Mercedes C63 AMG

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Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe Black Series (2011) news

By Ben Barry

First Official Pictures

23 July 2011 00:01

Mercedes-Benz AMG is using the 2011 German GP to preview its fourth Black Series model: the C63 AMG Black Series, the cheapest – at a still chunky €97,000 plus local taxes – Black Series ever.

What is the Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe Black Series?

Black Series acts as a no-comprises halo model for AMG, with wilder styling, more power, less weight, stiffer suspension and no rear seats. The Black Series template also calls for a two-door, fixed roof bodyshell, even if the base car is only offered with a folding hardtop roof. Hence the C63’s predecessors are the and – the latter two models having their folding hardtops replaced with a fixed roof. 

The C63 Black Series retains the C63’s naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8, but power swells from the standard car’s 451bhp – or 480bhp if you spec the Performance Pack – to 510bhp. That brings it tantalisingly close to the E63, the C63’s big brother.

BMW M3 DTM Concept

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BMW M3 DTM Concept Car (2011) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

18 July 2011 10:30

This is BMW’s M3 DTM Concept Car, a taster of the near-500bhp racer that will compete in the 2012 DTM (German Touring Car) series. Unveiled at BMW Welt in Munich, it signals BMW's return to the DTM after a two-decade absence; between 1987 and 1992, the BMW M3 won 40 races and had over 150 podium finishes in Germany's premier tin-top series.

Does this new BMW M3 DTM car bear any resemblance to a road-going M3?

Not really, although the new 2012 DTM regulations demand that all cars must use a certain number of standard parts – it’s one of the reasons BMW has re-entered the series. The M3 DTM concept features a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic monocoque (CFRP) with a steel roll cage, a six-speed sequential gearbox, and as per DTM regulations, a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V8. With air restrictors in place, the eight-cylinder engine produces around 480bhp, and BMW reckons its new M3 racer will hit 62mph in around three seconds and top 186mph.

BMW Motorsport also claims it has been able to ‘call upon the immense technical resources of the BMW Group and apply their innovation to establish performance advantages over their rivals in areas such as engine and aerodynamics’. Massive rear wing notwithstanding, the DTM-spec M3 is 160mm longer than the road car (at 4775mm), those ridiculously blistered wheelarches up the width from 1804mm to 1950mm, and depending on the ride height set-up at each circuit, it’s a mere 1200mm tall (1424mm for the street legal car).

Renault Twingo (2012)

Renault Twingo (2012) the facelifted French city car

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

28 July 2011 12:45

Renault has just released this solitary photo of the revised Twingo supermini, which will be unveiled in full at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September. It’s all part of the PR thrust – because if you weren’t revved up about the facelifted Twingo, then this single picture is bound to get you very excited, right?

Actually, the revised Renault Twingo looks pretty good…

We agree. It’s Renault’s first production car to be inspired by the company’s latest design language (there’s no catchy name for the new style; instead design boss Laurens van den Acker has simply been charged with making products from La Regie sexy again). On the Twingo that means new bumpers and lights with a bigger Renault logo, and while not visible in this picture, the upright rear end has gained additional light clusters integrated into the bootlid. Result? A rather decent looking little supermini.

BMW i8 Concept (2011)

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BMW i8 Concept (2011) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

29 July 2011 11:00

This is the BMW i8 Concept, a near-production preview of Munich’s new plug-in hybrid supercar. Audi and Mercedes might have stolen a march on BMW with the R8 and SLS respectively, but while its rivals prepare limited-run electric versions of their supercars, BMW is putting this i8 into proper mass production in just two years time. The BMW i8, and its i3 EV sibling, will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September.

So this BMW i8 supercar is a plug-in hybrid?

That’s right. The BMW i8 uses a modified version of the electric motor found in the i3, albeit now mounted over its front axle, and tuned to produce 129bhp and 184lb ft. And don’t worry, there’s a petrol engine too: it’s a turbocharged 1.5-litre triple, with 220bhp and 221lb ft being sent to the rear wheels. That means 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and a 155mph top speed, but 104mpg and 66g/km on the official EU fuel cycle.

Like the i3, the i8 features BMW’s new LifeDrive architecture, with aluminium structures and a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell. But rather than the passenger compartment mounted above the lithium-ion batteries – as per the i3 – the low-slung nature of this plug-in supercar means the battery packs run through the middle of the car and is contained in an ‘energy tunnel’ similar to a conventional transmission tunnel.

There are fewer batteries than on the i3, so the EV range is only around 20 miles, but the lithium-ion units can also be charged from a conventional plug in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

BMW i3 Concept (2011)

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BMW i3 Concept (2011) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

29 July 2011 11:00

This is the BMW i3 Concept, a near-production preview of Munich’s new urban vehicle. Previously known as the Megacity Vehicle (MCV), it’s an all-electric carbonfibre and aluminium car that BMW will sell from 2013 as part of its new ‘i’ range – the i8 supercar has also been unveiled today. Both the BMW i3 and i8 concepts will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September.

Is the BMW i3 just an electric Mini with a different badge?

Oh no. Beneath the stylish skin is BMW’s new LifeDrive architecture. The Drive element comprises the suspension, battery and drive systems, plus the aluminium structural and crash elements, while the Life part is the high-strength and lightweight carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell.

The LifeDrive set-up features in both the i8 and i3, but it’s different in the latter because of its all-electric configuration. The Drive element sits low, containing the big lithium-ion batteries (held in place and protected by aluminium ‘profiles’) for optimum weight distribution and a low centre of gravity, and the Life element is mounted on top. Think of the body-on-chassis configuration of American pick-up trucks – albeit a little more complex – and you’ll be along the right lines.

Mazda CX-5 (2012)

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Mazda CX-5 (2012) first official pictures

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

02 August 2011 09:00

This is the new Mazda CX-5, the third addition to the Japanese car company’s SUV line-up after the CX-7 and CX-9 (the latter isn’t sold in Europe). It’s a rival for the Freelander, Kuga and every other compact SUV out there, and will officially unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show in September.

What do we know about the new Mazda CX-5?

It’s the first production car to feature Mazda’s new Kodo design language, showcased by the Minagi (a thinly veiled concept of the CX-5) and Shinari show cars. Mazda has only released a few photos so far, but first impressions are of a good-looking little SUV.

It’s also the first production car to boast Mazda’s new SkyActiv Technology, a plethora of fuel saving advancements, from lightweight bodies and chassis, to new engines and gearboxes. When Mazda showcased its SkyActiv tech earlier this year it claimed the body-in-white was 30% more rigid but 8% lighter than before, and that the front and rear running gear assemblies weighed 14% less. There are new manual and automatic transmissions too, the latter claimed to weigh 16% less and improved fuel economy by 1% thanks to reduced frictional losses.