2013 Toyota GT 86 is production FT-86

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2013 Toyota GT 86 is production FT-86

The anticipation is over: Toyota’s new GT 86 sports car makes its world debut at the Tokyo motor show on November 30. The compact 2+2 model, one of the most keenly awaited new cars of the coming year, will go on sale in the UK in June 2012.

The GT 86 has been conceived as an entirely driver-focused machine, designed to deliver the core qualities of the classic sports car experience. That means precise, instant response to the smallest throttle and steering inputs and the kind of performance that appeals to those for whom driving is a passion, not a necessity.

The GT 86 is built on a new platform, with a highly aerodynamic bodyshell stretched tight over the car’s mechanical elements. Rather than fitting a heavy, large capacity powertrain, Toyota has opted instead to go back to its sporting roots, installing a compact, front-mounted, free-revving petrol engine that drives the rear wheels.

 This four-cylinder “boxer” unit generates 197bhp at 7,000rpm and maximum torque of 151 lb-ft at 6,600rpm, giving the GT 86 brisk, engaging performance.

The powertrain is matched to the world’s most compact four-seat design to create a car that benefits from light weight, low inertia and a low centre of gravity to achieve the best possible power-to-weight ratio. For the driver that means lively, accessible performance and dynamic character with minimal intrusion from electronic systems.

Both the powertrain and the driving position have been set as low and as far back as possible to achieve the best balance: the car has a near-perfect 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution. The flat-four engine format and the driver’s hip point – the lowest of any current Toyota production model – together give the GT 86 an ultra-low centre of gravity, at just 475mm.

The GT 86 makes the most of a light kerb weight, making it easy for drivers to exploit its nimble handling and cornering poise. The suspension features MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear. The car rides on 17-inch wheels and is fitted with ventilated disc brakes fore and aft.

The GT 86′s engine is the result of a joint Toyota and Subaru development programme that brings together their technical know-how and mutual passion for sports cars.

Toyota has added its D-4S injection technology to Subaru’s new, horizontally opposed, naturally aspirated 1,998cc four-cylinder boxer engine. This system features separate twin injectors for both direct and port injection, and a high 12.5:1 compression ratio, increasing power and torque across a wide range of engine speeds without sacrificing fuel efficiency and environmental performance.

The flat-four engine has equal bore and stroke of 86.0mm and drives through either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The manual offers quick, precise shifts using a tactile, short-throw lever; the automatic transmission can be controlled using paddle shifts mounted on the steering wheel.

Power is distributed to the rear wheels via a limited slip differential to give the best possible grip in all driving conditions. The ABS and switchable vehicle stability control systems have been tuned specifically to deliver dynamic stability at the limit of the car’s performance envelope with minimal electronic intervention to help preserve the purity of the driving experience.

The lower grille’s “scorpion” look gives the GT 86 a more powerful appearance, with further sporting details including the model-specific 17-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, twin exhausts and the “86″ piston logo that denotes the car’s special powertrain configuration.

On board, the ergonomics and function of every element the driver interacts with have been scrutinised to make driving the car as natural, instinctive and rewarding as possible. For example, the steering wheel has a 365mm diameter, making it the smallest ever fitted to a Toyota, and it is trimmed in buckskin, developed from exhaustive feedback from test drivers on how to achieve the best steering performance and grip.

The three-meter instrument cluster is arranged around a large tachometer, its design benefiting from close attention to the positioning of the displays, markings and typeface. The result is the best possible visibility and readability. The driver-focus of the cockpit is further reinforced by the carbon-effect trim, all-black roof lining, red stitching on the upholstery, aviation-style rocker switches and lightweight, aluminium pedals.

The GT 86 may be launched as the world’s only current sports car to feature a front-mounted, horizontally opposed engine and rear-wheel drive, but it cannot claim to be the first. That honour is held by Toyota’s two-cylinder boxer-engined Sports 800, which the company began developing in 1962. Since then, Toyota has established a long history of producing exciting, driver-focused sports cars with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive format that have proved as popular with the public as they have been successful in competition.

The beautiful 2000 GT, a coupe powered by a 2.0-litre straight-six engine, was first displayed at the 1965 Tokyo motor show and helped establish Toyota’s global reputation as a sports car manufacturer.

Launched in 1971, the first Celica models featured rear-wheel drive powertrains and were praised by enthusiasts for their agility. All four Supra generations came with straight-six engines and rear-wheel drive, while from 1984 the MR2 won recognition as one of the best handling sports cars in motoring history.

The inspiration for the GT 86, however, is the Corolla GT (or Levin) AE86, a car with an enduring reputation for delivering sheer excitement and capturing the fundamental joy of driving. Its front-engine, rear-wheel drive package, compact dimensions, light weight, impeccable balance and superior power-to-weight ratio made it a must-have choice for rallying and circuit driving throughout its production life, from 1983 to 1987. Here in the UK the GT claimed two British Touring Car Championship titles and a series of top-level rally victories.

The GT 86 is a genuinely lightweight machine that offers the intimacy and involvement of a car that can be driven as though an extension of the driver’s body. In this way, it perfectly recaptures the exhilarating spirit of the last of the AE86. And, with numerous customisable parts, its shares its predecessor’s aim to be an affordable car that will evolve with its owner.

Nissan unveils zero-emission hatchback "Leaf"

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(Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co took the wraps off its much-awaited electric car on Sunday, naming the hatchback "Leaf" and taking a step toward its goal of leading the industry in the zero-emissions field.

Japan's No.3 automaker and its French partner, Renault SA, have been the most aggressive proponents of pure electric vehicles in the auto industry, announcing plans to mass-market the clean but expensive cars globally in 2012.

Nissan will begin selling the first Leaf cars in the United States, Japan and Europe toward the end of 2010, adding two more models soon after. It expects production to start with around 200,000 units a year at the global roll-out in 2012.

Twinning the car's unveiling with the inauguration of Nissan's new global headquarters in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn drove up to a stage in a sky-blue Leaf prototype, carrying former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and two other guests to greet a throng of journalists who made the trip from all over the world.

"We celebrate today the start of a new chapter of our company's life," Ghosn said.

Nissan is returning to the port city of Yokohama, where it was founded in 1933, after being based in Tokyo's posh Ginza district for the last 41 years.

Hit by sliding vehicle sales worldwide since the financial crisis hit last year, Nissan has suspended its goals set under a mid-term business plan, with the exception of its aggressive push into the electric car business.

With oil prices topping $60 even in a recession and environmental regulations tightening all the time, Ghosn said he was optimistic about electric vehicles entering the mainstream, expecting them to represent one in 10 new cars globally by 2020.

"We are seeing electric cars not as a niche car but as a mass-market car," he told reporters after the inauguration.

"The big problem is going to be (production) capacity."

Ghosn described the Leaf as a "powerful car, like having a turbo" charger except with no delay in response since there is no gear shift. He stressed that despite the growing popularity of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles in some markets, they remained a niche with less than 2 percent of the global market.

BACKTRACKING ON HYBRID SKEPTICISM?

Other automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG have also announced plans to launch electric cars in the next several years, but they say it could take decades for the vehicles to spread due to their high cost, limited driving range and long charging times with the current battery technology.

Nissan did not announce pricing for the five-seater Leaf, but Ghosn said the price, without the expensive lithium-ion battery that Nissan is considering leasing, would be within the range of a comparable gasoline-engine car.

Nissan's Leaf has a top speed of over 140 km/hour (76 mph) and a cruising range of at least 160 km (100 miles) -- a distance that covers the needs of 80 percent of the world's drivers, according to Nissan.

The carmaker has lagged its bigger domestic rivals Toyota and Honda Motor Co in offering fuel-sipping hybrid cars, which have taken the Japanese market by storm this year with the help of government stimulus steps.

For years, Ghosn has downplayed the importance of hybrid cars -- both for consumers hoping to save money at the pump and for manufacturers looking to make profit. As recently as a month ago, he sought to knock down the hybrid hype, saying electric cars were a far better alternative despite their limited cruising range.

But in what could signal a major shift in strategy, Ghosn said Nissan would leave the option open to offering hybrid vehicles if the market demands it. So far, Nissan has only announced plans to launch an internally developed hybrid vehicle on high-end models.

"It's going to take some time before we have a complete, full (electric vehicle) product line-up from entry level to the top," he said.

"In the meantime, you just cannot abandon the market -- you're going to have to continue to develop your product line-up with combustion engine, clean diesel, hybrids, etc."

Mercedes-Benz B Class(Hatchback Car)

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Expected : Late 2012, Price Rs.20-24 Lakh

This is the first car to sport the three-pointed star logo and a front wheel drive platform which also means it will be the beginning of a new breed of Mercedes-Benz cars in India – ones that are way more affordable than the lot they sell today. The B Class is a cross between a hatchback and a MPV which also means it has a slightly weird body style which could prove the only possible hurdle in its acceptance in India.



That said, it should come here with the choice of either a 1.8 litre diesel engine or a 1.6 litre petrol mill coupled to possible an option of a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox as well. The B Class should start at Rs 18 lakh and that should have the BMW X1 worried!

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The Nissan GT-R is on top of every petrolhead’s list of cars. The GT-R pushes the boundaries of precision engineering to a new level. Nissan have recently revealed the 2012 GT-R which like its predecessor takes automotive engineering to newer heights.

But there are only so many things the guys in Nissan could do to better an already phenomenal car. So they decided that it would be a good idea to shove an engine from the GT-R in their funny little crossover, the Juke. The end result is a Nissan Juke that looks cooler and goes like its pants were on fire. The twin turbocharged 3.8 litre engine from the GT-R produces 486 PS in the Juke-R.

Complete with its matt black paint finish, large provocative air vents in the bumper and on the bonnet along with flared wheel arches and side skirts the Juke-R looks like a one of those little white dogs in a German Shepherd suit, its comedy and very amusing all at the same time. But don’t think its all visual appeal without any functionality. Those air vents provide all the extra cooling required by the engine and feed air into the two turbos. The flared wheel aches accommodate large 20 inch forged alloy wheels, the split rear spoiler at the back provides extra downforce required at supercar speeds the Juke-R is capable of. Oh, and the twin pentagonal exhausts emit the GT-R’s evocative engine note.

On the inside the Juke-R gets racing seats complete with full race harness, a race spec roll cage, the GT-R’s steering wheel, dials, pedals, and the 7 inch touch screen display on the centre console

Nissan say that the Juke-R is not a production car but a completely road legal concept car of which only a handful of right hand drive and left hand drive models will be made. The Juke-R will go into testing in late November before being unleashed onto the streets, where it will leave people bewildered by its outrageous design language and mental performance.

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Porsche is a German manufacturer of automobiles founded in 1931 by Mr. Ferdinand Porsche who also designed the first Volkswagen.

The company has always had a close relationship with Volkswagen Group because of this reason. Mr. Ferdinand Porsche founded the Porsche Engineering Office in Stuttgart. The first sports car with the name “PORSCHE” was produced.

The company currently produce many other variants like Boxster, Cayman sports cars and Cayenne sport utility vehicles. Porsche also manufacture a brand of mountain and hybrid bikes called Carrera. Porsche was awarded as the title of the most prestigious automobile brand by Luxury Institute, New York in May 2006.

From 2003, Porsche has started leaving its footprint in the market of luxury and utility vehicle in India. Shreyans Motors Private Limited was the official agent of Porsche.

jaguar

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Jaguar is famous for its high line luxury cars. It is a British luxury car brand which is centered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is a subsidiary brand of Tata Motors Ltd, the Indian company. The Jaguar cars ltd was founded by Sir William Lyons in 1922. Earlier the company use to manufacture only the sidecars to be attached with motorcycles with the brand name of Swallow Sidecar Company. However with time, the company evolved and the actual name Jaguar came into existence after the world war II. With constant effort, the company got listed on London Stock Exchange in 1984. After few year, the company was again acquired by Ford in 1989. Jaguar is the only company which holds Royal Warrants from present British royals. The highly acclaimed model XJ is a specific model from the company which has been delivered for the British Prime Minister. Now the company designs the cars in Jaguar Land Rover's designing center at Whitley plant. The manufacturing and assembling of the car is done in Birmingham and Liverpool.

Jaguar Land Rover was taken over by Tata Motors in 2008. It was a great challenge for Tata Motors to bring in this luxury car in India when there was an economic breakdown in the country. For two year, the company face hardship but did not take much time to regain its position in Indian automobile market. The Moto - 'value for money' surely helped to attract car enthusiasts in the country. Some of the popular models on road is - Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ, Jaguar XK, Jaguar R series etc.