New Brit: New Morgan EvaGT to Launch at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Change comes very slowly to Britain’s Morgan Motor Company -- but the 98-year-old sports car manufacturer appears to be making good on its promise of debuting a new car every two years, starting in 2010. The first, dubbed the EvaGT, is previewed here, and will debut at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.



For the most part, the EvaGT appears to be an evolution of the company’s Aero Supersports model. Unlike that two-seater coupe, the EvaGT is a 2+2, which Morgan hopes allows it to appeal to “young families” along with its traditional customer base. We’ve only been given the rendering above, but the boy looks somewhat similar to that of the SuperSports, albeit it is considerably longer, given the extra pair of seats. The new body is still crafted from superformed aluminum panels, and has been designed to reduce drag with small panel gaps, flush door handles, and hidden windshield wipers.

Underneath that slinky skin is a chassis structure we first saw on Morgan’s Aero SuperSports GT3 racer, before trickling down to the roadgoing SuperSports. The chassis is crafted from bonded aluminum panels, eschewing traditional rivets and fasteners in favor of a strong adhesive polymer. Morgan says the EvaGT’s chassis is an evolution of this design, and offers both increased rigidity and improved handling over the Aero SuperSports.


Once again, a BMW engine winds its way into the slender engine compartment, although it isn’t the V-8 found in the SuperSports. Although it is subject to change before hitting the market, it appears the EvaGT will use BMW’s new “N55” 3.0-liter turbocharged I-6. For now, it seems Morgan is leaving the engine in its stock form, allowing it to deliver 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque -- which should be more than sufficient to rocket the lightweight coupe from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. A standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic transmission will channel power to the rear wheels.

Morgan’s new EvaGT will first be shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this August, and the company will begin taking orders and deposits at the show. A £5000 ($7300) deposit is required to reserve a car -- and if you’re interested, you’d better act fast. Morgan plans on building a limited run 100 examples in 2012, with a price tag said to be “competitive for a car of this class.” We’d wager pricing will start just above the Aero SuperSports, which starts at roughly $185,000.

Source: Morgan

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2011 WRX STI sedan runs 'Ring in 7:55, quickest ever for Subaru

Quick: What's the fastest production sedan in the world? Does it wear a Mercedes-Benz, Audi or BMW badge? What about the Porsche Panamera Turbo or the Cadillac CTS-V? There's no doubt that each of these vehicular behemoths is capable of ripping off some fast times on a race track near you, but Subaru is out to prove that its new 2011 WRX STI sedan has the chops to keep pace with the best from the rest of the world.



To prove its point, Subaru recently sent test driver and four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen out to the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife course in Germany with a 2011 STI test car. According to reports, the vehicle used in this testing was equipped with a few significant upgrades including a larger turbocharger that normally sees duty in the Japanese R205 model and some lightweight aluminum bits, but one thing is for certain: the 7:55 lap time is a mighty impressive result.

For those keeping track of such things, the previous best lap set by a Subaru WRX STI was in 2004 at 7:59.41 and the new mark set by Subaru – albeit with a
prototype, not a production car – is quicker than any of the aforementioned competition. Best of all, there's a video of one entire lap around the 'Ring and you can find the in-car footage after the break.

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Report: Saab in Talks with BMW on Underpinnings, Engines for Revived 92

It’s no secret that Saab is hard at work on plans to reintroduce its 92, but it’ll need some help to before the car can be produced. The automaker is preparing to enter into talks with BMW to do just that.

Instead of developing a costly platform from scratch, Saab is in talks with BMW to source underpinnings for the car. Saab is reportedly eyeing Mini’s architecture to underpin the new 92. Saab CEO Victor Muller wants the brand’s new model to closely resemble the teardrop shape of the original car, which was dropped from the Saab lineup in 1956.



According to the report, Saab is also looking into sourcing engines and transmissions from Mini. Mini currently offers 1.6-liter naturally aspirated and turbocharged inline four-cylinder engines here in the States, and 1.4-liter gasoline and 1.6-liter diesel I-4 powerplants are available also. Transmission choices are limited to six-speed manual and automatic gearboxes.

With Saab trying to regain market share, this would be a great move for the marque, but the 92 would be a direct competitor of the Mini Cooper. Although producing components in larger quantities would be beneficial to lower costs, we’re not sure it’s a great idea for Mini to bolster its own competition.

Would it be a good move for Mini to help Saab, or would it cannibalize its own sales?

Source: Reuters and automobilemag

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New Morgan Concept Will be Unveiled at 2010 Pebble Beach Concours

Change comes slowly to the Morgan Motor Company, so it’s rather interesting to learn the British sports car manufacturer plans to show a new model at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

According to Autocar, the new Morgan will technically be billed as a concept, but is actually a good look at a new model that will likely reach production in 2012 or 2013. Morgan hopes the car -- a 2+2 -- will bridge the gap between the its traditional models (i.e. the 4/4, +4, and Roadster) and the radical Aero lineup.

Although it dates from 2000, the Aero range is Morgan’s most recent product innovation (unless you count the Lifecar show car). The latest iteration, the Aero Super Sports, was unveiled at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and is designed to be street legal in the U.S.



Source: Autocar

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GM Recalling 1.5 Million Vehicles Due To Fire Risks

General Motors Co. is undergoing a massive recall of 1.5 million 2006-2009 model year vehicles to disable a heated washer fluid system that poses a potential fire risk. The recall, slated to begin on June 14, covers 18 models from the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer and Saturn brands.

The heated washer fluid system was the subject of an August 2008 recall that included many of the same vehicles. Reports were that shorts in the system caused fires; a wire harness, which contained a fuse, was installed as a preventative measure. According to GM, however, the module’s internal thermal-protection device did not function properly and the fire risk remained.



As a result of the continuing fire risk, the automaker will remove the heated washer fluid module and reroute the fluid hoses.

GM said that it has since learned of 5 fires caused by the heated washer fluid system, but is unaware of any injuries or crashes related to the problem. Though there have been a small number of incidents, GM clearly isn’t taking any chances.

"While our analysis shows the number of incidents is very small compared with the number of vehicles on the road, we want our customers to have complete peace of mind," said Jeff Boyer, GM executive director of Safety in a press release.

Vehicles included in the recall are the 2006-2009 model year Buick Lucerne; Cadillac DTS; Hummer H2; 2008-2009 model year Buick Enclave; Cadillac CTS; 2007-2009 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe; GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL; Saturn Outlook; and 2009 model year Chevrolet Traverse.

Approximately 1.4 million of the vehicles under recall are in the United States, but the rest are in Canada, Mexico, and other countries, GM stated.

Because the feature will be disabled, GM has said it will make a voluntary payment of $100 to owners of lessees of recalled vehicles in addition to paying the actual cost of repair.

Owners will begin receiving recall notifications via mail this month, but can contact their dealer at any time for an appointment to have the heated washer fluid system removed.
source by autoblog

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Audi Sound Engineers Place 62 Speakers into a Q7

After orchestrating the design and installation of some pretty far-out Bang & Olufsen sound systems into vehicles like the R8, A8, and Q7, you'd think Audi's sound engineers would be perfectly content. Not so. In fact, in pursuit of the perfect sound, some engineers within the company have created their dream sound system, which involves stuffing 62 speakers into a Q7.




The venture, dubbed the Audi Sound Project, is the pet project of infotainment development engineer Peter Gleim. His goal -- to focus on wave field synthesis -- sounds like a scientist's fantasy, but is actually quite impressive. The object is to recreate a sound wave with several sources (i.e. speakers) placed closely together. Each speaker is controlled separately, so the signal can be delayed and staggered, allowing the listener to hear an exact reproduction of the original sound. Better yet, the sound is produced in an identical fashion for each seating position.

"We can simulate any wave front," Gleim said in a release. "With stereo, we can generate a sound as if the two speakers were located far outside the car. We can also add any desired spatial impression computationally -- not as a sound effect, but as a mathematically precise simulation."

Gleim's team managed to cram all 62 speakers, baffles, and amplifiers into the Q7, but its interior looks anything but normal. The ASP system includes five tweeters, five subwoofers, and 52 midrange speakers, all connected to a large power amplifier. Speakers are integrated into the dashboard, pillars, door panels -- virtually anywhere engineers could find space. Three separate PCs are needed to control both the amplifier and the entire speaker array.

"Our goal was to show what is technically feasible; to explore the limits," said Denis Credé, head of Audi's sound development. "What we are learning will be integrated into the sound systems of tomorrow. It's like with racing: A lot of what is first tried out on the race tracks of this world later shows up in modified in production vehicles. The Audi Sound Concept project is like racing for sound systems."

We imagine both packaging and cost are two major hurdles in pushing the ASC into production. On that later note, adding the 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen system in an A8 or Q7 adds roughly $6300. We suspect that figure would grow exponentially for a 62-speaker system.
We're fans of excellent sound systems, but aren't always convinced they're worth the investment. What say you -- when shopping for a car, is the sound system an important component, or do you skip that option box?

Source: Audi

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Is Subaru Considering a Diesel-Powered WRX STI for Europe

Subaru Tecnica Institute has produced high performance vehicles for over 22 years, but for the first time in its history, there may soon be a diesel-powered Subaru Impreza, tuned for performance, in Europe.



Subaru developed a diesel variant of its famous boxer engine for Europe, which made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2007. Fast forward to January 2009, when it launched the diesel-powered Impreza for Europe, whose 2.0-liter flat four turbocharged engine produced 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. With Europe's strict emission laws, a diesel-powered STI could be just what Subaru needs to remain compliant.

But will a diesel-powered STI be able to compete with its gasoline-powered stable mate? With a little massaging from Subaru's in-house racing division, it should easily be able to compete. With its low center of gravity, superior fuel economy and low-end torque, a diesel boxer would make perfect sense for the STI. A 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four gasoline powered STI pumps out 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque, and we're confident Subaru wouldn't release an oil burning Impreza WRX STI unless it was comparable to the gasoline version.

Just this week, we reported that Subaru greatly improved upon the 2011 STI's handling characteristics. New anti-roll bars, stiffer springs, improved bushings and a lowered ride height all combine for the improved handling. With its improved equipment, the Subaru just lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a record-breaking 7:55. If the rumors from Autocar are true, don't expect a diesel STI to be launched until the Impreza enters its next generation for the 2012 model year.

Source: Autocar

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