Gaplin Auto Sports brings U.S. Air Force technology to the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger

Next up is the stealth-black Air Force ‘Vapor’ based on the Dodge Challenger. On the outside, Vapor features one-off carbon fiber wheels, shaker hood, radar-absorbing paint, proximity sensors and a 360- degree camera with a ¼ mile range. Open the vertical doors to the Vapor and you’ll see an interior complete with aircraft style controls, a passenger side steering wheel, GPS tracking, night and thermal vision on the front windshield.



Galpin Auto Sports (or GAS) is an automobile repair shop in Van Nuys, California. GAS is better known for its TV show on USA otherwise known as Pimp My Ride on MTV. The group responsible for KITT in the 2008 Knight Rider series (and for embedding in 7-inch TV screens into bumpers on MTV’s Pimp My Ride), has now teamed up with the United States Air Force to create two customized cars for the 2009 Super Car Tour. We have to say; both vehicles have blown us away - literally.
more detail. ...

Volvo Releases initials details for new plug-in hybrid due in 2012

　
Volvo is teaming up with Swedish energy utility Vattenfall to create a new plug-in hybrid. The automaker claims a new diesel/electric vehicle will emerge from the partnership and hit the market in 2012.

The two companies began working together over two years ago to explore the technology that makes plug-in vehicles a reality. In conducting research, the two companies agree that these autos are not only better for the environment, but have the potential to create many new jobs with the introduction of a supporting infrastructure.












Source:Volvo via World Car Fans


Press Release

Unique co-operation on environmental cars

Volvo Cars and Vattenfall to develop new plug-in hybrid

A Volvo that can be fuelled with electricity from a standard wall socket will be a reality in 2012. Swedish energy company Vattenfall and the Volvo Car Corporation are launching an industrial joint venture partnership to introduce plug-in hybrids on the market. The ground-breaking technology will considerably lower the environmental impact from traffic. In addition, owning a plug-in hybrid vehicle will be convenient since you can fuel up at home and fuel costs are significantly lower.

In January 2007, the Volvo Car Corporation and Vattenfall launched a joint project with the aim of testing and developing plug-in technology. Now their cooperation is being taken to the next level.

"We are investing in an industrial joint venture to series-produce plug-in hybrid cars in Sweden in 2012, cars that can be powered by both electricity and diesel. This is an important business development for us and our partnership with Vattenfall allows us to take a giant step toward offering our customers cars with an even smaller environmental footprint," says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of the Volvo Car Corporation.

Vattenfall and the Volvo Car Corporation believe that series production of plug-in hybrid cars and the development of infrastructure can generate new jobs and help Sweden maintain its position at the cutting edge of advanced pro-environmental technology.

The car can be charged at home

One of the major benefits of plug-in hybrids is that they can be charged from a regular household wall socket.

"We want to reinforce electricity's importance in society and its key role in solving climate issues. Through this cooperation we hope to be able to speed up the introduction of electric cars. Together we are developing the next-generation technology based on plug-in cars and various charging alternatives," says Lars G Josefsson, President and CEO of Vattenfall.

The development of the cars is being carried out and financed jointly by the two companies. The Volvo Car Corporation will manufacture the cars and Vattenfall will develop charging systems and supply the cars with electricity.

Innovative environmental technology

Electricity is very well-suited as a power source for cars. An electric motor has a high efficiency rating and consumes roughly one-fifth the energy needed to power an engine that runs on fossil fuels. The purchase price of the plug-in hybrids will be higher than that of cars with conventional technology. Batteries are still expensive but with the car running on electricity, its fuel costs will be cut to roughly one-third compared with diesel power.

Vattenfall will offer customers the opportunity to sign an agreement for renewable electricity sourced specifically from windpower or hydropower, as an alternative to the regular mix of electricity sources. Lars G Josefsson sees many benefits from chargeable plug-in hybrids, even in cases where the electricity does not come from renewable energy sources.

"Through electric power, we avoid the emissions from each individual car. Instead of petrol or diesel, the energy is derived from a few large power sources and Vattenfall is working hard to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from all electricity production. In Sweden, virtually all Vattenfall's electricity production is emission-free," explains Lars G Josefsson.

The plug-in hybrid cars will be driven by a powerful electric motor fuelled by a lithium-ion battery. The battery takes about five hours to charge from a standard wall socket, and the battery is also charged every time the car's brakes are applied.

"Most car journeys are short trips, for instance to and from work. We will be able to offer a product that fulfils this transportation need. In order to cover longer distances as well, the car will also be equipped with one of Volvo's fuel-efficient diesel engines," says Stephen Odell.

Demonstration cars on show this summer

In the summer of 2009, three Volvo V70 demonstration cars will be presented. The demonstration cars will be used to gather information about the wishes and demands that drivers may have on the new technology, to determine their driving habits and to establish how they want to charge their cars. Vattenfall will, among other things, test various concepts for high-speed home charging and also for charging stations in public places, where owners pay to fuel with electricity instead of petrol or diesel. The cars that are planned to go into series production in 2012 will feature somewhat different technology, but the launch of the demonstration vehicles is a step towards series-producing plug-in hybrid cars specifically tailored to market needs.

BMW M3 passes 200mph with G-Power supercharger

When it comes to BMW tuning, there is one company that stands head and shoulders above the rest in cranking out the ultimate driving machines. The company we are referring to German outfit G-Power, which has been in the business of creating the world's fastest BMWs for a quarter of a century, including the recently unveiled 228mph M6 Coupe. Now, G-Power has finally unveiled a new performance upgrade for the M3, and with some serious performance mods in place the new car promises to be even more sublime than the standard model on which it’s based.


While a M3 bought from the dealership already has a fairly potent 420hp (312kW) under the hood, G-Power's engineers have taken the car into true supercar territory with a new supercharger system that raises the final power output to a heady 500hp (373kW). Using relatively soft charging of just 4.4psi (0.3bar) boost from the T1-518 ASA centrifugal supercharger (the same system used in certain Alpina models), G-Power claims that its M3 constantly provides around 20% more torque than the standard model.


The sueprcharger system also uses a large volume air box, including eight lightweight integral resonance induction pipes, which are responsible for improved throttle response and creating an optimal torque curve. Finally, the supercharger system is completed by the large air-to-air intercooler that is located up front and cools the boost temperature down for added performance and reliability.


Custom wheels and Michelin sport tires help put the power down onto the road, along with a new continuously height-adjustable G-Power coil-over suspension system with nine settings to help the BMW more effectively use that extra power. Additionally, G-Power offers a new sports rear muffler to give the M3 a deeper roar, and also lighten the car's final weight by close to 15kg.


The result of the new performance system gives the G-Power M3 a top speed in excess of 200mph, while the sprint to 124mph is dispensed within just 13.5 seconds - more than two seconds quicker than the stock M3.


Capping off the upgrades is a new interior, decked out in carbon-fiber panels, a custom G-Power speedo that goes up to 223mph, aluminum pedals and tailor made leather seats.
Source:motorauthority

Nissan Releases 370Z Nurburgring Edition in Europe

The special edition model is inspired by the yellow Nissan 370Z race car that took part in the recent Nurburgring 24-hour race. It features a number of performance modifications and is limited to just 80 examples. Not surprisingly, pricing of the vehicle reflects this limited availability and has been set at €50,400 (approximately $71,280).


In Japan and the U.S. the Nissan 370Z is available in a high-performance Nismo trim but for European fans the specially tuned coupe is strictly off limits. As some solace, Nissan is offering its European customers a special edition model named after Germany’s renowned Nurburgring circuit.


Apart from the new exhaust system, the car’s powertrain has been left untouched which means it features the latest 3.7L V6 engine with 332hp (247kW) and 270lb-ft (366Nm) on tap. Nissan’s six-speed manual with the SynchroRev Match function is standard.


Each vehicle features a numbered plaque, as well as unique 19in OZ Racing alloy wheels shod with 285mm tires in the rear and 255 tires up front, plus a Cobra performance exhaust system. A special ring card with €150 ($212) of credit will also be offered to customers, which they can use for public track days on the Nurburgring circuit.
More Photos

REPORT: GM to announce tentative sale of Hummer tomorrow

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, General Motors plans to announce a tentative sale of the Hummer brand less than a day after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Although GM won't release the name of Hummer's (possible) future owner(s) on Tuesday, the WSJ's sources say that a deal could be struck by the end of the third quarter and the H2 and H3 will continue to be produced at GM's plants in Indiana and Louisiana.

It's been widely accepted that if GM couldn't offload Hummer this month, it would be killed during the bankruptcy proceedings, and the General has been entertaining bids from a interest parties, including a Chinese firm, for somewhere in the sub-$500 million range since late last year. When the announcement is made tomorrow, expect GM to be hyping the sale as part of its turnaround efforts and that the SUV purveyor's new parent will continue to work on expanding the Hummer line, including the production of future alternative-fuel models.
via:autoblog

Spied: Next Gen VW Passat Mule at Nurburgring

The spies on the 'Ring caught another glimpse of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat test mule. Although wearing the skin of the current Passat, we are able to glean a few details of the upcoming big seller.


With the elongated body we can expect to see more cabin room inside the new Passat, but not just legroom for the rear passengers. Wider fenders indicate the possibility of a little more elbow space as well. The spy believes Volkswagen will make more use of lightweight materials this time around, meaning the bigger body may not translate into more weight. We hope that a bigger model is not the only change to the exterior styling, and that VW makes the new Passat more bold and less dull.


Look for the 4Motion all-wheel-drive to be available for this Passat, as well as the eight-speed DSG transmission. Automatic parking, parking cameras, airless tires, and windshield cleaning sans wipers. Another rumor going around is the use of magnetic, low-voltage paint that allows the driver to change color by adjusting the current.


Several rumors abound about engine choices for the car. Many expect a 3.0-liter V6 petrol model producing 280 horsepower, but some expect to see a large diesel version that produces about 300 hp, while a hybrid edition using the 3.0-L V6 could also be on the horizon.
Source:World Car Fans

PSA to decide on GTbyCitroen production within four weeks

When Citroen collaborated with the people behind Sony Playstation's hit Gran Turismo game franchise on the show-stopping – if clumsily named – GTbyCitroen for last year's Paris Motor Show, few thought it would see the light of day.


That includes the French automaker itself, but as we reported back in March, demand has picked up enough to prompt Citroen to consider the GT's creation. The latest reports indicate that the Chevron-labeled automaker will have its answer ready, one way or another, within a month's time.


The indication of Citroen's deliberation reportedly comes straight from the mouth of the company's product guru Vincent Besson (think Bob Lutz with a beret and a dangling Gauloise). Apparently Citroen has received a number of prospective orders from potential buyers who'd like to see the supercar drive off their plasmas and into their garages.


If the PSA subsidiary does indeed decide to built the GT, it will be in extremely limited numbers and at a price high enough to cover the costs -- 15 examples at a million euros apiece is where it's tipped to be at.


Powertrain is another issue altogether, as the concept's conceptual hydrogen electric drivetrain would likely be replaced by a more conventional V8 sourced from Detroit. French style and American muscle? Sounds like a winning combination. We'll just have to wait four weeks to find out if it will come to fruition.
More Photos