Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider drops at the Geneva motor show

4C convertible should come stateside
Alfa Romeo 4C SpiderAutoweek
Alfa dropped the top on the 4C for Geneva.
By:  on 3/04/2014
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The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider debuted at the Geneva motor show on Tuesday. The soft top is scheduled to enter production in 2015, right about the time Alfa says it will return to the United States.
The 4C gets Alfa's 1.75-liter turbocharged four, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It delivers 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. That'll get this roadster to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, while top speed is in excess of 155 mph. The hardtop weighed in at 1,973 pounds, and Alfa says this car only gained about 132 pounds for a grand total of 2,105 pounds. It has a slightly better power-to-weight ratio than the Nissan 307Z and the Porsche Boxster.
The 4C Spider debuts a new dual-stage central exhaust system made from titanium with carbon components. It features an electrically operated valve that Alfa says improves performance and enhances the exhaust note.


Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Autoweek
Like the 4C, the Spider was designed by the Alfa Romeo Style Center and takes advantage of the hardtop's ultra-rigid construction. Carbon fiber was used for the rollover bars, spoilers and windshield frame, while the top is made from lightweight canvas.
New headlights take the place of the futuristic bug eyes from the hardtop, and new alloy wheels are shod with Pirelli tires.
The 2014 Alfa 4C had a base price of $54,000 when we drove it last September. We expect this car to come in a little north of that.


Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
About the Geneva motor show
The 2014 Geneva motor show runs March 6-16 and is expected to attract a range of production and concept cars as diverse as the Jeep Renegade and the new Koenigsegg One:1. Check out Autoweek's complete coverage atautoweek.com/geneva-auto-show.


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Ferrari California T

Ferrari California T debuts at Geneva motor show

Maranello returns to turbocharging, premieres a 3.9-liter V8 in the new Cali
2014 Ferrari California T front fascia Photo by: Autoweek
This is the first appearance of a turbocharger in roadgoing Ferraris in years. Photo by Autoweek.
By:  on 3/04/2014
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Ferrari is officially back in the turbocharging business, and the first turbo model on offer will be the California T, which the Maranello-based company brought to the Geneva motor show this week. A turbo under the hood isn't the only new thing the California T will offer -- the 3.9-liter V8 engine is all new, and the car itself has been thoroughly redesigned inside and out. Let's take a closer look at what this new California retractable hard top will feature.
While the F40 may have been the last Ferrari to offer a turbocharger, it was still subject to turbo lag, and that's one thing that Ferrari promises the California T will not carry over from past engines. Speaking of promises, the engine is rated at 560 hp and 557 lb-ft of torque, which is 70 hp and 49 lb-ft more than the last California, for those of you keeping track. The result is a neck-breaking sprint to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Despite the eye-watering performance, Ferrari has managed to improve fuel economy by 15 percent, while reducing emissions by 20 percent.
Pininfarina, along with the Ferrari Style Center, is responsible for the design of the new California T, which was inspired by the 250 Testa Rossa and its famous pontoon-fender styling. The modern reinterpretation of that classic design cue adds a crease line at the top of the fender, but the basic shape along with a substantial grille opening should be immediately recognizable to anyone who's seen a 250 Testa Rossa, or other Ferraris from the 1960s.
The engine and the skin aren't the only things that Ferrari has tweaked, as the California T features a thoroughly redesigned chassis with only 40 percent of the components migrating over from the previous model. The California T features new springs along with Magnaride dampers, which along with body motion accelerometers should provide more precise handling with a comfortable ride. New composite discs and pads are featured on the CCM3 carbon-ceramic brakes, and are integrated with Ferrari's ESP 8.0 premium, which manages the ABS system to ensure extremely short stopping distances. It takes only 111 feet for the California T to decelerate from 62 mph to a complete stop.


Ferrari debuts Caifornia T at Geneva Motor Show Autoweek
The retractable hard top folds in just 14 seconds.
A few other changes to the California are worth a mention, including front seats that slide further forward to the benefit of ingress and egress of rear passengers, CarPlay Apple (an iPhone integration system which offers users a safer way to use an iPhone in the car with voice commands) and an entirely new steering box which is said to be more precise.
Three new configuration options will be available when the California T debuts, including Ski, Golf, and Country. The Ski package will include a luggage compartment lined in anti-scratch carbon-fiber with metal inserts, while the Golf package will consist of tartan patterns in the interior. The Country configuration package will feature warm leather tones and a luggage compartment lined with Testa di Moro leather that is also used in the cabin itself.
In addition to bringing the California T to the Geneva motor show, Ferrari is also exhibiting the F12berlinetta, which is the company's most powerful mid-front mounted V12, along with a 458 Spider and two Ferrari FFs.


Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140304/carnews/140309947#ixzz2v5iauaW2
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Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4 unveiled in Geneva

Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4 unveiled in Geneva

New dual-clutch box and steering system, plus more power
Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 Photo by: Lamborghini
The Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 debuted at the Geneva auto show on Monday night. Photo by Lamborghini.
By:  on 3/04/2014
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The Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4 made its debut last night at a Volkswagen event in Geneva. The latest from Sant'Agata follows the company's bullish naming formula, this one after a fierce bull of the Spanish Conte de la Patilla breed.
The official figures are here, and the new car is about 3 inches longer, 1 inch wider and the same height as the outgoing Gallardo. Wheelbase is up a little more than 2 inches. The Huracán weighs in at 3,135 pounds; that's up nearly 200 pounds from Lambo's last “entry-level” ride.
So it's bigger all around, but the main story is the engine. The 5.2-liter V10 makes 413 lb-ft of torque to go along with its 610 hp at 8,250 rpm. In the Huracán, that's good for a 0-62-mph time of 3.2 seconds, 124-mph passes in 9.9 seconds and a top speed on the other side of 202 mph. All-wheel drive is standard, hence the “4” in the name, as is a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission called the Lamborghini Doppia Frizione or LDF. Normally only 30 percent of the power is routed forward, but under hard acceleration the split can be 50-50.
Power-to-weight ratio is more favorable, and efficiency is up. Lamborghini says the Huracán is 11 percent more miserly than the Gallardo with help from a stop/start system.
The Huracán has a chassis made from aluminum and carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) that weighs less than 440 pounds. Weight is distributed 42/58 front to rear. The electromechanical rack-and-pinion power-steering system is new for the Huracán. The level of assistance is variable, decreasing as you head toward terminal velocity. All four corners get double wishbones and adjustable magnetorheological dampers.
Three steering-wheel selectable driving modes are offered, including normal, sport and corsa. The modes change mapping for the throttle, exhaust valves, transmission, all-wheel-drive system, stability control and dampers.
If anything, the Huracán's sheetmetal looks a little too tame for the company that brought us the wild Sesto Elemento and vertigo-inducing Veneno.
The Huracán has big shoes to fill. The Gallardo had a 10-year production run with 14,022 units produced, making it the most popular Lamborghini model ever made.
Deliveries of 2014 Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4s start this spring.


Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140304/carnews/140309962#ixzz2v5iV8WuX
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