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Lexus LFA, the forgotten masterpiece

The Lexus name is synonamous with highly engineered luxury cars that are engineered to perfection. That concept changed in 2011, when the automaker launched its first ever supercar, a major departure from what we were used to seeing from the brand, called the LFA.

Lexus’ parent company, Toyota, picked a small group of exremely experienced engineers and technicians to work on the project. The automaker even built a specialized factory dedicated to the production of the LFA alone. Its truly fascinating how this lightweight Japanese supercar came to be as well as the vast tooling and techniques required for its production.

The car was constructed from Carbon fibder-reinforced polymer (CFRP), which accounts for 65% of the car’s total body composition. And unlike most of its rivals, the LFA had a front mounted engine – and it was a work of art. This 560bhp 4.8-litre V10 had one of the most distinctive exhaust notes in automotive history.

Lexus, as a means to amplify the acoustic experience, enlisted the help of the world’s leading musical instrument manufacturer, Yamaha, to help with perfectly resonating the effects throughout the cabin for a more enjoyable driving experience.

The automaker opted for a V10 instead of a V8 due to the former’s ability to rev much higher and to allow for a more rapid engine response. In fact, Lexus stated that the engine needed just 0.6 seconds to rev from idle to its redline. That is why Lexus opted for a digital tachometer instead of a traditional analogue one, because the latter one, wouldn’t have been able to respond as quickly as required.

That said, we think it was just an excuse for its engineers and designers to build one of the most impressive and futuristic digital instrument display system that wouldn’t have looked out of place it been offered on more recent supercars.

Check out the video below from National Geographic for the full documentary on Lexus’ megafactory that was purposed for the limited run of 500 LFA vehicles:

https://youtu.be/9MMWJ7p5SZY?list=PLOpPNCMWcSwgW1hhQeHUh6ElmWnyJYkhB

The interior of the LFA, unlike that of a number of its competitors, was fitted with a combination of elegant and expensive materials befitting of a Lexus sedan. It’s switchgear was neatly laid out throughout the cabin, within the reach of the driver safe for the button that operates the rear spoiler. This button is located behind the driver’s seat – a very odd place indeed.

Each of the 500 LFA supercars, were hand built by a team of specialists in Toyota’s Motomatchi plant in Japan. And by the end of 2012, production ground to a halt after the 500th car rolled off the line. Lexus, was proud of what it had accomplished but has since stated that it is in no hurry to plan for a replacement to its state-of-the-art supercar.

But we hope that Lexus chooses to build something similar in the near future. Till then, check out this video by famous automotive journalist Doug Demuro to find out his take on the first true Japanese supercar and whether it really is worth the hype:

Aston Martin Vulcan taken to new extremes with AMR Pro package

Aston Martin has been dominating the news these past few days and rightly so, considering that it announced several new releases and the fact that will be using Mercedes-Benz engines in its future cars. This time around, the news is on the wildest car to come from Gaydon, being made even wilder. The car in question, is the Vulcan fitted with the AMR Pro package.

After the upgrade, the car is badged as an AMR, Aston’s newly created performance brand. Compared with the base Vulcan, this upgrade gives the car extensive aerodynamic enhancements and shortened gearing to produce increased downforce, greater responsiveness and reduced lap times.

The aerodynamic changes that are made include loured panels added above the front wheel arches to extract high pressure air and reduce aerodynamic lift. A sizable pair of dive planes have been added to each side of the nose to help pin the front-end to the track and the front splitter has turning vanes fitted to its underside to improve steering response. Through some clever engineering, the car’s engine cover has been lightened too, by an impressive 5kg.

As for the rear, the changes are just as extensive as those at the front thanks to a new rear wing. Unlike that of the standard Vulcan, the AMR Pro’s wing has a dual plane design rather than a single plane one, and its main element features a 20mm ‘Gurney’ flap that is aided by slotted wing end-plates that have additional 15mm Gurneys to maximize downforce.

All these tweaks combined, give the AMR Pro 4000Nm of downforce compared to the standard Vulcan’s 3150Nm. This figure dwarfs that of the downforce generated by the 2017 Le Mans Winning Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE with just 3104Nm. They have also allowed the Centre of Pressure to be shifted closer to the middle at 47% compared to 41.5% of the base Vulcan. This will help improve traction, steering response and front-end grip.

Speaking of this upgrade pack Aston Martin Vice President and Chief Special Operations Officer, David King, said, “The shorter gearing makes for truly explosive acceleration between the corners, while the aero package’s increased downforce and improved balance gives our customers the all-important confidence to explore the extraordinary performance on offer.”

Having said all of this, the standard Vulcan is no slouch. Prior to the introduction of the AMR Pro package, it was the fastest, loudest and meanest looking Aston Martin to be made. It produces an impressive 820bhp from its colossal 7.0-litre V12 engine, coupled with a kerb weight of just 1,350kg, the car is nothing less than a rocketship.

Production was limited to just 24 cars and was delivered to customers throughout 2016. It was conceived and engineered to deliver similar excitement but exceed the performance of the automaker’s Le Mans winning race cars. Owners of the Vulcan have received extensive driver training by Aston Martin’s expert team of instructors to enable them to hone their skills at being able to tame the relatively bullish Vulcan.

The AMR Pro is an upgrade package that will be fitted to existing Vulcan cars in stages and depending on whether customers are keen to get the upgrade done. The package will be installed by Q by Aston Martin Advanced Operations. An already completed AMR Pro will be make an appearance at the Good Wood Festival of Speed today.

Ferrai 575M Maranello with low mileage to go under the hammer

Several important classics and modern sports cars will go under the hammer at Coys auction, which incidentally will take place not far from Goodwood, in the gardens of Fontwell House on 29th June 2017.

One of the few cars worthy of mention, is a pre-production Ferrari 575M Maranello, a perfect example of an Italian Grand Tourer. It is considered one of the earliest pre-production cars made by Ferrari and carries the chassis number 123761. It was manufactured in 2002 but was never sold by the automaker until much later. In fact, it was kept in storage for a few years after being used for marketing and other promotional purposes.

It was only registered in 2006 and sold a couple of years later as a new car by the automaker to a VIP client. In total, the car has just 13,000km on the odometer and comes with a comprehensive paperwork to support the history of work/maintenance that was conducted on it as well as the original manuals. It is estimated that the car might fetch about £150,000 (RM836,205) to £200,000 (RM1,114,940), which is a lot of cash considering what that same amount of money can get you with newer sports cars.

Speaking of the Ferrari, Chris Routledge, CEO of Coys, said, “Coys are delighted to return to Fontwell House for a now-regular feature in our busy auction calendar. Just miles away from the action at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, enthusiasts and collectors will find at Fontwell House a fabulous selection of classic, sports and racing cars, including this pre-production Ferrari 575MM which represents a piece of Ferrari history and would be a valuable addition to any collection.”

The Ferrari 575M Maranello was the follow up model of the relatively identical 550 Maranello (style wise) safe for minor tweaks by Pininfarina. Compared to the 550, 575M had a different interior, bigger brake discs, a larger and more powerful engine, different weight distribution, improved aerodynamics, adaptive suspension setup, as well as a number of others.

Under the hood was a 5.7-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine that was either mated to a 6 speed manual or 6-speed eletrohydraulic gearbox. That coupled with a 1,853kg kerb weight, allowed the 575M to accelerate to 100km/h from a standstill in 4.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 325km/h.

The car was produced from 2002 to 2006 and was eventually superseded by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, which features more sophisticated electronics, bigger and more powerful engine, as well improved driving dynamics.

Aston Martin DB11 is the first to receive Mercedes-AMG engine

Aston Martin’s DB11 will be the first receipient in the company’s line up of a Mercedes-AMG engine, which is the fruition of the partnership between the German manufacturer and the Gaydon based supercar maker.

Buyers will now be able to order their Aston Martin with either the existing 5.2-litre turbocharged V12 or the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from Mercedes-Benz. The latter weighs about 115kg lighter than the former, which should offer the DB11 better agility especially when meandering through corners. It’s power output is rated at close to 510bhp and 675Nm of torque, which will allow the car to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 4.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 301km/h.

Speaking of the latest addition, Aston Martin Chief Technical Officer, Max Szwaj, said, “As an engineer I find the DB11 a fascinating car. One with great depth of character and ability. Of course the V12-engined variant is an icon – an ultimate, if you like, but the V8 is very much its own car. One with a distinct and carefully crafted character that’s truly seductive.”

Despite it being a Mercedes-AMG sourced engine, Aston Martin’s engineers have fettled with it and added their own personal touch to ensure that the end result, is a powerplant that fits the needs and demands of a true Aston Martin. The calibration carried out included creating new ECU software and reprogramming the engine and throttle mapping to ensure that it offers and feel and sound that the brand is known for.

Several changes were made to the DB11 in order for the new V8 to fit in perfectly. They include a bespoke air intake, exhaust and wet sump lubrication systems, as well as new engine mounts. Together, they allow the engine to sit as low as possible to optimize the centre of gravity.

Most of the weight is centered within the wheelbase and as a result, should increase the car’s ability to react to sudden changes in steering input. And to fully support this, detailed revisions were made to the suspension bushing, geometry, anti-roll bars, springs, dampers and ESP software.

Looking at the exterior, there subtle design changes that tell it apart from its V12 powered sibling, and they include a unique alloy wheel finish, dark headlamp bezels and a pair of bonnet vents as apposed to the quartet that is featured on the V12 model. The vents are painted in either black or titanium-finish mesh – unique to the V8 variant.

As for the interior, there are no distinctions between the two variants as both get the same stuff, which, depending on what’s chosen, include the Options Pack, Designer Specification packages and a suite of Q by Astion Martin.

These Mercedes-AMG powered DB11 cars should go on sale towards the fourth quarter of this year but, one of them will make an appearance at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Aston Martin confirms production of first fully-electric supercar

Aston Martin has confirmed that the RapidE, which was unveiled two years ago in concept form, will enter production in 2019. It will be a limited production run vehicle with just 155 cars being produced in total. And it will be the first fully-electric model to be produced by the Gaydon based manufacturer.

No word yet on whether there would be styling changes or if the production car will retain the same curves and contours as the concept. But the car will be based upon the forthcoming Rapide AMR concept, which means that styling and vehicle dynamics wouldn’t deviate too much from that of the Rapide S albeit the electric motor(s) will take the place of the standard car’s glorious V12.

Speaking of the RapidE, Aston Martin President and CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said, “RapidE represents a sustainable future in which Aston Martin’s values of seductive style and supreme performance don’t merely co-exist alongside a new zero-emission powertrain, but are enhanced by it. RapidE will showcase Aston Martin’s vision, desire and capability to successfully embrace radical change, delivering a new breed of car that stays true to our ethos and delights our customers.”

The RapidE will be jointly developed with Williams Advanced Engineering who also worked on the original concept car. Together the team are striving to meet Aston Martin’s goal of producing an energy-efficient vehicle that retains the style and soul of the legendary sports cars of the past that have bared the company’s name.

Aston Martin has yet to release substantial information pertaining to performance other than a statement that the car will offer the kind of experience that has been absent from other Aston Martin cars. That said, it might be awhile before the automaker divulges more data.

Is this the future of vehicle manufacturing?

The advent of 3D printing has led to the simplification and reduction in time needed for prototyping. Take 3D printed plastic structures for example, using the conventional method is very time consuming.

It used to be an arduous process of developing and building a mold, mixing various compounds together to develop a resin, then pouring that into the mold and allowing it to cure. It took time, and every time a change needed to made, a new mold would have to be produced and the entire process restarted.

Well, with 3D printing, all you have to do is make the adjustments to the 3D model on your PC using the appropriate software, and once complete, send that information to the printer to begin the printing process. Depending on the complexity of the modeling, the structure should be complete in considerably less time than that needed with the conventional method.

Now, that same technology has been adapted for the automotive world as well. A company called Divergent 3D, a US based firm, have successfully used 3D printing to develop and build a fully functional supercar with 700 bhp, called the Divergent Blade. They actually managed to print the entire metal structure of the car with their propriety construction methods.

Unlike conventional cars, this has a body on frame design where a chassis with all its mechanical bits fully attached to it, is mated with a top shell, which in this case is the car’s body. It’s an approach that the company believes saves time and valuable resources compared to the methods used by big name automotive manufacturers. And as such, this Divergent Blade, is a prototype that may open the eyes of many automakers and nudge them to change their processes and in turn offer vehicles at a much cheaper price.

CEO and Founder of Divergent 3D showcased the car during and episode of Jay Leno’s garage, take a look at the video and let us know what you think.

Jay Leno surprises fans with virtual reality experience

It would appear that the virtual reality craze has entered the automotive world as well. For increased realism, games and driving simulation systems have employed the technology to help provide gamers/users with a more immersive experience and a sense of realism that was inconceivable unless you were in the actual thing.

Jay Leno, the former Tonight’s Show host and comedian, decided to use this particular technology for a less serious reason. His team organised an event where his fans could show up, sit in his 1954 Jaguar XK120, put on their virtual reality googles and pretend that they are on a drive. But there is a twist, Jay was actually present during this and would engage in a conversation with them through, what many of them believed were an audio recording.

At the end of the session, they would take off their headset only to see the legendary denim clad comedian, standing beside the car with his usual signature grin. It was an eventful day for many, check out the video clip for the full story.

In general, the XK120 was manufactured by Jaguar from 1948 to 1954 ad was the follow up car to the SS 100. Initially, the cars had wood-framed open top bodies with aluminium panels but that changed in 1950 when the automaker switched to an all-steel construction.

The significance of the ‘120’ in the model designation was of great value at the time. It denoted the top speed of the car, which was 120 mph or 193 km/h. During that time, it was considered the XK120 was fastest production car in the world and broke several records.

It was powered by a 3.6-litre XK inline 6 engine but was also supposed to be offered with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder one, with the XK100 model name. The smaller engine vehicle was meant for the UK market but the project was canned before production started.

The XK120 was a well known car due to its speed and agility, which made it a formidable force in racing and rallying. Till today is a vehicle that is coveted and revered by many including those who aren’t that into cars. A considerable amount of money exchanges hands when an XK120 is sold, which is a testament to its value.

VW annnounces 5 new venues for the Polo P project

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VCPM) has announced several more locations where it will conduct its safety-centric driver education programme, Polo P. It was developed with a goal in mind, to educate and empower new drivers with the skills and knowledge that will help them stay safe while driving.

It was launched in March of last year and has so far received 250 participants consisting of students from various colleges as well as young adults in the Klang Valley. Since its inception, each session has always been conducted at selected college and university campuses over an entire weekend. The same is true for the 5 new locations mentioned in this article.

In each session, participants are taught basic car maintenance, visual checkpoints, proper sitting and steering positions, and defensive driving which includes emergency braking and navigating past a slalom course. The vehicle of choice this programme is the 1.6-litre Polo hatchback.

The following are the list of dates and venues where Volkswagen will be conducting its Polo P project:

8 – 9 July Taylor’s Lakeside Campus, KL
19 – 20 Aug Sunway College, Johor Bahru
30 Sep – 1 Oct University Malaya, KL
21 – 22 Oct UiTM, Shah Alam
28 – 29 Oct UTAR Campus, Kampar, Perak

Participation in the Polo P project is open to all students and members of the general public who have valid driver’s licenses. if you are interested and want to sign up for one of the aforementioned events, visit the www.volkswagen.com.my website or send a private message to VW on the Volkswagen Facebook page.

In conjunction with Polo P, VW is also running a special “My First Polo” programme to make it easier for first time car buyers to own a Polo. And as such, buyers can now purchase a Volkswagen Polo 1.6L from RM470 a month with Volkswagen’s leading partnering bank. Visit the automaker’s website or your nearest authorized dealer to learn more.

Porsche gets top honours in J.D. Powers survey

Porsche’s 911 and Macan models have achieved top ratings in their respective segments of J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study. The results are based on surveys taken by more than 77,000 private individuals who rated 243 models and 33 manufacturers.

This is the sixth consecutive time that the 911 has retained the top spot but is only the Macan’s third time. Since 2012, Porsche’s stalwart 911 has between its rivals to retain the top spot in the “Midsize Premium sporty Car” category. And according to the data collected, many US customers have high regard for Porsche branded vehicles and can attest to the high quality of the Macan.

J.D. power is a US based global marketing information service that conducts customer satisfaction surveys to determine the quality and reliability of products, especially when it comes to vehicles.

“Quality is the essence of the Porsche brand, we do not compromise”, said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG. “Over more than five decades, we have continued to significantly enhance, refine and perfect the 911, in order to offer our customers the highest possible level of quality.”

For the Initial Quality Study, J.D. Powers surveys new car owners once a year, about 90 days after they have taken delivery of their vehicles. This year, owners were asked questions spanning 233 different criteria in various categories between February and May.

Apparently, owners’ evaluations covered topics including “driving experience” as well as experience with the performance and reliability of the engine and transmission of their respective vehicles.

Alpine A110 to grace this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed

The soon to be launched Alpine A110 will make an appearance at the upcoming Goodwood festival of Speed by taking part in the annual hill climb event. The car made its debut earlier this year at the Geneva Motorshow and first deliveries to customers are expected to start in early 2018.

Alpine, is an iconic sports car brand that has produced many championship winning racers and to commemorate the impending launch of its latest vehicle, plans on displaying cars like the 1978 Alpine A442 B and 1977 Alpine A310 during the Goodwood festival.

The 2017 Alpine A110 will be a lightweight, agile and performance oriented sports car that embodies the principles that made the automaker a formidable force in circuit racing as well as rallying competitions. the car will weigh just 1,080kg and will be 4,178mm long, 1,798mm wide and 1,252mm high.

Thanks to a 44/56 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, the A110 is said to offer respectable agility, the very characteristic that gained Alpine cars a reputation in the 1960s and 1970s.

It’s smooth and elegant contours are reminiscent of tge world renowned Alpine sports cars that put the automaker on the map. It will be powered by a new 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 252bhp and 320Nm of torque. This, coupled with a lightweight body, gives the A110 a respectable power-t-weight ratio of 233bhp per tonne.

It will only need 4.5 seconds to sprint from 0-100km/h, which isn’t very fast by supercar standards, but are decent enough considering that it has considerably smaller engine most of its competitors.

Expect more from Alpine as it plans to take on the more established brands at their own game.

Piston.my

English

Lexus LFA, the forgotten masterpiece

Aston Martin Vulcan taken to new extremes with AMR Pro package

Ferrai 575M Maranello with low mileage to go under the hammer

Aston Martin DB11 is the first to receive Mercedes-AMG engine

Aston Martin confirms production of first fully-electric supercar

Is this the future of vehicle manufacturing?

Jay Leno surprises fans with virtual reality experience

VW annnounces 5 new venues for the Polo P project

Porsche gets top honours in J.D. Powers survey

Alpine A110 to grace this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed

Review: The Leapmotor C10 – Perfect For You?

Penang Extends Free Bus Services with RM7 Million Pas Mutiara Allocation for 2025

Hyundai and BAIC Bolster China Joint Venture with $1.1 Billion Investment Amid Sales Decline

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Next-Gen Fiat 500 To Arrive in 2032 Despite Sales Struggles

Chery Malaysia Achieves SIRIM Certification for EV Batteries

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