Best Cars and New Cars: October 2010

Best Cars Audi e-tron Spyder Concept

Audi e-tron Spyder Concept

The flanks sport familiar contours in a new The 66 individual components comprising each individual wheel of the Audi e-tron Spyder Concept are indicative of just how complex they are. The wheels combine the lightweight materials aluminum and carbon into a design that is both visually pleasing and very effective aerodynamically. Another distinctive feature of this show car are the 20-inch wheels, that take the blade design of the first e-tron show car and refine it into a three-dimensional turbine design. The rings disappear beneath the front hatch, exposing not just the charging plug but also a display showing the charge state and a map graphic indicating the current electric range.

Beneath the trademark is the charging station for the batteries. As with the R8 and the e-tron sports car concept cars, the trademark four rings are located above the single-frame. All light units use ultra-efficient LED technology. Above, the grille merges into the flat strips of the adaptive matrix beam headlight modules with their three-dimensional clear glass covers that follow the contour of the functional elements.

They serve as cooling intakes for the electric drive system and also for the TDI engine at the rear of the vehicle. The trapeze of the single-frame grille dominates the distinctly wedge-shaped front end and is flanked by two large air intakes. The sharply tapered front end lends the Audi e-tron Spyder Concept a distinctly wedge-like basic shape. The front the silhouette of the Audi e-tron Spyder Concept are characterized by a sharp, sweeping line that immediately identifies the two-seater as an Audi.

Best Car Audi quattro Concept

The ones on the left control the stopwatch function in racing mode, and the ones on the right are for the menu of the MMI system. The driver will find another reminder of the Ur-quattro's cockpit on the sides of the cockpit cowl: On both the right and left sides are four flat buttons. The driver has the choice between an everyday mode, which combines the indication of the speed and engine revs with the content of the MMI, and racing mode, whose graphics revisit and refine the digital instrument of the Ur-quattro from the 1980s.

The clear graphics, the stark black-and-white contrast and the subtle red highlights are precise and modernly interpreted - an indicator instrument for a driving machine, with no superfluous touches. The large, three-dimensional visor-like display contains all of the information required by the driver and thus also replaces the classic MMI central display. The instrument cluster is completely digital. The control unit for the MMI touch system and the shift lever for the six-speed transmission are located on the extremely slender center console.

The classic driver orientation ("wrap-around architecture" in the designer jargon) of the cockpit is typical Audi. The color scheme with satin black for the carbon elements and rally beige for all of the leather areas offsets the various functional units from one another and emphasizes the handcrafted character of the interior. Awaiting the driver is a clearly organized workplace that exudes quality from its carbon surfaces and upholstered leather inlays.

New Mazda 5

Mazda's all-new people-carrier integrates the brand´s family face that not only makes it stronger-looking and sporty, but also improves aerodynamics and engine-cooling performance. The five-point grille is much larger, the lower bumper much more sculptured, and the new headlamps more pointed. Below these are new pointed fog lamp openings embedded deeply in the bumper. This creates a thick lower lip that rises along the outer edge of the fascia and into the fender. The fender picks-up the movement created by the fog lamp edge, carries it over the wheel well to meet a wave-like Nagare-flow character line that moves across the side of the vehicle and into the rear panel just below the door-slide rail.

This unique side panel articulation is based on patterns formed when wind blows on water. It integrates the front side bumper area with the sides and backs of the vehicle so that, when combined with the character line at the lower door area, there is a sense of motion even when the vehicle is standing still. The "hidden" D-pillar - formed by covering it with glass - and horizontal rear lamps enhance the integrated flow effect front-to-back, and make the all-new Mazda 5 exterior both unique to the C-MAV segment and unmistakably a Mazda.

Wheels and Exterior Colours

New Nagare-flow aluminium/alloy wheel designs (16 and 17-inch) are introduced with twisted spokes, which give them a sporty three-dimensionality that contributes to the flow patterns of the Mazda 5 silhouette.

Also available is a 15-inch steel wheel with a full wheel cover. There are 8 exterior colours for customers to choose from, including an all-new colour Clear Water Blue.

Source:http://www.netcarshow.com/mazda/2011-5/

Lotus Elan Concept

The Elan will convert people to Lotus, I would challenge people not to become addicted to driving it. It will also go a long way towards dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high performance you must sacrifice usability - those days are gone."

"Once you drive an Elan you won't look back, it will give you things you didn't even realise you were missing - that's the essence of Lotus and the Elan perfectly captures that spirit."

One car, zero compromise.

Lotus Elan Specification

Layout: 2 seater (optional 2+2), mid-engined, rear wheel drive
Engine: Petrol, hybrid optional
Hybrid technology: Optional KERS
Cylinder: V6
Capacity: 4.0 litre
Power/Torque: 450 PS / 465 Nm
Rev limit: 7,800 rpm
0-100 km/h: 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 310 km/h
CO2/km: 199 g/km (using optional hybrid)
Weight: 1,295 kg
Seats: 2
Transmission: 7 Speed DCT
Drive: RWD
Start of production: Summer 2013
Enters the market: Autumn 2013
Price indication: Circa £75,000

Source:http://www.netcarshow.com/lotus/2010-elan_concept/

Dodge Charger Pictures

As the Dodge brand's flagship, the chassis of the all-new 2011 Charger is designed, engineered and fine-tuned to deliver a level of quality, capability and refinement that rivals the very best European, Asian and North American E-segment sedans. With its new second-generation E-segment rear-wheel drive (RWD) architecture, Dodge Charger features world-class suspension-tunings with re-designed geometry making for a nimble, balanced chassis that will build the Charger's legend as one of the best driving sedans in the world.

Engineered to perform against the best E-segment sport sedans, the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger SE and Charger Rallye feature the new 3.6-liter Pentastar engine for world-class levels of power, refinement, technology and fuel efficiency. For maximum thrills, efficiency and best-in-class power, the new Dodge Charger R/T lineup features the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI™ V-8 engine with four-cylinder mode FuelSaver Technology.

The all-new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T with all-wheel-drive (AWD) features a re-thought stance and 19-inch wheels to make it much more appealing than ever before. The AWD preserves the Charger's character and deepens its performance envelope in the most treacherous conditions. The Dodge Charger AWD features a segment-exclusive active transfer case and front-axle disconnect system to improve fuel economy by up to 5 percent. No other major automotive manufacturer offers the combination of these two independent technologies. Dodge Charger's innovative AWD system seamlessly transitions between RWD and AWD with no driver intervention. When all-wheel drive is not required, the system automatically disconnects the front axle to maximize fuel economy while still providing the outstanding performance and handling inherent in rear-wheel drive vehicles.

Source:http://www.netcarshow.com/dodge/2011-charger/

The Lotus Eterne

The Lotus Eterne is a true four door, four seater sports GT. It's the ultimate expression of refined style, sophistication and grace. But wait. An elegant, graceful sports car? Surely not. A sports car by definition can't be graceful. Powerful, exciting, aggressive yes, but not graceful. Yet here it is, the ultimate paradox - the Eterne. Power and grace, performance and elegance, beauty and strength all in one stunning package.

With a 5.0 litre pressure charged V8 engine delivering up to 620 PS the Lotus Eterne is aiming for best in class performance and efficiency.

Best Cars and New Cars