are aiming for a uniform public standard. Dr. Elias expects automatic wireless charging technology to go into series production in a few years' time. With it, electromobility has the potential to take a further big step forward.

Garage Parking Pilot
Cars that move without the driver taking any action - this still sounds like an idea that has strayed from science fiction. But Audi is bringing it step by step closer to reality. The parking assistant that helps to steer various Audi models such as the Audi A4 and Audi A6 into a parking bay has been in production for some time, and new technologies for ‘piloted parking' are now being developed. The visionary motto is: "If I don't want to drive, I'll let the car take over. If I enjoy driving, for instance on an attractive country road, then I'll take over myself!"

"Parking garages and underground car parks are typical examples," says Stefan Stümper. He works for the Audi Electronics Venture, an Audi subsidiary for pre-development in the area of electronics. Not every driver feels happy when driving around looking for an empty parking bay. It takes time to find one, insert the car carefully into it and take it out again later. Our Garage Parking Pilot project assists the driver in performing these tasks."

Stümper explains this technology by taking an Audi driver who wants to see a movie one evening as an example. Using the car's online link while driving into town he checks with the garage's management system whether there is an unoccupied piloted parking bay. This information appears on the car's MMI screen; the driver selects the most suitable garage and the navigation system guides him to it.

At the entrance the driver stops briefly to select any other services he needs on the MMI screen, for instance automatic wireless charging of the battery if he is driving an Audi e-tron model. He then gets out of the car, locks it and uses his smartphone to issue a ‘park' signal to the system.

In the garage a central control unit manages the piloted parking process. It makes WLAN contact with the car at the entrance and calls up the principal data, from which it learns the car's size. The central computer then locates the nearest suitable parking bay and transmits a schematic route map to the car.

This ‘digital thread' operates the Audi's electromechanical steering as it moves through the garage at a speed of between five and ten kilometers an hour. This aim of the project is to perform the parking function reliably without the car having to be upgraded technically. The Audi therefore uses existing series-production sensors to identify its position. An intelligent computer algorithm compiles a complete picture of the surrounding area and compares it with the garage's route map.

If there is the slightest risk of a collision, the Audi comes to a halt. The same applies if radio contact with the central computer is lost. The garage control unit monitors all the car's movements with highly accurate laser scanners. According to pre-development engineer Stümper: The equipment is accurate to the nearest centimeter, but the true challenge is not achieving reliability in the individual modules but in getting all the necessary sensor and control modules to work together as a single, complex overall concept."

After the driver has enjoyed his movie, he calls the garage parking computer by smartphone and instructs it to send the car to the exit point - assuming that he didn't already ask for it to be returned at a specific time. The Audi then re-appears and the parking fee is debited automatically.

"This scenario is only the beginning," says Stefan Stümper. "Our first step would be to equip separate areas in the garages for piloted parking. The central computer would control all the vehicle movements there for maximum speed and safety. Since there are no people in these areas, the ceilings can be lower, the parking bays smaller and the lighting less powerful, to save space and reduce energy consumption. We can also install automated car wash and refueling systems - and of course recharging points for e-tron models."

Science fiction? Not any more - though of course liability questions are very important, and will have to be solved before these systems go into large-scale production. Audi is taking aviation as a guideline: the ‘automatic pilot' has been commonplace for many years, but the final responsibility still rests with the human pilot. The same will apply to the automobile. This is why Audi speaks about ‘piloted driving'. The garage parking pilot is a firm element in the new networked mobility that Audi has named ‘Audi connect'. This term covers all applications and developments that form links between Audi automobiles and their owners, with the Internet, with the infrastructure and with other vehicles - to serve and benefit the customer.

OLED Technology

The ‘tunnel of light' in the basement of the Audi Electronics Center in Ingolstadt is a rather dark place - until it comes to casting light on the situation. The floor is gray, the curtains have black drapes and only in the middle there are three specimens brightly lit in various shades of yellow and red. The room is like the stage of a theater, with Stephan Berlitz, Head of Innovations Lighting/ Lighting Electronics at Audi, as the stage manager.

Berlitz is one of the development engineers who have helped put Audi in the lead in modern automobile lighting technology. LED daytime running lights and headlights are development milestones; the next step forward will be OLED. Displays using this technique have already reached series production maturity in the electronic industry. Berlitz and his team cooperate closely with Audi Design on utilizing OLEDs as exterior lighting for the automobile.

OLED stands for "organic light emitting diode". Unlike LEDs, which consist of semiconductor crystals, they are organic polymers with the properties of semiconductors. Only a few nanometers thick, the paste-like material occupies the space between an anode and a cathode. These both have an electrically conductive coating. Because they are only a few thousandths of a millimeter thick, all these materials can be transparent if necessary.

Two glass plates with a flat polished surface enclose the assembly and make it air- and water-tight. The resulting sandwich, just over a millimeter thick, is held in a metal frame. If a low voltage is applied, photons are emitted in the electrical field and the surface is illuminated. The thinner the layer, the greater the brightness. Various polymers can be used to obtain different colors.

Several OLEDs can be placed one behind the other for mixed color effects, since they are transparent. White light is obtained by adding the colors together.

Stephan Berlitz demonstrates a rear light that his team has built up for the Audi Q7. Inside it, the light comes from four small red OLED plates aligned next to one another. Eight flat segments make up the curved yellow strip for the flashing turn indicator.

"This homogeneous visual effect would not be possible with today's LEDs," Berlitz explains. "These are individual points of light that need additional optical devices - reflectors, optical conductors or scatter optics. OLED surfaces are themselves the source of light, and the thin plates also look attractive. They weigh little, light up extremely fast, develop only a small amount of heat, last for several tens of thousand hours and don't consume any more energy than conventional light-emitting diodes. OLEDs suit Audi perfectly because they combine high-end technology, maximum precision and super design!"

The Audi roadmap for introducing OLEDs to series production will take several years to put into effect. At the current level of development, the new diodes only withstand low currents and the acceptable temperature range ends at about 80 degrees Celsius. OLEDs will make an appearance as rear lights in the relatively near future; for brake lights, which have to be about five times brighter, a few more years will elapse. But Berlitz can also visualize white OLEDs being used for daytime running lights and side lights.

The biggest target of all - especially for Audi's designers - are three-dimensional OLEDs. The first prototypes are now appearing as part of a project with public support. They are fascinating: delicate, almost weightless ring-shaped sources of light, installed on various levels in the rear light units of an Audi TT.

Free forms can perhaps be obtained by means of an intermediate solution - arranging the small plates three-dimensionally. Clusters of this kind could be located anywhere on the body, as seen on a model of the future Audi R8 OLED concept. It has strips consisting of hundreds of triangular OLEDs on its sides, back and inside the car. "My design department colleagues have transformed the entire car into a source of light!" says Berlitz. This will permit the car to be identified in a whole series of ways that can be constantly varied."

The ‘swarm' - the third exhibit in the tunnel of light, is another scenario for the future. The rear end of the car is transformed into a large illuminated surface, with innumerable small points of light flickering like a swarm of fish and following the car's movements. When the driver turns right, the swarm moves in the same direction, when he or she applies the brakes, the ‘fish' rush forward, and the faster the car is driven, the more hectic the swarm's movements. In this way the OLEDs tell the driver behind actively just what the car is doing.

The ‘swarm' uses OLEDs in a technical display, with a matrix made up of a large number of pixel-size units that can be energized separately. The OLED swarm too combines the attractive with the practical, or as Berlitz puts it: "It looks sensational but it's also a definite safety feature!"

Hybrid Body Materials
Major breakthroughs mostly begin in a small way. At first glance, the exhibits presented by Benjamin Bender seem to have nothing spectacular about them: narrow strips of aluminum with a thin layer of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) on the back.

In fact this advanced development project, which postgraduate Bender is undertaking in the Audi Lightweight Design Center (ALZ) at the Neckarsulm plant, has great future potential. At a later date, when the new hybrid metal and CFRP structures go into series production, they will represent another step forward in ultra-lightweight construction at Audi.

The Audi brand became a leader in lightweight vehicle construction some years ago with its aluminum bodies. Using the ASF (Audi Space Frame) construction principle on the Audi A8, Audi R8 and Audi TT models reduced the weight of their bodies by as much as 40 percent compared with conventional steel structures. Now Audi is launching the next stage in the process: the Multimaterial Space Frame, which combines aluminum, steel and fiber-reinforced components.

Audi engineers have in-depth competency in working with all these materials. They are not forced to work with a single material; instead, their motto is ‘the right material in the right place for outstanding performance'.
The new bodies, by combining the advantages of the various materials, will be much lighter than conventional metal structures.

Benjamin Bender's project takes the multimaterial concept a step further, by making the individual components into ‘hybrids'. If a metal element in the body structure - a B-post or a sill - is systematically reinforced with CFRP, its properties are enhanced, for instance its strength or its deformation behavior in a crash. Yet at the same time it weighs less, because the comparatively heavy metal - steel or aluminum - has been partly replaced by much lighter CFRP.

At the Audi Lightweight Design Center in Neckarsulm about 180 specialists work on the future of Audi vehicle bodies. Benjamin Bender has to find answers to a number of questions. How should the metal and CFRP be combined in order to obtain optimal properties in each component? At which points does the reinforcement have its maximum effect? And what do practical tests tell us about the components' crash performance or resistance to corrosion?

The method used to join the two materials is another central topic. This is normally done with rivets, screws or technical adhesives. The new project adopts a more ingenious approach: the synthetic resin needed to produce a component entirely in CFRP acts here as the connecting medium.

Bender is currently investigating whether RTM (resin transfer molding) can be used to bond the two materials together. The RTM process is suitable for higher production volumes and is one of the key technologies at the Audi Lightweight Design Center.

"Even if development work goes according to plan, it will take several more years," says Bender, "and we will still need some time before it's ready for series production." Audi knows very well that major breakthroughs often take a bit longer - in ultra-lightweight construction too.

FRP Coil Springs
For Audi, ultra-lightweight vehicle design is more than engineering competency alone. It's an attitude of mind that exists throughout the company. The brand's engineers fight determinedly to avoid every scrap of unnecessary weight - not only in the body but also in every component and assembly that goes to make up the complete automobile.

Ultra-lightweight design is especially interesting in the chassis and suspension area. Every reduction in unsprung mass improves ride comfort and handling. Joachim Schmitt's pre-development project is in this technological area. It is devoted to a component which is nothing special to look at, but has to withstand severe loads. A component which one might think could scarcely be improved any more: the coil spring. The project takes a different view, however, and aims to replace the steel spring with a spring made from fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP).

The FRP coil spring, which Schmitt has developed jointly with the patent holder SOGEFI, is very different from a conventional steel spring. It's bright green in color, the so-called wire is thicker, the spring's overall diameter is greater and the number of turns is lower. Above all, this type of spring is much lighter in weight. Project engineer Schmitt has the facts: "Each of the steel springs in the A4 model's front suspension weighs 2.66 kilograms. The FRP spring weighs only 1.53 kilograms, more than 40 percent less, but performs just as well."

A helix made from fiberglass reinforced plastic is capable of absorbing torsional loads extremely well if it is designed with this purpose in mind. The core of the spring consists of long glass fibers twisted together and impregnated with epoxy resin. A machine wraps additional fibers around this core, which is only a few millimeters in diameter, at alternating angles of plus and minus 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis. These layers support each other and act in either compression or tension. Torsional loads across the component are converted in the fibers into tensile and compressive loads.

The next production stage is for the ‘wire', while it is still wet and soft, to be wound onto a metal alloy core with a low melting point; this core is the negative form of the finished spring. The FRP material is then hardened in an oven at more than 100 degrees, so that the core melts. This is the process currently used to manufacture the prototypes. Later it will be very much faster and more efficient: a pilot batch will be made first, followed by the start of high-volume production: a million springs annually.

The new FRP suspension springs will make their debut before the end of 2012 in the electrically propelled Audi R8 e-tron model. In 2013 they will be introduced step by step in greater volume for Audi midsize and large luxury models. Long-term road trials are taking place at the moment, accompanied by marathon test cycles on special rigs, each of which imposes loads on the spring equal to about 300,000 kilometers of driving by the average customer.

"In the early days many of my colleagues were not convinced that the project would be a success," Joachim Schmitt recalls. "But from the very start FRP proved to be an excellent choice of material. It is absolutely immune to corrosion, even if struck by stones flung up from the road surface, and effectively resistant to chemicals such as wheel cleaning products. Manufacturing FRP springs consumes less energy than for steel springs, and they reduce the weight of a car such as the current Audi A4 by about four kilograms - a notable step forward."

Schmitt and his colleagues are already able to tune their FRP springs to suit the chassis engineers' wishes, taking the car, its axle loads and its ride comfort and handling characteristics into account. All they have to do is vary the length of the wire, its diameter and the number of turns. In a few years' time the engineers expect improved production methods to increase the load capacity of the FRP material, so that the space needed for the springs is no larger than for today's steel springs.

Which just leaves the unusual bright green color - but Audi's development engineers have tackled this as well. Joachim Schmitt: "If we add a certain amount of graphite to the mixture for the FRP springs, they are dyed black right through. And for enthusiastic drivers we're already working on red and blue springs!"

Multitouch Controls
The driving simulator in the basement of the Audi Electronics Center in Ingolstadt is not just a bodyshell with seats in it, but an almost complete car - an Audi A8 with only the front end and the engine missing. Above its roof is a tall structure containing four large film projectors. Their images are shown on a curved wall that surrounds the car in a 240-degree segment of a circle. To complete the 360-degree image, two further projectors are aimed at a screen behind the car.

On this particular day the big picture is a four-lane highway with only light traffic on it. "Our test candidate will be asked to follow the car ahead," says Kristin Dettmer, whose responsibility in the Development Operating Concept department is the ‘touchpad'. "The occupant of the front passenger seat will then ask him to perform certain tasks: dialing a telephone number, choosing a new destination on the navigation system or playing a selection from the media list.

None of these tasks is difficult, but each step in the process calls for a certain degree of concentration. The driver wears glasses into which two miniature cameras are integrated: one of them films the surrounding area, the other the pupil of the driver's eye. Later, the Audi development team analyzes the recorded images with the aid of special software. This gives them detailed information about how long the driver took for each of the steps on the MMI monitor, and how often he looked at the control pad.

Audi attaches great importance to car control. Ten years ago, when the MMI system was first introduced in the Audi A8, the brand led the field in relation to its competitors. In 2010 the touchpad - the ‘MMI touch' - was also premiered in the Audi A8. It was the next major step forward, and has now been combined with the turn-and-push control in the new Audi A3. The aim is to maintain this design leadership: a vast number of new functions are now becoming possible, especially in the infotainment area, and will call for even more intelligent control concepts.

All development work is centered on an unalterable Audi principle: operation of the controls should be so intuitive that the driver's task is made easier, not more complicated. This is the guideline that governs Kristin Dettmer's project too: further development of the touchpad for Multitouch operation using several fingers.

The touchpads available for many current Audi models are intended for single-touch operation and are therefore especially suitable for the input of letters and numerals, using one finger. But Audi plans to use Multitouch technology for future generations of these devices. Using more than one finger opens up entirely new prospects. The system has already been extended to permit two fingers to be used when searching quickly in the navigation map, and three fingers make it quicker to scroll through long media lists. The touchpad measures twelve by eight centimeters, which most users find sufficient.

"For the new control system we have also revised the menu logic and the screen graphics," Kristin Dettmer explains. "Until now they were entirely based on the turn-and-push knob and its rotary movements. Now there is to be greater emphasis on the horizontal and vertical elements, though we don't intend to dispense with the adjusting knob entirely, since it will definitely remain the ideal device for selecting a certain number of functions."

Many test results, especially from the driving simulator, the digital ‘surface table' and an Audi A7 Sportback used for actual road testing, have contributed to the success of this development work, which has been in progress for three years. The question is always: how well do the test candidates cope with the Multitouch control principle?

"The public got to know the principle when the iPad and iPhone were introduced," says Kristin Dettmer. "Of course our test ‘guinea pigs' differ: older people in particular are rather hesitant when invited to operate the controls with several fingers. Our system is therefore basically suitable for single-finger operation as well. Many people start that way, then discover how easy it is to move on to the next levels. It's this ‘joy of use' that we're trying to communicate."

Audi's thinking on future control concepts is going ahead in a number of different directions. One of these focuses on innovative touchpad technology that sends a tactile response back to the user's fingers. Another project concentrates on improving voice control and a third uses innovative gesture control for the head-up displays. Here too the development staff headed by Bernhard Senner is working on a very advanced principle, of which a model already exists.

Driver and front passenger have their own head-up displays, for the front passenger it shows digital journey guide, news and pictures from video telephone calls. There is also a third, central projection visible to all occupants; here too the images appear to be on the windshield.

The driver's side only displays the relevant information in the form of symbols, still images and simple animations. Some of them, for example the navigation arrows, are imaged created by a novel contactless technology, and seem to float directly above the actual surroundings. The passenger's viewing area, on the other hand, has access to all video functions. In this case the image uses the new DLP (digital light processing) technology, which boosts brightness and contrast.

Bernhard Senner has an example that illustrates the idea behind the new technological principle. "If the front passenger finds an interesting destination in his digital travel guide, for instance a restaurant, he can make a simple, rapid ‘wipe' gesture to move the content as a still image into the center zone. If the driver then makes a similar gesture to accept the destination into his own head-up display, he can then input it to the navigation route." A small camera detects the hand movements and transmits the appropriate signals to the system.

Predictive Suspension
Downhill skiing on a mogul piste is great fun, provided that visibility is good. The skier has to be able to find the ideal track, bend and stretch the legs at just the right moments and float rhythmically and in a seemingly effortless way over the peaks and valleys.

"Even today, when a car is driven over an uneven surface, it's like a skier tackling a mogul run in thick fog!" says Dr. Andreas Schindler of Audi's chassis pre-development department. "The skier and the driver don't know what's ahead of them. They can't react until they sense the first movements through the skis or the wheels. Our task is to improve this situation."

Some years ago Audi began to equip its cars with predictive intelligence. Radar- and camera-based assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control und Audi active lane assist support the driver and enhance driving comfort. The technologies that will follow in the next few years will give this trend fresh impetus; examples are the traffic jam assistant, the intersection assistant or predictive suspension.

A year ago Audi announced an innovation that will increase occupant comfort: elimination of lateral forces. A video camera identifies bends as the car approaches them and an active mechanism in the suspension, which consumes only a small amount of energy, tilts the car's body so that the passengers are only aware of a minimum amount of centrifugal force acting on them. Predictive suspension uses a similar principle, but minimizes vertical rather than lateral forces.

The biggest challenge that Audi's pre-development team had to face was locating suitable sensors for their project. These have to respond to changes within an area up to 20 meters long ahead of the car, even in difficult conditions such as wet roads with shiny surfaces, or after dark. Very high-resolution road-surface images are needed so that possible obstacles can be located within a tolerance of a few millimeters - and, for instance, to distinguish potholes in the road from cross-joints or plastic bags.

An algorithm in the system's control unit analyzes information on road surface irregularities and the car's own movements, and supplies the appropriate suspension control signals. Simulations of this area of the project are already operating very reliably, and concept development of the high-resolution sensors is now going ahead rapidly.

Audi's sensor technology engineers make use of the extensive experience they gain from their work on future driver assistance systems, where extremely varied technologies are being tested, from PMD (photo-mixed detector) sensors through radar-sensors and laser scanners. Stereo cameras are also a promising development in the predictive suspension area. The outcome - which technology will be first across the finishing line - is still undecided, but one thing is certain: Audi will adopt nothing less than a no-compromise solution, as it has in all its development projects.

F12berlinetta - The final sound check on the track

2012-03-02T08:04:00.000+01:00

Good morning with SL 63 AMG

2012-03-02T07:12:00.000+01:00

F12berlinetta - Focus on design and styling

2012-03-02T06:55:00.000+01:00

Seat Toledo Concept

2012-03-01T23:07:00.000+01:00

F12berlinetta - Focus on the chassis

2012-03-01T20:59:00.000+01:00

Good evening with Bentley Mulsanne

2012-03-01T20:57:00.000+01:00

C-Class Coupé Commercial "Impression"

2012-03-01T15:13:00.002+01:00

New Videoteaser of the Giugiaro Concept. Brivido.

2012-03-01T15:00:00.000+01:00

Audi R18 e-tron quattro / R18 ultra

2012-03-01T14:54:00.000+01:00

Audi brings the quattro back to the race track

World premiere in Munich: the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro

Four-wheel driven diesel hybrid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Audi ultra lightweight as base for the application of hybrid technology

Motor sport is used yet again by AUDI AG to pioneer new technology: the brand with the four ring's new Le Mans race car is the world's first LMP1 car to combine a highly-efficient TDI with a hybrid system. quattro drive also celebrates its comeback to the race track with the prototype - in a entirely new form.

Audi R18 e-tron quattro is the name of the new Le Mans prototype that makes its race debut on May 5 in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) and fights for overall victory at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) on June 16/17. Audi unites two technologies in a fascinating way to create a new type of drive, which is also already being tested for future use in production cars: e-tron quattro.

Hiding behind this description is the next generation four-wheel drive with which Audi combines the advantages of the proven quattro drive with the potential of electromobility. To this end one vehicle axle is powered conventionally, the second by electric motors.

"Audi has always consciously selected championships and categories in racing that have a close relationship to production and therefore have technical relevance for the Audi customers," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, who personally drove the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro onto the stage on Wednesday evening during its world premiere in the Audi Training Center at Munich airport - electrically and almost silent. "quattro, TFSI and TDI are three excellent examples of how motorsport has stimulated production development. A similar tendency is apparent with the e-tron quattro: we test a completely new technology on the race track before it's introduced to the Audi production line."

On the Audi R18 e-tron quattro kinetic energy is recovered on the front axle during the braking phase. It is fed as electric into a flywheel accumulator before being retrieved under acceleration again above a speed of 120 km/h. During this procedure only the front axle is integrated. The V6 TDI power plant producing 375 kW (510 hp) continues to transmit its power to the rear wheels. Both systems complement each other to create the new drive principle e-tron quattro.

Project began in February 2010
The project e-tron quattro for motorsport started in February 2010. Only 18 months passed from the initial conceptual ideas to the first test. "This is a relatively short cycle for a technology that has never been tested in motorsport and which still doesn't even exist in production," stresses Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. "The challenge is correspondingly big."

Audi Sport developed the Audi R18 ultra in parallel to the Audi R18 e-tron quattro - because Audi takes a two-pronged approach this year in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the newly created FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) - the 2012 model year Audi R18 is built with and without hybrid drive. The trick: the base of both cars is completely identical, which is why the additional logistical effort is kept limited for Audi Sport and the race team.

"The TDI engine invented by Audi is still the most efficient drive in the world," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "We are convinced that the TDI has even more potential. This is why Audi not only supports the hybrid in motorsport as it does in production, but in parallel also the further development of the conventional drive."

Innovation in transmission area
The R18 e-tron quattro's twin brother more than lives up to its model name ‘R18 ultra': it is the lightest Le Mans prototype that Audi Sport has ever built. To compensate for the additional weight of the hybrid system the subject of lightweight design and construction was the focus throughout development of the 2011 Le Mans race winning R18 TDI. In addition to the many detail optimizations there is also a genuine innovation in the transmission area: a new gearbox with a carbon-fiber composite housing was developed for the R18 - a premiere for endurance racing.

"The new R18 ultra is a distinct evolution of last year's Le Mans race winning car," summarizes Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "Our drivers' impressions were very positive from the first moment. Without the weight optimized R18 ultra we would have not been capable of realizing the R18 e-tron quattro which is absolutely identical with the exception of the hybrid system."

Le Mans 2012: two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra
Audi Sport Team Joest will field two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra prototypes in the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16/17. The two hybrid cars are driven by last year's winning trio Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F) as well as Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB) who boast a total of 13 Le Mans wins between them. New signing Loïc Duval (F) starts together with Timo Bernhard (D) and Romain Dumas (F) in an R18 ultra as do Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D).

Audi Sport Team Joest also contests the World Championship round at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on May 5 in the same formation. At the same time the race doubles as a dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only Mike Rockenfeller will miss this race due to a clashing date with the DTM.

After the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi plans to enter an R18 e-tron quattro and an R18 ultra in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). André Lotterer and Allan McNish have been nominated as the drivers so far.

At the World Championship opener at Sebring (USA) on March 17, Audi Sport Team Joest relies on the proven R18 TDI from last year, which are driven by Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer, Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish as well as Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Loïc Duval.

208 GTi Concept

2012-03-01T14:09:00.002+01:00

POTD: Jaguar E-Type (Series I)

2012-03-01T13:58:00.000+01:00

How Alive Are You?

2012-03-01T12:54:00.000+01:00

McMansory

2012-03-01T12:50:00.000+01:00

Giugiaro's concept - Will it be named Italdesign Brivido?

2012-03-01T12:46:00.000+01:00

Well, it's not much. Yet.
But expect updates. Very soon.

Cool Carrera GT Wallpaper

2012-03-01T12:29:00.001+01:00

Automobili Lamborghini increases deliveries by 23% in 2011

2012-03-01T12:03:00.000+01:00

Global deliveries grow by 23% to 1,602 units
• Turnover increases by 19% to 322 million euros
• New Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4: Order bank remains high
• Expanded product and technology investments improve outlook

Automobili Lamborghini has completed the Fiscal Year 2011 (31.12.2011) with a double digit increase in deliveries and turnover. Global deliveries increased by 300 units from 1,302 up to 1,602. This is an increase of 23% compared to the previous year. Turnover increased from 271 million euros to 322 million euros (plus 19%) in the same period.

The year 2011, thus saw a marked growth for the extreme Italian super sports car brand, continuing the recovery from the global economic crisis. The core growth drivers included further increase in deliveries of the highest selling Lamborghini of all time, the Lamborghini Gallardo, and the introduction of the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 flagship model. The United States and China confirmed their status as the largest single markets for Lamborghini, followed by the UK, Germany, Italy and the Middle East.

“We look back onto 2011 with some satisfaction, as a year of our return to growing deliveries. The year was hallmarked by renewed interest in the Gallardo range, but especially by the triumphant arrival of the Aventador, which established itself as the new benchmark in super sports cars and won more than 30 international media awards for its unique design and innovative technology,” comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini.

“The Aventador has achieved both public and commercial success for its performance, high efficiency and futuristic design. It also clearly demonstrates Lamborghini’s abilities in new technologies, particularly our industry-leading in-house carbon fiber facilities where we are developing and manufacturing applications in serious volumes.”

The current order bank for Aventador continues to account for more than 18 months’ production.
Alongside the V12 Lamborghini Aventador is the V10 Lamborghini Gallardo range: the latest models presented during 2011 included the limited edition Super Trofeo Stradale, inspired by the Super Trofeo that races in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series, and the Gallardo Spyder LP 550-2 with rear-wheel drive. The Gallardo product line-up is the most successful range in the company's entire history with more than 12,000 Gallardos sold since 2003.

“We confirm our long term strategy, to make significant investments in key supersports car technologies even in hard times and simultaneously into technological innovation that credits the brand with leading edge technology,” says Winkelmann. “Also as the competence center for lightweight technology for small series production within the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini is bringing supersports car insight in materials technology to volume brands helping to reduce weight and improve efficiency. In recent years Lamborghini increased investments into Research and Development achieving a rate that substantially surpasses the industry average. At the upcoming Geneva Motor Show we will show a further step in our research into innovative materials and design.”

In the current year a further continuation of the global economic revival is expected, even if less dynamic, as a consequence of the debt crisis in Europe and a slightly slower growth rate in the Chinese economy.

"Lamborghini has prepared to the utmost level in order to respond flexibly to market uncertainties, but we work to make our business bullet proof to volatility and future crisis and protect ourselves from potential downturns in various markets,” continued Winkelmann.

“Given that the relevant economic framework does not change for 2012, we forecast a further increase of our worldwide deliveries, based on the growing success of both the Aventador and the Gallardo.”

Ferrari F12spider Imagined. Time will tell.

2012-03-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

Girl Takes For A Ride a Nissan GT-R

2012-03-01T11:58:00.000+01:00

The Ferrari F12berlinetta Press Release

2012-03-01T09:45:00.000+01:00

The first in a new generation of V12 cars unveiled exclusively on www.ferrari.com

Press Release

Today's on-line unveiling of the F12berlinetta ushers in a new generation of Ferrari 12-cylinders in the form of a car that delivers unprecedented performance from an exceptional new engine, combined with innovative design that redefines classic themes along with extreme aerodynamics.

Revealed to the world for the first time on Ferrari.com in preparation for its official debut at the Geneva International Motor Show, the F12berlinetta, finished in an attractive new Rosso Berlinetta three-layer colour, represents the very cutting-edge of mid-front-engined sports cars.

This is, in fact, the most powerful and high-performance Ferrari road car ever launched thanks to the incredibly efficient engine - in terms of mechanical, combustion and fluid-dynamics efficiency - which, together with advanced vehicle architecture, aerodynamics, components and electronic controls, guarantee unsurpassed driving involvement whatever the road or track.

Ferrari's traditional transaxle layout has been revolutionised to match the more extreme performance of the car. The wheelbase has been shortened and the engine, dashboard and seats have been lowered in the chassis, while the new layout of the rear suspension and gearbox enabled Ferrari's engineers to make the rear volume of the car smaller. The overall result is a very compact car with a lower centre of gravity that is further back in the chassis, and a level of aerodynamic efficiency that sets new standards.

Scaglietti, renowned for its expertise in aluminium materials and construction, designed an all-new spaceframe chassis and bodyshell using 12 different kinds of alloys, some of which have been used here for the first time in the automotive sector, and employing new assembly and joining techniques. This has resulted in a 20 per cent increase in structural rigidity while reducing weight to just 1525 kg (70 kg less than the previous V12 coupé) with an ideal distribution between the axles (54 per cent over the rear).

The F12berlinetta's 6262cc 65° V12 engine delivers unprecedented performance and revs for a naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder. Its maximum power output is 740 CV which translates to a specific output of 118 CV/l. Torque reaches a peak of 690 Nm, 80 per cent of which is already available at just 2,500 rpm, and which provides an unrelenting surge of acceleration all the way to the 8,700 rpm limit. The engine is mated to the F1 dual-clutch transmission, which has closer gear ratios developed specifically for this car's performance. The F12berlinetta boasts a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.1 kg/CV .

Fuel consumption has been reduced by 30%, with CO2 emissions of just 350 g/km - figures which put the F12berlinetta at the top of the high-performance league. These results have been obtained by extensive research and development which focused on efficiencies of the whole vehicle: engine, aerodynamics, tyres and weights.

Similarly excellent results have been obtained with the car's aerodynamic development, thanks to the integration of the design process with extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and lengthy testing in the wind tunnel. Downforce has been boosted by 76 per cent (123 kg at 200 km/h) while drag has been significantly reduced (the Cd is just 0.299). These results come courtesy of two new solutions. The first of these is the Aero Bridge which uses the bonnet to generate downforce by channelling air away from the upper part of the car to its flanks where it interacts with the wake from the wheel wells to decrease drag. The second is Active Brake Cooling, a system that opens guide vanes to the brake cooling ducts only at high operating temperatures, again reducing drag.

The F12berlinetta's impressive technical specifications are completed by Ferrari's latest generation carbon-ceramic brakes (CCM3) and the evolution of the magnetorheological suspension control system (SCM-E). As is now traditional with all Ferraris, its control systems (E-Diff, ESP Premium, F1-Trac, and high-performance ABS) are all fully integrated.

The result is that the new Prancing Horse 12-cylinder accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 8.5 seconds. It also completes a lap of the Fiorano circuit in 1'23", faster than any other Ferrari road car. Benchmark performance and maximum driving involvement are guaranteed by immediate turn-in, with smaller steering wheel angles, and increased cornering speed. Stopping distances have also been drastically reduced.

The design of the F12berlinetta is a result of the collaboration between the Ferrari Styling Centre and Pininfarina and is a perfect balance of uncompromising aerodynamics with harmonious proportions interpreting the typical elements of Ferrari's front-engined V12 cars in an original and innovative way. A coupé with sleek, aggressive lines whose compact exterior dimensions conceal exceptional in-car space and comfort. The all-new Frau leather interior highlights the balance of advanced technology and sophisticated, handcrafted detailing. In the middle of the light and lean dashboard, there are new carbon fibre and aluminium air vents clearly inspired by the aeronautic field.

The cabin has been optimised to ensure maximum usability of the interior space with additional luggage capacity behind the seats, which can also be easily reached thanks to the large aperture offered by the tail-gate. With the cockpit designed around the driver, typical of all Ferraris, the Human Machine Interface approach is emphasised, grouping all the major commands within immediate reach to guarantee maximum ergonomics for the most involving driving experience.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine
Type 65-degree V12
Total displacement 6262 cc
Maximum power output 740 CV at 8500 rpm
Maximum torque 690 Nm at 6000 rpm

Dimensions and weight
Length 4618 mm
Width 1942 mm
Height 1273 mm
Dry weight* 1525 kg
Weight distribution 46% front, 58% rear
Weight-power ratio 2,1 kg/CV

Performance
Maximum speed over 340 km/h
0-100 km/h 3.1 seconds

Good morning with Xenon Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab

2012-03-01T09:13:00.000+01:00

Enclave 1.5 Teased

2012-03-01T09:08:00.000+01:00

Hyundai i-oniq 1st photo

2012-03-01T09:05:00.001+01:00

Wallpaper Gallery: Ferrari F12berlinetta

2012-02-29T21:40:00.000+01:00

Wallpaper Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG (R231)

2012-02-29T21:33:00.000+01:00

Never Born: 1991 Isuzu COMO F1 Super Truck

2012-02-29T21:28:00.000+01:00

F12 Berlinetta PromoVid

2012-02-29T21:19:00.002+01:00

F12 Berlinetta Driven by F1 drivers

2012-02-29T21:15:00.000+01:00

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Ecco!

2012-02-29T13:13:00.003+01:00

Cool Jag Wallpaper: E-Type Open Two Seater (Series I)

2012-02-29T07:55:00.000+01:00

Fiat X1/9 Icsunonove Dallara (128)

2012-02-29T07:51:00.000+01:00

Good morning with Vector W8

2012-02-29T07:39:00.000+01:00

Cadillac XTS Lighting Sequence

2012-02-29T07:34:00.000+01:00

Jag XF Sportbrake unveiled

2012-02-29T07:32:00.000+01:00

Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon

2012-02-29T07:15:00.000+01:00

Forgotten Bertones: Alfa Romeo Navajo Concept

2012-02-28T22:31:00.000+01:00

Siblings. ZL1 and ZR1

2012-02-28T19:36:00.002+01:00

C7 Corvette Breaks Cover! - Wide Open Throttle Episode 4

2012-02-28T19:31:00.000+01:00

Velos Designwerks presents Volume 1: The Beginning (Beautiful Me)

2012-02-28T19:20:00.000+01:00

Official Aventador Gallery

2012-02-28T19:17:00.000+01:00

White Ride: Citroën DS5 HYbrid4

2012-02-28T19:11:00.000+01:00

Beautiful Blonde in a Lexus LFA - Incredible Sound!

2012-02-28T19:06:00.000+01:00

The Viper Story - with Wallpaper Gallery (MT Classics)

2012-02-28T08:15:00.000+01:00

Read the article

DMC Aventador

2012-02-28T08:14:00.000+01:00

ZR1 Takes on VIR | Corvette | Chevrolet

2012-02-28T08:11:00.000+01:00

Forgotten Zagatos: Cadillac NART

2012-02-28T07:34:00.000+01:00

Toyota FT-Bh Concept (Official Teaser)

2012-02-28T06:48:00.000+01:00

Here is a first video teaser of the new FT-Bh concept study bringing efficiency to new levels. Designed to visualise what a Future Toyota B segment hybrid vehicle could look like, it will demonstrate how to reduce fuel consumptions and achieve 50% reduction of CO2 emissions within an economically viable framework. To be revealed at Geneva MS on March 6,2012 at 10:15

Hello K9 - First official photos

2012-02-28T06:43:00.000+01:00

Twin Turbo Gallardo on HRE

2012-02-28T00:30:00.002+01:00

Lamborghini Miura Concept

2012-02-27T23:35:00.002+01:00

Italdesign Giugiaro Geneva Concept Video Teaser

2012-02-27T23:29:00.002+01:00

Corvette Z06 w/ HRE P40SC

2012-02-27T23:27:00.000+01:00

Top Gear 18x5

2012-02-27T14:39:00.002+01:00

Top Gear 18x05 by MyTGpage

Hi-Cross Concept

2012-02-27T14:27:00.000+01:00

Ferrari's sports car ethos

2012-02-27T12:58:00.002+01:00

Cool Veloster Wallpapers

2012-02-27T11:54:00.000+01:00

Pininfarina Cambiano Gallery

2012-02-27T11:34:00.001+01:00

Quattroroute

BW Wallpaper: Mercedes-Benz SL

2012-02-27T11:19:00.000+01:00

Volvo V40 PromoVid

2012-02-27T11:15:00.001+01:00

Yellow Hour:Lamborghini Countach LP400

2012-02-26T23:46:00.000+01:00

Volvo V40 Official Pics

2012-02-26T23:37:00.000+01:00

Leaked: XF Sportbreak

2012-02-26T23:24:00.000+01:00

jokeforblog

ZL1 Camaro VIR

2012-02-26T20:14:00.005+01:00

Blue Classic: Alfa Romeo Giulietta SVZ

2012-02-26T08:32:00.002+01:00

Good morning with Aventador LP700-4

2012-02-26T06:43:00.001+01:00

Emerg-E. Infiniti Goes Sexy. First Official Photos

2012-02-25T18:41:00.000+01:00