Home / 2009 / October (Page 13)

• 2010 TechArt Porsche Panamera

  New TechArt of Porsche 2010 Panamera use models at the IAA 2009. 2010 TechArt Porsche Panamera has the aerodynamic design with the exotic wood variation for interior design of TechArt Porsche Panamera. The TechArt Porsche Panamera machine power to road is the job of choice with the 21” TechArt Formula or 22” TechArt Formula II.

  TechArt is celebrating the world premiere of its individualization program for the Porsche Panamera models at the IAA 2009. The first phase of the TechArt program includes, among other things, exterior components for improved aerodynamics and a striking appearance that is typical of TechArt, 21 and 22 inch light metal wheels, a multifunctional daylight running light system, as well as extensive options finishing the interior.

  “Personality knows no compromise – this is our understanding of high-quality automobile finishing. We implement this one-to-one with the Porsche Panamera and in the process combine well-trained aesthetics with discrete elegance,” emphasizes Thomas Behringer, CEO of TechArt Automobil GmbH. The program for the Porsche Panamera Turbo will be shown at the IAA 2009.

  The completely newly developed Aerokit I was manufactured from PUR-RIM and it optimizes the driving characteristics specifically at high speeds. The three-part Front Spoiler I has integrated brake air ducting and reduces the lift on the front axle with better cooling of the brakes at the same time. The side skirts steady the airflow under the vehicle and form dynamic contours in the side view. The new Rear Spoiler I and a rear diffusor support driving stability, and together with the dual oval tailpipes made of stainless steel with the TechArt engraving, they emphasize the consistent design at the rear.

  Transmission of power to the road is the job of a choice of elegant 21-inch TechArt Formula or sporty 22-inch TechArt Formula II light-metal wheels. For the necessary road holding, TechArt recommends Conti Sport Contact 3 tires or Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires.

  TechArt has a multifunctional daytime running lights system ready for the Porsche Panamera Turbo. The LED system unit combines daytime running lights, blinkers, sidelights, and parking lights in one housing – in a choice of chrome or black – that slips seamlessly into the front design of the Porsche Panamera. The system has automatic dimming of the daytime running lights when blinking as well as when the low-beam is switched on.

  Interior manufacturing is one of the key competences of the Leonberg Porsche tuning specialist. For the market launch of the program for the Porsche Panamera, TechArt is presenting exclusive two-colour leather finishing in teak and black. Decorative stitching with matching thread, a roof liner in the same coloured Alcantara, details such as interior colour-matched handles and foot mats with leather edging in the colour teak give rise to extensive personalization. A TechArt sport steering wheel as well as dials with the interior colour complete the sporty and elegant line. A new TechArt exotic wood variation is being used for the first time in the Porsche Panamera. The prized ash veneer with a tactile grain decorates the doors, the dashboard and center console.

  The TechArt program for Porsche Panamera S, 4S and Turbo will be available in December 2009. More individualization options as well as technical features will follow at the beginning of 2010.

   

• 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro

  Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro with the high performance not only sport car but 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro also has the dynamic Body design and high-technology that support the power engine and comfortable interior design. The 2011Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro use V10 engine produces 386 kW (525 hp) and just need 4.1 second to get top speed level (313 kmph / 194.49 mph). The high-technology that used are Audi Space Frame (ASF), quattro permanent all-wheel drive, full-LED headlights and with an innovative seatbelt microphone.

  Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro – exceptional performance and breathtaking dynamism coupled with the intense sensations of open-top driving. Its lightweight cloth top opens and closes fully automatically; several body parts are made of a carbon fiber composite material.

  The V10 engine produces 386 kW (525 hp) and launches the open-top two-seater to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 313 km/h (194.49 mph). Featuring technologies such as the Audi Space Frame (ASF), quattro permanent all-wheel drive, full-LED headlights and with an innovative seatbelt microphone available as an option, the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro is the new top-of-the-range Audi.

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro makes a powerful statement. The sculptured lines of the emotion-packed, high-performance sports car are a fascinating and unique interpretation of its dynamism. Unlike the Audi R8 Coupé, the Spyder does not have sideblades behind the doors. The side panels and the large cover over the storage compartment for the cloth top are made of a carbon fiber composite. Two arched cowls, which extend to the spoiler lip and include large, integrated air vents, give the rear of the open-top two-seater a powerful profile.

  Like every open-top Audi, the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro has a cloth top – an uncompromising solution for a high-performance sports car. The soft top’s approximate weight is a mere 30 kilograms (66.14 lb); it thus keeps the vehicle’s total weight and center of gravity low. The top takes up little space when open and is a harmonious design element when closed. It tapers off to two slim fins extending to the trailing edge of the car, emphasizing the elongated silhouette.

  The electrohydraulic soft top opens and closes in 19 seconds, even while driving at speeds up to 50 km/h (31.07 mph). When opened, it folds like a Z into its storage compartment over the V10 engine. The compartment cover opens and closes automatically. The heated glass window, which is separate from the cloth top, is lowered into the bulkhead. It can be independently raised and lowered at the press of a switch, with the top up or down. An additional net-like wind deflector comes standard and can be latched into the bulkhead behind the seats in two easy steps.

  The top, which comprises an outer skin of a leakproof textile fabric and the headliner, is fully compatible with high-speed driving. When driving at moderate speeds with the top up, interior noise levels in the Audi R8 Spyder are barely higher than in the Coupé. The bulkhead includes integrated rollover protection in the form of two strong, spring-tensioned plates. Head/thorax side bags in the backrests protect the passengers in the event of a side impact. Full-size airbags stand at the ready in the event of a head-on collision. In a rear-end collision, the integral head restraint system reduces the risk of whiplash injuries.

  In the version with manual transmission, the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro weighs only 1,720 kilograms thanks primarily to its aluminum Audi Space Frame (ASF) body. Despite reinforcements in the area of the sills, the center tunnel, the rear wall, the floor pan and the A- and B-pillars, the body weighs only 216 kilograms (476.2 lb) – just 6 kilograms (13.23 lb) more than that of the Audi R8 Coupé. The high stiffness of the ASF body, which includes an integrated engine frame of ultra-lightweight magnesium, provides the foundation for the car’s dynamic handling and superior safety.

  Close attention to detail: the design

  Numerous details demonstrate that the Audi designers put their hearts into the design of the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. The air inlets in the nose, which direct air across the three radiators, and the lip of the front skirt are painted high-gloss black. The struts in the broad, low, single-frame grille are finely coated with chrome. The standard full-LED headlights are technical works of art. Their reflectors resemble open mussel shells; the daytime running lights appear to be a homogeneous strip, but actually comprise 24 individual LEDs that form a curve at the lower edge of the headlight.

  The full-LED headlights from Audi are unmatched by its international competitors. Light-emitting diodes are used for the low beams, the high beams, the daytime running lights and the turn signals. With a color temperature of 6,000 Kelvin, the LED light is very similar to daylight, making it easier on the eyes when driving at night. Additional strengths include excellent light distribution, long service life and extremely low energy consumption.

  The side sills of the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro are broad and angular. V10 badges on the flanks allude to the power of the engine. A dark surface between the rear lights emphasizes the car’s width. The chambers of the lights are colored dark red, with LEDs generating a three-dimensional light pattern. The exhaust system ends in two large, oval tailpipes, and the fully lined underbody ends in an upturned diffuser. The rear spoiler extends automatically at higher speeds.

  Audi offers the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro with a choice of three colors for the top. The body is available in eleven paint finishes, with metallic and pearl effect finishes standard. The windshield frame is coated with anodized aluminum.

  Sporty luxury: the interior

  The open-top two-seater from Audi features a generously spacious interior. The three-spoke leather multifunction sport steering wheel is flattened at the bottom as in a race car, and the low-mounted, electrically adjustable seats guide and support the body perfectly.

  Quality of fit and finish is extraordinary and the controls are clear and logical. The standard driver information system includes a lap timer for recording lap times. The instruments and the gear lever knob feature red rings. The pedals, the footrests and the shift paddles of the optional R tronic are in aluminum look. Highlighting the list of standard equipment are a generous full-leather package featuring Fine Nappa leather, an excellent sound system from Bang & Olufsen, a deluxe automatic air conditioning system and heated seats. Six different interior colors are available.

  Many additional fine features documents the top status of the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. The leather for the seats are colored with pigments that reflect the infrared component of sunlight, which keeps the seats up to 20 degrees Celsius cooler.

  Door sill strips coated with aluminum and adorned with black satin finish applications impart an air of luxurious sportiness. Three storage compartments are integrated into the rear bulkhead, one of which contains the optional CD changer or Audi music interface, if desired. There is a front compartment for 100 liters (3.53 cu ft) of luggage.

  The latest version of the navigation system plus with MMI operating logic is also standard in the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro. It features higher resolution and particularly fast route calculation. The system’s most visible new feature is the high-resolution, 6.5-inch display. The topographic view can be scrolled in any direction. The system can be combined optionally with a rearview camera that serves as a parking aid.

  Audi offers custom extras, such as exclusive leather packages and special inlays. A worldwide first is the optional seatbelt microphone for the hands-free unit, which makes it possible to talk on the phone even with the top down on the highway. Three small, flat microphones are integrated into both seatbelts. At least one of them is ideally positioned relative to the speaker when the belt is on. There is a fourth microphone in the windshield frame.

  Uncompromising power: the engine

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro, which was developed in cooperation with quattro GmbH, dazzles with uncompromising performance. The V10 engine with the aluminum crankcase, much of which is hand-built, follows in the grand motorsports tradition at Audi. The normally aspirated engine produces 530 Nm (390.91 lb-ft) of torque at 6,500 rpm. Peak output of 386 kW (525 hp) is reached at 8,000 rpm, and the rev limit is not reached until 8,700 rpm. Specific power output is 100.9 hp per liter of displacement; each hp only needs to move 3.3 kilograms (7.28 lb) of weight.

  Performance reflects this awesome potential: 0 – 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 4.1 seconds; 0 – 200 km/h (124.27 mph) in 12.7 seconds; top speed is 313 km/h (194.49 mph) with the six-speed manual transmission. As load and revs increase, the engine unfolds the rich, unmistakable Audi ten-cylinder sound – a powerful, throaty roar with musical undertones.

  The 5.2-liter engine features FSI direct fuel injection. The high 12.5:1 compression ratio that this enables contributes to the high performance and good fuel efficiency. Equipped with a manual transmission, the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro consumes an average of 14.9 liters of fuel per 100 km (15.79 US mpg) – a good figure given its power. With R tronic, this figure improves to 13.9 liters (16.92 US mpg). Dry sump lubrication, another motorsports technology, ensures that the supply of oil is maintained even at the maximum lateral acceleration of 1.2 g.

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI is also available with an optional automatic six-speed transmission. The R tronic offers a normal and a sport program as well as a fully automatic and a manual mode. The manual mode allows the driver to make lightning-fast gear changes using the joystick on the center tunnel or with the paddles on the steering wheel. The open-air sports car also comes with “Launch Control” – a program that manages engagement of the clutch perfectly to maximize acceleration at start.

  The quattro permanent all-wheel drive features a central viscous coupling and distributes power to all four wheels with a heavy rear bias. It works together with the locking differential on the rear axle to provide significantly greater traction, stability, cornering speed and precision. It is the superior technology – in particular for a high-performance sports car.

  Dazzling performance: the chassis

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro has a 2.65-meter (8.69-ft) wheelbase and a 43:57 axle load distribution. Like in a race car, there are double triangular wishbones made of aluminum at all four wheels. The hydraulic rack-and-pinion power steering conveys highly precise road contact.

  The chassis is tuned for good comfort, thanks in part to standard Audi magnetic ride technology. This uses magnetic fields in the shock absorbers to adjust their response to road conditions within milliseconds and adapt to the driver’s style. The driver can choose between two base characteristics. A sports suspension with conventional shock absorbers is available as an option.

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro rolls on 19-inch wheels of 10-spoke Y design. The front rims are shod with 235/35 tires, with 295/30 tires at the back. 305/30 tires are optionally available. The brakes offer impressive performance: The four discs are internally ventilated and perforated, with eight-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers at the back. Optionally available from Audi are oversized carbon fiber-ceramic discs that are extremely lightweight, robust and long-lived. The ESP stabilization system has a Sport mode and can also be completely deactivated. The brake system includes an assist function that facilitates starting on gradients.

  The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI quattro is built by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. The vehicle, including the ASF, is largely hand-built. The open-top two-seater will be launched in Germany in the first quarter of 2010. Its base price will be 156,400 euros.

   

• 2011 Audi S5 Sportback

  Audi S5 Sportback, this car is family of “S” type where characteristic of Audi design inside here. 2011 Audi S5 Sportback use supercharged V6 engine that consumes only 9.7 liters (provisional figure) of fuel per 100 km (24.25 US mpg) on average. Elegant body design and interior design of Audi S5 Sportback are the great combination of Audi S5 Sportback with silver color. But this Audi S5 Sportback also has another luxurious color that comfort seats are available as an option like black, metallic, brown, 2 or 3 colors combination.

  The abbreviation “S” stands for sports and also high efficiency – characteristic Audi features. The Audi S5 Sportback is the top model of the new Audi A5 Sportback model series. The five-door coupe is powered by a highly efficient, supercharged V6 engine with an output of 245 kW (333 hp). Power is delivered to the wheels via the seven-speed S tronic and quattro drive; the innovative sport differential is available as an option.

  The Audi S5 Sportback is powered by a three-liter V6 with a mechanically driven supercharger. The supercharger sits in the 90 degree V formed by the banks of the cylinders and produces up to 0.8 bar of pressure. Two downstream intercoolers lower the temperature of the compressed intake air for improved filling of the combustion chambers.

  The six-cylinder unit, which displaces 2,995 cc, embodies the Audi philosophy that performance and efficiency are not mutually exclusive but rather complement each other perfectly. The engine delivers a constant 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft) of torque between 2,900 and 5,300 rpm. The Audi S5 Sportback sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in only 5.4 seconds (provisional figure) and accelerates up to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph). The spontaneous response, the powerful thrust and sonorous sound make for a thrilling driving experience.

  The supercharged V6 unit consumes only 9.7 liters (provisional figure) of fuel per 100 km (24.25 US mpg) on average – a top figure in this performance class.

  The leading position of the Audi S5 Sportback is further underscored by its drivetrain technology. The top model comes standard with the seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive with a slight rear wheel bias. Optionally available is the sport differential.

  The high-end rear-axle differential transfers the forces at the rear axle between the wheels as needed for even greater dynamism and stability.

  The Audi S5 Sportback has a sports-tuned chassis. The S-design 18-inch cast aluminum wheels are shod with 245/40 tires. Wheels up to 20 inches are available as options. The black brake calipers are emblazoned with S5 emblems. Servotronic speed-sensitive steering is also standard, with dynamic steering optionally available. A strut brace provides the front section of the car with additional rigidity.

  A number of features also provide visual cues to the Audi A5 Sportback’s sporty nature. The front blade and the diffuser, the single-frame grille, the air intakes, the sill strip, the spoiler lip at the rear and the four-tailpipe exhaust system all sport an exclusive design. The side mirror housings shine in aluminum look and the xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights and rear lights are standard.

  Inside, electrically adjustable S-design sport seats covered in Silk Nappa leather, a black or silver headliner and brushed aluminum inlays underscore the dynamic style of the high-end model. The pointers in the instrument cluster are illuminated white, and the color driver information system presents the S5 logo when the car is started. A leather multifunction sport steering wheel with aluminum-look shift paddles and a sport selection switch for the S tronic underscore the sporty aspect of this model. S5 badges adorn the door sill trims, the key, the steering wheel and the instruments.

  The luxurious, climate-controlled comfort seats are available as an option. The seat coverings are available in black, brown and three two-color combinations. Inlays are available in carbon, fine-grained birch wood and stainless steel mesh. The metallic structure comprising countless steel fibers feels slightly rough – an extraordinary haptic experience.

  The Audi S5 Sportback will be arriving at German dealerships in spring 2010 with a base price of 57,900 euros.

   

• 2009 Volkswagen E-Up Concept Car

  Volkswagen E-Up! The concept body of DNA design type of Volkswagen design. The Volkswagen E-Up use zero-emission design and eclectic motor for the engine with 60 kW (continuous power: 40 kW). The body design of Volkswagen E-Up is acceptable for metropolitan life where populous and a lot of them is great worker and busyness. So, this Volkswagen E-Up is one of solution of transportation.

  In its styling, the powerful and clearly drawn lines of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept body follow the new Volkswagen “design DNA” par excellence and show cult potential. That is because never before has an ultra-compact vehicle – which does not aim to be retro but forges new paths instead – brought such appealing, timeless, class-independent and dynamic qualities to light. Inside, the smallest Volkswagen ever also astonishes with its impressive space utilisation. The zero-emissions concept car designed under the leadership of Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Brand, and Head of the Development business area, is based on modules of the New Small Family anticipated in the year 2011, but at a length of 3.19 meters it is even more compact. It also offers an innovative 3+1 seating concept.

  Drive unit – battery and integral drive

  The 135 km/h fast 3+1 seater is driven by an electric motor with a peak power output of 60 kW (continuous power: 40 kW). The motor of the front-wheel drive car, which is mounted in front, develops a maximum torque of 210 Newton-meters right from rest. The driver activates forward or reverse gear via a rotary knob in the centre console. The fact that the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept will also quite clearly offer driving enjoyment is demonstrated by a look at the car’s classic 0 to 100-km/h sprint time: 11.3 seconds. The Volkswagen E-Up! Concept develops even greater responsiveness in the intermediate sprint from 0 to 50 km/h in city driving: 3.5 seconds. This dynamic performance is based first on the electric motor’s excellent torque characteristic and second on the low kerb weight of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept, which is just 1,085 kilograms.

  Lithium-ion battery: The car’s low weight is quite astounding, given the fact that 240 kilograms are taken up by the lithium-ion battery. The implemented battery’s energy capacity of 18 kilowatt-hours (kWh) enables driving distances of up to 130 kilometres, depending on driving style – enough for the city and the drives of most commuters. The Volkswagen E-Up! Concept will be “refueled” in the garage at home, in a parking structure or on the road at one of the future municipal recharging stations that will be enabled by chip card. Depending on the available charging infrastructure and the battery’s momentary charge state, the storage battery could be charged to up to 80 percent of its total capacity within an hour.

  If the batteries are recharged in a home garage, for example, by plugging it into a 230-Volt household outlet, this would take a maximum of five hours. Generally, off-peak night-time electric rates are very inexpensive. So refueled at night the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept could be driven 100 kilometres for just two Euros in electricity costs (about 14 Euro cents / kWh).

  The batteries themselves are housed in the underbody of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept To optimally distribute the weight of the battery system, it is housed in a special, crash-protected tray in the underbody frame. Air cooling ensures a constant heat balance within the batteries. The fans and heat exchangers needed for this are housed in the front section of the underbody.

  Integral drive: The teams of Concept Development (headed by Ralf-Gerhard Willner) and Engine Development (headed by Dr. Jens Hadler) integrated all important drive assemblies and auxiliary assemblies in the engine compartment at the front end. The design of an integrated form of the electric drive made a key contribution toward reducing weight and space requirements for the drive unit. Background: All components important to the powertrain are unified in compact form in the so-called integral drive. In this unit, the electric motor, together with the transmission and differential, form the centrepiece of this drive. Energy is supplied via a high-power pulse-control inverter, which is combined with the 12-Volt electrical system DC/DC converter and the charger to form the compact integral drive. At 140 kilograms, the integral drive is also very lightweight. To summarise its advantages: low space requirement, ideal acoustic comfort, high torque and power development and strong driving performance in the city. So the system fulfils the requirements of an innovative electric drive in a nearly ideal way.

  Styling – the Beetle of the 21st Century

  The Volkswagen E-Up! Concept emphatically demonstrates that emission-free Volkswagens will be anything but lacking in emotion. Responsible for this, once again, is the team led by Group Chief Designer Walter de Silva. Together with Klaus Bischoff (Chief Designer, Volkswagen Brand) and Flavio Manzoni (Head of Creative Design, Volkswagen Group), he developed a layout for the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept that reflects the visual bandwidth of the future New Small Family. The Volkswagen E-Up! Concept bears a resemblance to previously presented concept vehicles of this new model series – the Up! (city specialist), Space-Up! (microvan) and Space-Up Blue! (fuel cell powered van) – it represents a design stage that reflects the future production car even more closely.

  “The VW E-Up!”, says Klaus Bischoff, “is characterised by a reduced, very clear and yet highly emotional design.” And that is certainly no coincidence. The car’s lines consistently follow Volkswagen’s new era “design DNA” that was developed by de Silva, Bischoff and Manzoni. Its key stylistic traits: Simplicity, purity, durability and perfection of its technologies and quality. Bischoff: “The new concept is therefore very much in harmony with its stylistic ‘siblings’ of the New Small Family, the Roadster BlueSport and the new Polo.” Dimensions of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept are 3.19 meters (length) x 1.64 meters (width) x 1.47 meters (height). Its wheelbase is 2.19 meters.

  Front end: Although Volkswagen E-Up! Concept styling was developed from the Up!, the electric car differs from conventionally powered models in the new model series. Consider the front end: It fits in perfectly with the brand’s new family face, yet at the same time it refers back to one of the greatest icons in automotive history in the area of the engine bonnet: the Beetle. Nonetheless, the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept does not reveal the slightest hint of retro styling; instead, designers created new and unmistakable styling tools that would carry the small Volkswagen far into the future.

  Fitting in with this image are the headlights with their facet-like lenses – cut like diamonds – that extend over the entire width of the lens cover. Another interesting detail: the fog lights. At first glance they can hardly be recognised as such. The designers have configured them as C-shaped, chrome-trimmed elements in the headlight housings. Also style-defining is the black line running in a circular pattern in the bumper – a typical characteristic of the New Small Family. “In the interplay of all elements, the bumper, headlights and engine bonnet,” explains Klaus Bischoff, “the VW E-Up! really appears to smile. And that is how it should be.” Conspicuous: There are hardly any openings at the front end, since there is no need for separate cooling of the drive unit.

  The VW logo on the V-shaped engine bonnet of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept is more than just an homage to the Beetle. Hidden behind the folding logo is the integrated port for charging the batteries. The advantage of positioning the plug port here is that it makes it easier to recharge the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept from stations on either the left or right sides of the street or directly in front of the car.

  Side profile: “In keeping with Volkswagen’s “design DNA” the side sections also exhibit a high level of stylistic purity, following the Bauhaus principle created in the 1920s in Germany that ‘less is more’,” says Flavio Manzoni. This car’s visual identity is very intentionally created by just a few graphic elements that blend together to form a new unit in the classic Bauhaus approach to creative art and innovative technology. These defining elements of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept side profile include its side glass and shoulder styling line above the door handles known as the tornado line. The side profile styling is further defined by the car’s short body overhangs, the confident outward shaping of the wheel housings and unique C-pillar. Flavio Manzoni explains the special presence of the C-pillar: “Visually, the vertically aligned C-pillar is positioned above the rear wheel, which conveys a feeling of balance and solidity. These properties are indispensable for a Volkswagen. Last but not least, the prominent and powerful wheel styling gives the car a perfect ‘demeanour’”.

  Rear end: The basic graphic forms of the tailgate and rear bumper follow those of the very first Up! However, the once again completely glazed tailgate now exhibits significantly larger taillights in dark smoked glass look. Running through the taillights is a line trimmed in chrome that extends across the tailgate. The circular chrome line unites the two taillights in a vertical direction. These accents are also reflected in the matching graphic element of the front and rear bumpers.

  Solar roof: The roof of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept is equipped with solar cells over an area measuring 1.4 square meters. This area – between the rear part of the roof edge spoiler and the front windscreen – can be enlarged to 1.7 square meters in total by folding down the sun visors that are also equipped with solar cells. The solar cells continuously supply energy to the car’s electrical system, and while the vehicle is parked they help to cool the interior by supplying energy to the car’s ventilation system.

  Interior I – Instruments and controls

  Flavio Manzoni: “The interior was designed in complete harmony with the car’s exterior styling, and it exhibits a similar aesthetic with a technical-purist influence.” To improve the electric car’s energy economy by avoiding unnecessary loads, actuators such as mirror adjustment and window lifts were designed to be manually operated. Nonetheless, the highly innovative Volkswagen E-Up! Concept makes its appearance with an impressive array of future generation high-tech displays and controls. They are all quite self-explanatory, and the car’s controls are intuitive, making driving and life with this Volkswagen as simple and stress-free as possible.

  HMI: The concept car has a touch-screen based HMI (Human Machine Interface) with intelligent Volkswagen E-Up! Concept specific indicators and assistance functions. During navigation, the system continually monitors the momentary load state of the batteries, for example, as well as activated energy consumers such as lights and air conditioner, momentary traffic data, elevation profiles of potential routes and the locations of available charging stations. The driver can display these “filling stations” at any time; available charging stations may be reserved within a defined reservation time period.

  The charging process can also be precisely planned to the minute via the HMI. This lets users charge the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept during a specific time period in which electricity is available at special low rates. The charging process can be activated at any time via an intuitively operated application installed on an iPhone or similar mobile device, even from outside of the vehicle. Even more: From the application users can query the momentary charge status and vehicle location (the latter via map display) or simply check whether the car is locked. Moreover, to preserve vehicle battery power the program lets users pre-condition the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept interior. This involves cooling or heating the car’s interior as long as the car is still connected to the charging station and is drawing its electrical power from the electrical grid.

  Interior II – 3+1 seating concept

  The generous space implemented over a total vehicle area of just 5.1 square meters is absolutely astounding. Several factors are responsible for this clever packaging. First, there is the reduced size of the instrument panel, which was shifted further forward than usual toward the engine compartment. This was enabled, among other things, by optimising the components within the instrument panel. Second, the small Volkswagen is a 3+1 seater. This means that the front passenger seat is located 50 millimetres forward, thanks to the instruments being shifted further forward. This layout increases leg room in the rear behind the front passenger tremendously. As a result, two adults can sit comfortably on the passenger’s side. Stepping into the vehicle is also simplified by an Easy-Entry feature, which allows the front passenger’s seat to be pushed up to 270 millimetres away from the rear bench. There is less leg room behind the “normally” positioned driver’s seat; the space here was designed as a spare seat.

  Additional freedom of movement is provided to rear passengers by lowering the centre tunnel in front of the rear bench seat; it serves as an additional footrest. This enables use of an electric handbrake in the style of the Passat, so that no lever mechanism obstructs the footwell.

  Cargo area: The clever packaging solutions do not end there: To optimise comfort in the rear, the rear seat backrest is split 40/60. When the backrest on the driver’s seat is folded down (40 percent section), stowage capacity is increased from 85 to 180 litres (with loading to the upper edge of the front seat backrest). This stowage space can be enclosed by a load barrier that folds down out from the folded backrest. When the entire rear seating backrest is folded down, a stowage capacity of 320 litres is created. It is even 520 litres when loaded to the roofliner. To transport long objects, the front passenger’s backrest can also be folded to a pass-through position. In this configuration, the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept can handle objects up to two metres in length.

  This high degree of variability will also certainly characterise the affordable production version of an Up! powered by an electric motor. That is because electric cars, as Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn insists and therefore wrote into the specification for this future Volkswagen, must be truly affordable and offer uncompromising everyday practicality.

  Micro-mobility in the city – made by Volkswagen

  Volkswagen is comprehensively addressing implementation of this everyday practicality. These efforts not only encompass the vehicle itself, but the entire environment around the car driver. In the city, for example, this includes the realisation that after parking the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept people will want to cover shorter distances without a car – from the job to lunch, to the fitness studio, another meeting, whatever is on the day’s schedule. For these shorter trips, the Volkswagen “Micro-mobility in the city” concept team has invented clever zero-emission micro-vehicles. The Kickstep, for example, which is an ultra-compact folding scooter. And the electrically powered Microbully, a scooter that also fits easily in the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept load space. There is also the ped-tric, a folding bike with electric motors built into the wheel hubs that could also make the trip to the city aboard the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept And even the VW_1M, a large electric moped – the size of a carry-on case when not in use – that could be stowed in the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept without even needing to fold down the rear bench seat. Such micro-mobility solutions were created at the Volkswagen Design Center in Potsdam. So the E-Up! will be putting many things into motion. In 2013 this will become a reality for the first time.

  Technical Specifications

  * Dimensions / Running Gear

  • Length: 3,199 mm
  • Width: 1,641 mm
  • Height: 1,468 mm
  • Wheelbase: 2,190 mm
  • Front overhang: 555 mm
  • Rear overhang: 454 mm
  • Front suspension: McPherson
  • Rear suspension: Semi-independent

  * Drive

  • Drive type: Electric motor
  • Power (max. / continuous): 60 KW / 40KW
  • Max. torque: 210 Nm

  * Transmission / Tyres

  • Transmission: EQ 210 (1-speed variable transmission)
  • Drive type: Front-wheel drive
  • Tyre size: 185/50 R16

  * Performance data

  • 0-50 km/h: 3.5 s
  • 0-100 km/h: 11.3 s
  • Top speed: 135 km/h

   

• 2010 Skoda Superb Combi

  In one of history of automobile, the Skoda Superb Combi is the one of the most old and Skoda Superb Combi has the great advance production. 2010 Skoda Superb Combi comes with 5 door that successfully lunched at IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt 2009. Skoda Superb Combi also has unique silhouette design making this car stand out with other Skoda Superb Combi’s competitor.

  Following the successful launch of the five-door Skoda Superb sedan, Skoda premieres the long-awaited Skoda Superb Combi at the 2009 IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt. The Czech carmaker is keen for this medium-class car, delivering exceptional space and comfort, to re-define benchmarks in the segment. The unique design with the typical Skoda “face”, the expressive rear section and the dynamic silhouette help the new Skoda Superb Combi stand out clearly from market competitors. The car commands respect not just because of its practical qualities, but also on account of its style and elegance. The generous wheelbase and the roofline forming a gentle arc ensure that the car has well-balanced proportions which provide the perfect space for passengers and luggage alike.

  In a history of automobile production stretching back over more than a hundred years, Skoda Auto has manufactured numerous “combined cars” (hence the name “Combi”) in its hometown of Mladá Boleslav. As early as the mid-1920s, when the company was still producing under the name of its founders, Laurin and Klement, it came up with estate bodies for the L&K 100 and 110 models. These “swap bodies” transformed sedans into commercial vehicles with a loading area, and at the time were regarded as the preserve of traders. The original version of the Skoda Superb back in the 1930s was also available not only as a luxury sedan, but also as a light commercial vehicle. After the Second World War, the Skoda portfolio included estate cars as we know them today. Perhaps the best known examples of these cars, boasting the comfort of a sedan and the loading capacity of a commercial vehicle, were the Skoda Octavia Combi (produced from 1961 to 1971), and the 1202 STW (manufactured until 1973).

  The new Skoda Superb Combi is 4,838 mm long, 1,817 mm wide, and 1,481 mm high. Including the roof rails, delivered as standard and available either anodized or black, the car’s height rises to 1,510 mm. The outstanding loading capacity is bigger than anything seen yet in the segment: the luggage compartment holds 633 litres, expanding to a cavernous 1,865 litres when the rear seats are folded down. The width of the tailgate is large enough to accommodate bulky items. The low loading sill, a mere 600 mm above the ground, makes handling baggage easy.

  The wealth of interior equipment and fittings in the five-door estate matches that in the car’s predecessor. And numerous smart details have been added:

  This is the first time it has been possible to equip a Skoda vehicle with the KESSY keyless locking and ignition system. A transmitter in the body of the key communicates with the control unit in the car and unlocks the doors when the handles are touched. The car can also be locked without using a key or remote control central locking by pressing a button on the external handle. The engine can be started and turned off with a button located on the right-hand side of the steering wheel column. To start the engine, the driver first has to press the clutch pedal (in cars with manual transmission) or the brake pedal (if the transmission is automatic).

  Another interesting feature of the new Skoda Superb Combi is the optional electrically-operated tailgate. This is delivered with an automatic retractable luggage compartment cover, which is also available separately. When the tailgate is opened, the cover automatically rolls back to the middle position so that there is more room to handle the luggage. Another clever detail in the luggage compartment is the sliding false floor, which can extend over the rear bumper when the tailgate is open to make moving larger items around much easier. Aluminium strips, the netting package and hooks in the luggage compartment offer the perfect luggage restraint system, reliably preventing baggage from sliding around when the vehicle is in motion. What is more, the Skoda Genuine Accessories range includes a bicycle holder, which can be fixed to the lower surface of the luggage compartment after the upper section of the false floor has been removed.

  The concept of luggage compartment lighting integrated into the tailgate is another innovation. It illuminates not only the boot, but the whole area around the car’s rear section. Another lamp, this time removable, is located on the left side of the luggage compartment. It is battery-powered and when removed from its holder (which doubles up as a charger) it can be used as an economical LED flashlight in the dark. A magnet is built into the lamp so it can simply be placed on the car body – a useful touch, for example, when fixing a puncture.

  During the day, the electrically-operated, two-piece panoramic sunroof creates a light, airy atmosphere. If the sunshine becomes too dazzling, a protective blind can be drawn across the glass roof. The glass itself blocks heat, letting in only 10%. Another new feature is the roof-mounted shark fin aerial which, thanks to its leanness and the absence of a whip, elegantly rounds off the roofline.

  Various car radios and navigation systems are available to cater to discerning customers’ different needs and wishes. The vehicle’s data network can integrate two different 2 DIN car radios with CD/MP3 players and offers a wide range of user-friendly support functions. Electronic navigation is based on a touchscreen Amundsen system enabling the driver to operate all functions intuitively. A top-of-the-range touchscreen Columbus navigation system with integrated hard disk is also available. Other audio technology includes a high-quality audio system with powerful speakers, an Aux-In socket, an MDI (Mobile Device Interface) in the Jumbo Box between the front seats to connect external storage media, and a CD changer.

  The Skoda Superb Combi, like the Superb sedan, can be fitted with HHC (Hill Hold Control). The ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) also has TSA (Trailer Stability Assist) for use with factory-fitted towing equipment. This feature is sure to come in handy, as the new Skoda Superb Combi’s 2.0 TDI CR DPF/125 kW 4×4 and 3.6 FSI V6/191 kW 4×4 engines are capable of towing trailers with a gross weight of up to 2,000 kilograms. Of course, that is not the only reason to opt for four-wheel drive with the fourth-generation Haldex multi-disc clutch. This system provides a variable torque split to achieve the best possible traction and excellent stability on any surface.

  The Skoda Superb Combi’s range of engines is largely the same as that for the Skoda Superb sedan. Initially, there will be a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, all with direct fuel injection and low consumption and emissions.

  The 2.0 TDI PD DPF diesel engine generates power of 103 kW (140 k) and is offered in combination with six-gear manual transmission or the six-gear direct shift gearbox (DSG). The maximum torque is 320 Nm at 1,800 to 2,500 rpm. The more powerful of the two diesel engines is the 2.0 TDI CR DPF with an injection common-rail system, generating power of 125 kW (170 k) and achieving maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1,750 to 2,500 rpm. Like its counterpart, this engine works with a six-gear manual transmission or automatic dual-clutch DSG. A particulate filter is fitted as standard.

  The successful direct fuel injection campaign is also continuing with the petrol engines. The 1.4 litre four-cylinder TSI engine with six-gear manual transmission, despite its modest displacement, boasts power of 92 kW (125 k) and maximum torque of 200 Nm at 1,500 to 4,000 rpm thanks to its turbocharging.

  Another petrol engine is the 1.8 TSI, offering power of 118 kW (160 k) and maximum torque of 250 Nm at 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. Drivers can take their pick of a manual six-gear transmission or automatic seven-gear DSG for the 1.8 TSI. The Skoda Superb Combi’s top petrol engine is the 3.6 FSI V6, with power of 191 kW (260 k) and maximum torque of 350 Nm at 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. The 3.6 FSI V6 engine is offered exclusively with an automatic six-gear DSG and four-wheel drive. The control unit of the fourth-generation Haldex clutch facilitates variable torque split. Under normal traction conditions, 96% of power is delivered to the front axle, guaranteeing safe and reliable driving on any surface, not just winter ice and snow. Four-wheel drive is available on request for the 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TDI CR DPF engines.

  In many respects, the chassis of the Skoda Superb Combi is based on the chassis of the Superb sedan. However, some modifications have been made to the Combi’s chassis configuration to accommodate the higher payload and higher gross weight. The rear axle housing is attached to the body with anti-vibration dampers. These metal and rubber connecting elements increase the comfort of the ride and keep the axle housing separate from the body without negative effects on stability and the axle bracing. This detachment prevents tyre noise and subtle vibrations from being transmitted to the body, where they would cause unwanted noise in the interior. As in the Superb, the McPherson-type front axle with triangular control arms is mounted in aluminium casing. This enhances the kinematics and reduces the axle weight. In the chassis suspension design, the emphasis was on creating a balanced relationship between agility and comfort. The suspension copes excellently with uneven road surfaces; body roll in bends is largely suppressed by the wide track and careful configuration of each part of the chassis. As in the Skoda Superb sedan, the driving dynamics are enhanced by electromechanical steering. The car’s pleasantly high-ratio steering gear and track-holding ability do not distort the feel of the road and traction conditions.