Autoblog

BMW took the wraps off its upcoming S 1000 RR World Superbike contender as the Motorrad division showed the new bike in its official race colors at the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. Taking a good look at the photos, we can see that the bike is indeed very compact. Look through the numerous cutouts and vents in the fairing and you'll see how neat and tidy the new literbike is. Next year, new BMW factory riders Ruben Xaus and past Superbike champion Troy Corser will ride the 190-horsepower S 1000 RR in competition against the Big Four Japanese superbikes, the Ducati 1098 R and the new RSV4 from Aprilia. It should all be very exciting to watch.

Expect a street-going version shortly, with 1,000 units of the new model due for 2009. Unlike past Beamers, the S 1000 RR uses an inline four-cylinder engine mounted transversely in the frame with a standard chain drive. Suspension bits also follow the normal telescopic formula up front with a traditional coil-over out back, eschewing BMW's past Telelever, Duolever and Paralever designs. Take a look in our gallery below.



[Source: BMW]

Saying that "only a fool would ignore" the emissions of a new vehicle and the current global economy, AMG head-man Volker Mornhinweg realizes that it can't keep building gas-guzzling supercars with reckless abandon. Not that the company will lose its performance edge, mind you. In fact, hybrids and diesels could offer a meaningful performance boost if tuned properly. How so? Torque. Diesel engines are known for their massive axle-shreading twist, and electric motors, an essential part of any hybrid powertrain, make maximum power right off idle, allowing for an internal combustion engine that's tuned for stratospheric revs.

In a recent interview with CAR, the notion of fitting a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter oil-burning V6 inside the C class was kicked around. Mornhinweg suggests such a vehicle is a distinct possibility as AMG moves forward. Hybrid technology could be based on the new drivetrain powering the recently-unveiled S400 BlueHYBRID. No matter what the future holds, we can be sure that the AMG crew is obviously not made up of a bunch of fools, and will therefore continue to offer cars with the highest performance pedigree, regardless of what's underhood.


[Source: CAR]

Despite the fact there is no real "Official 'Ring Record" for production cars, manufacturers never miss the chance to time their fastest cars as they lap the famous German race track. After all, there's a great bit of marketing to be had by claiming that your car is faster than everything else. Maserati realizes this just as much as the next company, and the Italian automaker's MC12 is still 'super' even though it's now three years old. Perhaps even more so, as it recently managed to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife in just 7:24.29. Not only is this an extremely fast time, it betters the marks set by such enviable performers as the Ferrari Enzo, Koenigsegg CCX, Pagani Zonda F Clubsport and Porsche Carrera GT. All of these cars are owned by one (very lucky) man and were tested with the same driver (American Le Mans Series racer Marc Basseng) at the same time and under the same conditions, while lap timing duties went to Europe's evo magazine. All of this lends a dose of credibility to the Trident's accomplishment that's lacking from the incredible 'Ring times that automakers have been claiming lately. So, while not all 'Ring times are created equal, some bragging rights now belong to Maserati.*

*The only car we know of that claims a faster time is the Dodge Viper ACR, which unofficially managed the deed in just 7:22. Your lap times may vary.


[Source: Maserati]

Rumors of RUF's impending electric Porsche were true, except that the actual vehicle is based on a Porsche 911, not the Cayman as previously reported. Powered by a three-phase electric motor that offers about 200 horsepower along with an impressive 480 lb.-ft. of torque, the eRUF Model A can reportedly hit 60 miles per hour in under seven seconds and can reach a top speed of 160. Power comes from a lithium iron phosphate battery pack, which produces 317-volts and 480-amps and is made up from 96 individual cells. A full charge takes a rather long 10-hours, and regenerative braking is included in the package allowing for a range of up to 180 miles. From the outside, you'd never really know that something was different about this 997, except that it doesn't produce that soul-stirring flat-six sound. This is still just a concept and its specifications are subject to change. We can be sure, though, that this isn't the last electrically-powered sportscar set to hit the market.


[Source: RUF]

One of Citroen's big debuts at the Paris Motor Show was its HYmotion4 hybrid technology, which was fitted to the Citroën Hypnos and C4 WRC along with the Peugeot RC and Prologue. Unlike most hybrid systems, the French technology has no direct connection between the car's engine and battery, so the pack is recharged "through the road" when the car's regenerative braking is applied. There's a 125-kW electric motor attached to the rear axle that gets its power from 990 individual lithium ion cells wired up to produce 400-volts. The C4 WRC's driver can select from a number of modes to allow a specific amount of electric assistance, including running solely on the electric motor or using it as a short-term boost for added acceleration. This way, the car can be run in zero-emission mode or at full power, depending on the situation. Although no production machines have been announced with this new technology, the fact that the automaker has created four separate concepts with it shows that it is serious about its production possibilities.


[Sources: Citroen, World Rally Championship]

It may look more than a bit, um, quirky, but so did the iconic 2CV that the C-Cactus concept was meant to embody. Built to do more with less -- materials that is -- the Citroen C-Cactus concept that was shown last year at the Geneva Motor Show used innovative construction techniques to cut the number of components required to manufacture it in half and is what Citroen calls an essentialist vehicle. A production version would attempt to follow that same pattern and could be powered by a version of the French automaker's new HYmotion2 hybrid system, consisting of a 1.0-liter diesel coupled to an electric motor. The powertrain could return over 100 miles per gallon according to the automaker. Another possibility would be to go full electric with the goal of achieving a 100 mile range and a 70 mile per hour top speed. Just how much of the concept's radical look would be carried over remains to be seen, though being Citroen, we're sure it would be suitably radical no matter what.


[Source: Citroen, AutoblogGreen]

Regardless of what you think of Porsche's upcoming Panamera (we're currently on the fence), it is going to be an extremely important launch for the company. Despite the fact that purists panned the Cayenne, it has sold like hotcakes and has made an extremely tidy profit for the German automaker, now in the midst of a major takeover of Volkswagen, the most valuable automaker in the world. Obviously, Porsche is hoping for similar successes from its very expensive four door. As we've heard countless times, a hybrid option is currently in the works and a diesel engine is also on the drawing board. We're not entirely sure how the crazy German engineers will do it, but a targa-style top is also being developed. No matter, we'll have all the details soon enough as Porsche brings its production Panamera to the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Not sure what to get that motorcycle fan who has everything? How about something that's never been available before. Joining the first 31 BMW 7 Series models for 2009 in the Neiman Marcus Christmas book are 45 Limited-Edition Confederate Fighter motorcycles. The basic premise of the bike is similar in principle to the rest of the brand's wares, but the details really make this one stand out. Like the Wraith, the Confederate Fighter uses a girder-style front suspension made up of titanium, aluminum and carbon fiber bits and a 120ci 45-degree air-cooled V-Twin. From there, things diverge rather rapidly, with the Wraith's carbon fiber monocoque chassis being replaced with a backbone unit made from titanium connected to front and rear bulkheads cut from solid chunks of billet aluminum. Confederate claims a top speed of 190 miles per hour, but that may be just a tad optimistic considering that a prepped Wraith managed a land-speed record of just a tad over 166mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Still, this is one sweet bike that would be awesome to ride. Too bad about that $110,000 price tag. Thanks for the tip, John!

[Source: Neiman Marcus]

We haven't heard a peep from Carbon Motors in a very long time, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't been hard at work on its purpose-built E7 police car concept. To prove that it's moving forward, the automaker-to-be has just released two shots of a real E7. What's more, the company will show the car to prospective clients – police officers – at the upcoming 115th Annual International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference and Exposition. Unlike curent cop cars driven by these officers, usually police-spec Crown Vic Interceptors, the E7 was specifically designed just to do police duty. Instead of a 4.6-liter Ford V8 engine underhood, the E7 will feature a clean-diesel engine capable of running on biodiesel. With a cockpit derived from jet-fighter technology that includes built-in radar, radiation and biological threat detectors among other techno goodies, the E7 sounds suitably high-tech for real-life crime fighters of the modern era. To further highlight this point, check out the video, along with the press release, after the break.


[Source: Carbon Motors via Jalopnik]

Fans of the classic B-Body Dodge Charger from the late '60s and early '70s have long been disappointed that Chrysler released the modern Charger as a four-door sedan. Despite being a sales success, there is still a faction of die-hard MOPAR fans who believe it was a mistake to put the Charger name badge on anything other than a two-door. We'll be polite and leave the '80's four-cylinder front-wheel-drive Charger out of the discussion – oops. A company by the name of Force Performance is currently working hard to rectify the situation by chopping up an LX-based Dodge Charger into a coupe. As you can see from the pictures in our gallery, the scalloped doors from the 68-70 Charger have made the conversion along with a twin-nostril split grille reminiscent of the classic '69. We can also see a well-domed hood, which is necessary for clearance over the insane HEMI V8 engine that's both twin turbocharged and supercharged. Three blowers, hence the TriCharger name. Awesome. Thanks for the tip, Orange Bread!


[Source: Force Performance]