Saab Aero-X

Saab Aero-X
Manufacturer
Saab Automobile
Production
2006
Class
Concept
Body style(s)
2-door coupé
Engine(s)
2.8 L twin-turbocharged V6
Saab Aero-X is a concept car by Saab unveiled at the 2006 Salon International de l'Auto. It is powered by a 2.8 L twin-turbocharged V6 running on pure ethanol that produces 400 hp. 0 to 62 mph is predicted to be 4.9 s and top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). It has a 7-speed automatic transmission controlled by paddles on the steering wheel.
Like the American-market Saab 9-2X, the Aero-X has four wheel drive. The doors and windscreen are connected, so instead of using conventional doors or even gullwing doors, it uses a cockpit canopy where the entire top section of the car is opened. This offered the Aero X's driver full 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin. The body is made in carbon fiber. The suspension is electronically-controlled. Even if it is a compact two-seat sports car, it has reasonable storage, as the rear features two storage facilities, with a conventional hatchback and sliding drawer underneath.
The interior offers "clean Scandinavian interior design". The car has no ordinary dials and buttons; instead, data is displayed on acrylic 'clear zones' in graphic 3D images. All interior and exterior lights are done using LEDs.
It is a concept car, but if it is well received, it may go into production, probably based on a shortened Epsilon 2 platform.
"This study shows how the strength of the Saab brand heritage can inspire bold, innovative design," said Bryan Nesbit, the Executive Director of GM Design Europe. "As we move forward with new Saab product, we will remain focused on carefully cultivating this brand equity in the context of Scandinavian design values."
"This concept shows the exciting possibilities that are open to us as we evolve a more progressive design language for the Saab brand," says Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab's Managing Director. "Our designers, engineers and marketers in Sweden are ideally placed to nurture and communicate the unique DNA of the Saab brand. Their work will ensure that future product proposals express core qualities, such as progressive design, sporty performance and emotional ********ality, in a way that is specific to Saab."

For the 2006 LA Auto Show Italian design house Italdesign, led by Fabrizio Giugiaro (Giorgetto Giugairo's son - see Ferrari GG50 concept), decided to reinterpret the contemporary Ford Mustang.In 2005 Guigiaro had approached J Mays, Ford Motor Company's group vice president, Design and chief creative officer, with the idea to create an American icon with Italian flair powered by Ford Racing products.It took just 4 months to create an exterior model of the Guigiaro Mustang in the Turin, Italy, based studio.The Ford Mustang by Giugiaro appears to be more compact than the standard production car, thanks to a reduction of the rear overhang and the signature Giugiaro style of tapering the angles on the car to the limit of its mechanical outlines.The Giugiaro styled Mustang is 30 millimeters longer in the nose, and wider by a full 80 millimeters in the rear.Ford Racing improved the Guigiaro Mustang's all-aluminum 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8 engine by adding an intercooled twin-screw supercharger, fuel injectors from the Ford GT and a unique engine calibration. Engine air intake was increased with a larger 95 mm mass air meter and a conical air filter. Exhaust performance of the Guigiaro Mustang was enhanced with new Ford Racing mufflers and an X-pipe. The upgrades allow for an estimated 500 horsepower at a boost level of 11 psi from the Ford Racing supercharger. To keep the Guigiaro Ford Mustang handling as good as it looks, the FR500C-inspired chassis tuning is accomplished with a tailored Ford Racing Handling Pack. This package, available through Ford Racing for the Mustang GT, adds new Dynamic-tuned dampers, lowering springs and anti-sway bars. The changes give the car a lower stance while sharpening handling response. The car rides approximately 1.5 inches lower than the production Mustang GT. Features of the Ford Mustang Concept by Guigiaro:• The interior – featuring a dramatic instrument panel that sweeps the width of the car; circular gauges that project from behind the steering wheel; dark brown horsehide-covered headrests with horse logo accents; and seat cushions and backrests elaborately upholstered in dark brown mottled horse hides.• The single curved glass panel that bridges the windshield and rear window, serving as the concept's roof. Produced by Solutia of Detroit, the panel is made from a special type of crystal that filters out 100 percent of UVA rays while providing unfettered vista views.• Doors hinged at the base of the upright A-pillar and open vertically at the touch of a button.• Bespoke taillights, which are three separate elements as found on the 1964 Mustang – but reinterpreted into a more dramatic arrow shape that links to the louver panels that replace the rear side windows.• The visible curl that sweeps into the crest of the concept's carbon fiber fenders, hinting at tail fins that defined American cars of the '50s.• The sporting-but-elegant unique 20-inch rims, fitted with 275/40 tires on the front and larger 315/35 tires on the rear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2008 Dodge Challenger 392 Super Stock Concept
At this year's SEMA auto show Chrysler released another 2008 Challenger concept car. Introducing the Dodge Challenger 392 Super Stock concept car. This car features the rebith of the legendary 392 Hemi. This new engine sports between 525hp and 540hp! The Challenger SS concept sports a tritone paint job. It has white as the base paint. Then the top half of the Challenger is a bright blue. Finially it sports a stripe down the side of the car that resembles the 1970 T/A Challenger's stripe or the 1971 Dodge Challenger's R/T stripe. Without the "R/T" and "T/A" lettering though.
The 392 Dodge Challenger also shows some cosmetic changes from the original 2008 Dodge Challenger concept. The front bumper is pushed out a little farther, probably to help with crash safety tests. Also the fog lights have changed to a more practiacal production version.
So will we see the new Challenger equipped with the 392 Hemi? Well with the competing 500hp Ford Mustang and the new Camaro coming out, I can't see how Dodge could afford not to. For the new Challenger to compete they need more than just awesome cosmetics. They need to excel in performance, too. Even more important then performance, though, will be the price that they set. And if they offer a V6 version to get the car into main circulation.
2008 Dodge Challenger Overview
The 2008 Dodge Challenger will be based on the LY Platform (the updated version of the LX platform). It will share the updated LY platform with the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 and the Magnum. The new platform will be able to hold a manual transmission along with an automatic transmission. The Dodge Challenger will be rear wheel drive, and have what everyone wanted, two doors. The expected starting price on the 2008 Dodge Challenger will be around $31,000.

For more pictures view our Dodge Challenger Forum !
2008 Dodge Challenger Engine Options
What engines will there be available in the 2008 Dodge Challenger? We don't know for sure right now, but there will definitely be a Hemi available. Like the Dodge Charger I think the top engine will be the 6.1 Hemi which produces 425 HP. There has been some rumors though of them using the new 392 Hemi. There will likely be a V6 engine available also. It is now looking as though there isn't going to be a V6 Challenger in 2008. The current prospect looks as though the stock engine for the Challenger will be the 5.7L Hemi. Then the SRT-8 version would have the 6.1L engine.
The Dodge Challenger concept made its debut at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, which was back in January of 2006, and has made several appearances at other car shows and meets.
Will they bring back the different versions like the R/T, SE, and T/A for the 2008 Dodge Challenger? They will almost for surely bring back the R/T and SE versions. For the T/A version, we don't know yet, but the Charger had the Daytona edition so along the same lines they could bring it back. They will also likely have the SRT version available too.

2008 Honda Accord Coupe Caught Prior to Fall Debut

Snowy spring roads rarely make for compelling video footage, but when several prototypes of the 2008 Honda Accord coupe showed, the occasion presented our spy photographers with plenty of interesting subject matter. Dressed only in light camouflage, these Accord coupe prototypes weren't far from the production models that will arrive later this year.Thanks to the minimal disguise, it's easy to see that these prototypes have roughly the same overall size and shape as the Accord concept coupe shown at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show. Up front, the airdam has a particularly aggressive shape for a Honda. It has a more squared-off shape than before and flares out slightly at each corner. The center intake remains substantial, although much the same size as before, and there are decent-size openings for a pair of useful foglights.Compared to the current model, the new Accord coupe's most distinctive design cue up front is its trapezoidal grille. Acura has been using this look recently, so maybe it's not surprising to see it migrate over to the Honda side.These test prototypes also reveal a new character line that runs from the front wheel arch all the way to the taillights. It breaks up the slab-sided look of the current coupe without being too obvious at first glance. The rear-end styling isn't drastically different from the current car, apart from the less triangular taillights and more steeply angled tail section.In traditional Honda fashion, the engines for the Accord coupe will produce more power while emitting less pollutants and using less gas. An enhanced version of Honda's VTEC valve-timing system aided by cylinder activation is expected to give V6 models as much as 270 horsepower, while four-cylinder models will get only minor changes. No word yet about whether Honda plans to continue with a manual transmission for this car.With sales expected to start this fall, official specifications and photos should arrive by the end of the summer.

Saturday 8th October 2005The new 174PS Nissan Navara is currently king of the pick-ups. Not only will it carry more than a ton, it will also cruise at more than a ton and for that it deserves the Respect shown in its TV commercials.Compared to the average car, and previous generation pick-ups, it’s a big vehicle, longer than the average parking space. Sitting high on 17” wheels with chunky 255/65 R17 Goodyear Wrangler tyres, getting in means a climb. But the neatly minimalist dash, the multi******** steering wheel, even the ‘Birdview’ satnav are all familiar Pathfinder kit, which is hardly surprising as the two vehicles were developed side by side on the same ladderframe chassis.Same long-reach, floppy gearshift, too, which quickly becomes acceptably precise once you get used to it. Performance is slightly better, with 60 reached in 10.5 seconds rather than the 11.2 of the heavier Pathfinder, and a (conservatively estimated) top speed of 105mph. Two aspects that aren’t the same, though, are the handling and the ride comfort.Instead of a coil sprung rear axle, the Navara’s finned diff is suspended on a pair of cart springs in the time-honoured manner of Constable’s ‘Haywain’. It has to be, so the large 1,861mm by 1,560mm load deck can carry 1,085kg and company drivers temporarily get away with BIK tax on just £500 a year. But those springs make it very stiff and bouncy at the back and apt to lift and spin a rear wheel if you start being silly. You can counter this to some extent by shifting into 4x4H mode, which you can do on the fly using a dash-mounted knob. But, unless conditions are really bad, the extra wear and fuel consumption mitigate against this, so, like me, you will simply adapt your driving to the vehicle in two-wheel drive. Once you get with it you find you can actually hustle the truck through corners quite quickly, but you have to keep reminding yourself of the consequences of making a mistake with such a big, heavy vehicle.On the motorway it’s a surprisingly good cruiser. 6th gear offers 30 miles for every 1,000rpm and the steering wheel mounted cruise-control keeps it to the selected speed very accurately. It isn’t as quiet as a good car, obviously. But it’s quiet for a truck. The latest generation Birdview DVD satnav loses out in not being touch-screen. But it warns of traffic jams both on your route and in the vicinity of your route. And very neatly switches to a detailed close-up of any junction you approach with precise instructions where to go, better even than those in the new £100,000 Mercedes S600.The King Cab offers pillarless double-opening side doors. Like the Ford Ranger, Mazda B Series and RX8, and the massive Nissan Titan pick up, the rear side doors are rear hinged, which is very handy indeed. In the back there are a pair of small, folding jump seats with seatbelts but I would not recommend these for journeys of more than 10 miles. The space is best used for secure storage of tools and kit rather than people. If you need to regularly carry four or five, then sensible to sacrifice 350mm of load length and go for the double cab. This has comfortable rear seats with angled backrests and decent legroom. And, if you want to use the back of the cab for tools rather than people, you can still flip the seat squabs up.Rather than ship its new L200 Triton from Thailand with its 162bhp 3.2, Mitsubishi will be offering a 160bhp power upgrade of its 136bhp 2.5. Isuzu has a new 145bhp 3.0 I-TECH diesel for its D-Max and a 155bhp Prodrive upgrade for its older 130bhp 3.0 diesel. And there are rumours that Toyota will eventually bring in the 164bhp 3.0 D-4D for the new HiLux to supplement its standard rather weak 102bhp 2.5 D-4D. Yet Nissan still manages to outpower them all with its 172bhp Navara. And that makes the Navara undisputed king of the hill.

Mitsubishi EvoMitsubishi boxes clever on new Evo
The Evo X is gearing up for production with one of the world’s most extreme transmissions, we can reveal

The new high-performance Mitsubishi, which is scheduled to appear in the firm’s UK showrooms early next year, will be offered with the option of a conventional five-speed manual gearbox or a brand new two-pedal clutchless set-up.Bosses in Britain are expecting a huge 80 per cent of Evo X models to be specified with the paddleshift box, which operates in three modes. Although drivers always have manual control, they can choose from Normal, Sport and – most severe of all – Super­sport settings. The final mode has been designed for use on trackdays, allowing changes to higher gears only when they are absolutely necessary to keep the revs near the red line at all times.Standard Evo X models will be more expensive than the outgoing IX, with entry-level 300bhp variants costing more than £30,000. UK-tuned FQ versions won’t be added to the line-up until early 2009. For anyone who can’t stretch to the Evo’s price and running costs, a 260bhp Ralliart-badged five-door Lancer will be offered for less than £25,000. Meanwhile, bosses have also pledged their intent to bring the electric-powered Mitsubishi i to UK dealers as soon as possible. The plug-in city car won’t be produced until 2010, when it joins the petrol variant, on sale next month.