MiniAutoHobby

Audi Quattro

2012-01-23T22:32:00.008+01:00

Saturday 4 February 2012
The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, now part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.
The word quattro is derived from the Italian word for "four". The name has also been used by Audi to refer to the quattro four-wheel drive system, or any four-wheel drive version of an Audi model. To avoid confusion, the original Quattro model is also commonly referred to as the Ur-Quattro - the "Ur-" (German for "primordial" or "ancestral") is an augmentative prefix, in this case meaning "original", and is also applied to the first generation Audi S4 and Audi S6 models, as in "Ur-S4" and "Ur-S6".
The Audi Quattro was the first rally car to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of four-wheel drive in competition racing. It won competition after competition for the next two years. To commemorate the success of the original vehicle, all subsequent Audis with their trademark quattro four wheel drive system were badged "quattro" with a lower case "q". The original car with the upper case "Q" in the Quattro name is a collector's piece.
The Audi Quattro shared many components and the core of its body style with the Audi Coupé, which was a member of the Audi 80 (B2) model range. It was internally designated Typ 85, a type number it shared with the quattro versions of the Audi coupé (B2) and Audi 80. Its characteristic flared wheelarches were styled by Martin Smith. The Audi Quattro also had independent rear suspension and independent front suspension.
Audi released the original Quattro to European customers in late 1980, making it both the first car to feature Audi's quattro permanent four-wheel drive system (hence its name), and the first to mate four wheel drive with a turbocharged engine.

Engine: 5 cylinders
Capacity: 2100 cc
Power: 135 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: 220 km/h

DAF 95 XF Super Space Cab - Final ... for now :)

2012-01-23T22:07:00.003+01:00

Monday 23 January 2012

DAF 95 XF Super Space Cab - Continuation

2012-01-04T17:41:00.003+01:00

Wednesday 04 January 2012
Thanks for the comment. Here is a next bit of the project. Still a lot to learn :)

DAF 95 XF Super Space Cab

2012-01-03T17:00:00.005+01:00

Tuesday 03 January 2012
I can't live without the models, that's for sure. My work requires me to travel a lot and the job is computers related. Therefore I have gone for building models in virtual world. The one you can see below is the first model of the truck I made in 3D, hope the next will be better. I will put more pictures next time. Enjoy.

ZIM 12

2011-11-28T22:35:00.003+01:00

Monday 02 January 2012
This is the different colour version of the vehicle described here. It comes from Polish series of classic cars.

Technical data:
Engine: 6 cylinders
Capacity: 3485 cc
Horsepower: 140 HP
Gearbox: 3+1
Top Speed: 140 km/h

Toyota Prius

2011-11-28T22:23:00.005+01:00

Saturday 31 December 2011
In 2004 the Prius was completely redesigned as a mid-size liftback, sized between the Corolla and the Camry, with redistributed mechanical and interior space significantly increasing rear-seat legroom and luggage room. The 2004 Prius is even more environmentally friendly than the 2001 model (according to the EPA), and is 6 inches (150 mm) longer than the previous version. Its more aerodynamic Kammback body balances length and wind resistance, resulting in Cd=0.26. The development effort, led by chief engineer Shigeyuki Hori, led to 530 patents for the vehicle.
The Prius uses an all-electric A/C compressor for cooling, an industry first. Combined with a smaller and lighter NiMH battery, the XW20 is more powerful and more efficient than the XW10. In the U.S., the battery pack of 2004 and later models is warranted for 150,000 miles (240,000 km) or 10 years in states that have adopted the stricter California emissions control standards, and 100,000 miles (160,000 km) or 8 years elsewhere. The warranty for hybrid components is 100,000 miles (160,000 km) or 8 years.
It is classified as a SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) and is certified by California Air Resources Board as an "Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle" (AT-PZEV). From 2005 to 2009, the second generation Prius had been built by FAW-Toyota in the city of Changchun for the Chinese market. It was reported that a total of 2,152 Priuses were sold in 2006 and 414 in 2007. The relatively low sales was blamed on high price, about US$15,000 higher than the equivalent in Japan or the U.S., caused by high duties on imported parts. In early March 2008, Toyota cut the price of Prius by up to eight percent or US$3,000 to RMB 259,800 (US$36,500). It was thought that the sales dropped as a result of both a lack of acceptance and increased competition. The Honda Civic Hybrid was exported to China from 2007.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE !!!

Engine: 4L
Capacity: 1800 cc
Power: 134 HP
Gearbox: 6+1
Top Speed: 200 km/h

Opel Rekord S2100

2011-11-28T22:21:00.003+01:00

Friday 30 December 2011
About 1.1 million Rekord Ds were made. Because the name Rekord D was easily mistaken to connote a diesel-powered car, the name Rekord II was often used in sales literature. The first prototype was ready in 1971. The engine types available were 1897 cc, 1698 cc and 2068 cc CIH (cam-in-head) four-cylinder gasoline engines. There was also a diesel version with an engine whose displacement was initially 2.1 litres and afterwards reduced to 2.0 litres. The diesel engine was higher than gasoline variants, so diesel model hoods have a raised mid-section. The six-cylinder variant of this car is called the Commodore B. Transmissions available were standard four-speed manual with either floor or steering-column shifter and TH-180 automatic transmission. The body is of unitary construction. Body types available were four-door saloon, four-door estate and two-door coupé. There was also a variant called "Berlina" with more luxurious interior and wheels.
The Rangers were also transferred to this new generation, with the dropping of the 130 and 153 and the adding of a 1.7 L engine. In 1972, the line-up consisted of the base Ranger 1700, the mid-level Ranger 1900, and the top-of-the-line Ranger 2500. In 1974, a 2.8L engine was introduced to the Ranger family. However, by that time the Rangers were unpopular, and were discontinued after the 1976 model year. Most of these were sold exclusively in Continental Europe, especially the Benelux region.
South Africa used this body type for their Chevrolet 2500, 3800 and 4100 series. They looked visually almost identical but had the Chevrolet 2500 (4 cylinder) or 3800 and 4100 (6 cylinder) engines installed. They were available as four door saloon or estate. The six cylinder versions could be differentiated from the "fours" as they had four round headlights as opposed to the two rectangular units. These cars were also assembled in Iran (before revolution) from 1974 till 1977 under the local "Chevrolet Royale / or Chevrolet Iran" brand-name by Iran General Motors. The two models were 2500 and 2800 with 2.5L and 2.8L, respectively.The production of these vehicles ended in 1977 when the assembly line started producing the Chvrolet Nova, Buick Skylark, and Cadillac Seville cars until 1987.

Engine: 4L
Capacity: 2100
Power: 80 HP
Gearbox: 4+1
Top Speed: 165 km/h

Opel GT

2011-11-28T22:20:00.003+01:00

Tuesday 27 December 2011
On February 1, 2006, Opel issued a press release announcing the upcoming production of a new Opel GT, as a likely 2007 model. The car shares the GM Kappa platform with the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky. Unlike its platform mates, the 2.0 L, 260 hp 194 kW; 264 PS) direct injection turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder engine is the only engine being offered. It also features 18-inch alloy wheels and a folding cloth top similar to those found on the Solstice and the Sky. Since GM's Saturn division already shares models with Opel, the GT is in fact Opel's version of the Saturn Sky. The car replaced the Opel Speedster in the European lineup; however, it was not sold in right-hand drive in the UK, thus there is no replacement for the Vauxhall VX220. The situation is similar to Holden in Australia, as the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice are produced at a North American plant, which does not have the necessary tooling for producing right-hand drive vehicles.

Engine: 4 cylinders
Capacity: 1998 cc
Power: 260 HP
Gearbox: 6+1
Top Speed: 240 km/h

Opel Corsa B Swing

2011-11-28T22:18:00.002+01:00

Tuesday 27 December 2011
In 1993 the Corsa B was unveiled, and in the UK, Vauxhall dropped the Nova name, with the car now being known as the Corsa. The following year, it was launched by Holden in Australia, as the Barina, replacing a version of the Suzuki Swift sold under that name. This proved a success, and was the first Spanish-built car to be sold in significant volumes in the Australian market.
Four-cylinder power came from 1.2 L Family 0, 1.4 L and 1.6 L Family 1 petrol engines, as well as an economical 1.5 L turbodiesel engine. Unlike the previous model, there was no saloon version, but one was designed in Brazil for the Latin American market, as saloons were much preferred to hatchbacks. This was also introduced in South Africa and India. A station wagon, panel van and pick-up truck were also introduced. The wagon version was sold in some European markets (including Italy), badged as an Opel. The Corsa also spawned a small coupé called Opel Tigra. A 1.0 L 3-cylinder Family 0 economy version was launched in 1997, and a Lotus-tuned suspension was added as well as an exterior refresh.

Engine: 4L
Capacity: 1200
Power: 70 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: 165 km/h

Mazda RX8

2011-11-28T22:17:00.003+01:00

Sunday 25 December 2011
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Wankel engine. The RX-8 began North American sales in the 2004 model year. Mazda announced on August 23, 2011, that RX-8 will be discontinued from production citing the 2011 model as the last line of production. The RX-8 from the European market was removed last year after the car failed to meet local emissions standards. Without volume from Europe & rising Yen prices, Mazda couldn't continue to justify the continued sale of the RX-8 in its other markets including North America.
Development of the RX-8 can be traced to as far back as the 1995 Mazda RX-01 concept car, which featured an early iteration of the 13B-MSP engine. Naturally aspirated with side exhaust ports, this engine produced 210 hp (160 kW). As prohibited by Mazda's financial state at the time and the growing market interest in SUVs, the RX-01 never saw further development or production. However, a "skunkworks project" engineering team within Mazda kept the development of the 13B-MSP alive using MX-5 Miata chassis, eventually catching the attention of management, which at this time had come under heavy influence from Ford. Development of the 13B-MSP advanced and
eventually led to the RENESIS moniker debuting along with the RX-EVOLV concept car which began to bear semblance to the production RX-8 with the "freestyle" rear suicide doors. Styling was developed via design competitions in Mazda tradition among its design studios in Japan, the US, and Europe. The project obtained official approval from management, and eventually the RX-8 concept car (design/engineering model) was produced and shown in 2001, closer resembling the production version. A nearproduction "reference exhibit" RX-8 was shown shortly thereafter at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, pending final approval for production. Production RX-8 closely resembles this vehicle save for minor trim details, and "job 1" began in February 2003 at Mazda's Hiroshima plant in Japan.

Engine: Wankel 4 cylinders
Capacity: 1300 cc
Power: 247 HP
Gearbox: 6+1
Top Speed: 240 km/h

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Club Italia

2011-11-28T21:11:00.006+01:00

Friday 23 December 2011
Presented in June 1993, the second Evolution version of the Delta HF Integrale featured an updated version of the 2-litre 16-valve turbo engine to produce more power, as well as a three-way catalyst and Lambda probe. The addition of the catalyst did not penalise performance. Indeed, the Evoluzione II produced more power and torque than its predecessor, the Evoluzione I. That's because Lancia added a series of technical improvements which may be summed up as follows:
A Marelli integrated engine control system with an 8 MHz clock frequency which incorporates:
-timed sequential multipoint injection;
-self-adapting injection times;
-automatic idling control;
-engine protection strategies depending on the temperature of intaken air;
-mapped ignition with two double outlet coils;
-three-way catalyst and pre-catalyst with lambda probe (oxygen sensor) on the turbine outlet link;
-anti-evaporation system with air line for canister flushing optimised for the turboengine;
-new Garrett turbocharger: water-cooled with boost-drive management i.e. boost ncontrolled by feedback from the central control unit on the basis of revs/throttle angle, mapping designed for ultra-progressive response to acceleration;
-knock control by engine block sensor and new signal handling software that acted simultaneously on spark advance, fuel quantity injected and turbocharging;
The basic engine structure remained unchanged:
-twin counter-rotating balancer shafts;
-light alloy cylinder heads;
-twin overhead camshafts driven by toothed belt;
-four valves per cylinder;
The engine developed a maximum power output of 215 PS (158 kW) DIN (against 210 PS on the earlier uncatalysed version) and maximum torque of 32 kgf·m (314 N·m) (formerly 31 kgf·m or 300 N·m).

Engine: 4 cylinders
Capacity: 1995
Power: 196 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: 220 km/h

Jeep Willys

2011-11-28T21:09:00.002+01:00

Thursday 22 December 2011
No comments :)

Engine: 4 cylinders
Capacity: 2200
Power: 60 HP
Gearbox: 4+1
Top Speed: 105 km/h

Holden VC Commodore

2011-11-28T21:08:00.003+01:00

Tuesday 20 December 2011
Introduced in October 1978, the Holden VB Commodore development covered a period with the effects of the 1973 oil crisis still being felt. Hence, when Holden decided to replace the successful full-size HZ Kingswood with a new model line, they designed the new car to be smaller and more fuel efficient. Originally, Holden looked at developing a new WA Kingswood, however, this project was later dismissed. With no replacement in development, Holden looked towards Opel for providing the foundations of the VB, basing it loosely on the four-cylinder Rekord E bodyshell with the front grafted on from the Opel Senator A. This change was necessitated to accommodate the larger Holden six- and eight-cylinder engines. Holden also adopted the name "Commodore" from Opel, which had been using the name since 1967. Opel went on to use Holden’s Rekord-Senator hybrid as a foundation for its new generation Commodore C, slotting in between the two donor models.
Using GM’s rear-wheel drive V-body platform as used by the Rekord and Senator, the VB retained 96 percent of the preceding HZ Kingswood's interior space, despite being14 percent smaller in overall dimensions, although five percent larger than the Torana.
With the Commodore dropping a full class below the Kingswood and its Ford Falcon competitor, the smaller Commodore was predictably more fuel-efficient. This downsizing was first seen as a major disadvantage for Holden, as they had effectively relinquished the potential of selling Commodores to the fleet and taxi industries. These sales losses were thought to be unrecoverable; however, the 1979 energy crisis saw Australian oil prices rise by 140 percent, putting substantial strain on the automotive industry to collectively downsize, a change that Holden had already done.
During the VB’s development, Holden realised that when driven at speed over harsh Australian roads, the Rekord would effectively break in half at the firewall. This forced Holden to rework the entire car for local conditions, resulting in only 35 percent commonality with the Opel. The Rekord’s MacPherson strut front suspension was accordingly modified, and the recirculating ball steering was replaced with a rack and pinion type. These modifications blew development costs beyond expectations to a reported A$110 million—a figure close to the cost of developing a new model independently. With such a large sum consumed by the VB development programme, Holden was left with insufficient finances to resource the development of a wagon variant. Added that the Commodore architecture was considered an unsuitable base for utility and long-wheelbase models, Holden was left with only a sedan, albeit one in three levels of luxury: a base, SL, and SL/E. Desperate measures forced Holden to shape the Commodore front-end to the rear of the Rekord wagon. As the wagon-specific sheet metal had to be imported from Germany, the wagon, introduced in July 1979, suffered from inevitable component differences from the sedan. Although infrequently criticised in the early years, quality problems were evident, with poor trim and panel fit problematic for all first generation Commodores. This coupled with mechanical dilemmas such as water pump failure and steering rack rattle ensured warranty claims were high in the first year. In face of these issues, VB was praised for its value for money and sophistication, especially in regards to the steering, ride quality, handling and brakes, thus securing the Wheels Car of the Year award for 1978.
The most significant change to the VC Commodore of March 1980 was the engine upgrading to "XT5" specification. Now painted blue and thus known as the Blue straightsixes and Holden V8s, these replaced the Red units fitted to the VB and earlier cars. Changes included a new twelve-port cylinder head, re-designed combustion chambers,inlet and exhaust manifolds, a new two-barrel carburettor and a Bosch electronic ignition system for the inline sixes. Tweaks and changes to the V8s surrounded the implementation of electronic ignition, revised cylinder head and inlet manifold design and the fitment of a four-barrel carburettor on the 4.2-litre variant. These changes brought improved efficiency, increased outputs and aided driveability. In response to increasing oil prices, a four-cylinder variant was spawned in June 1980. Displacing 1.9-litres, this powerplant known as Starfire was effectively Holden's existing straight-six with two cylinders removed. The four's peak power output of 58 kilowatts (78 hp) and torque rated at 140 newton metres (100 ft·lbf) meant its performance was compromised. Reports indicate that the need to push the engine hard to extract performance led to real-world fuel consumption similar to the straight-sixes. Holden’s emphasis on fuel economy extended beyond powertrains, with a fuel consumption vacuum gauge replacing the tachometer throughout the range, although this could be optioned back with the sports instrumentation package. Visual changes were limited: the relocation of the corporate crest to the centre of the redesigned grille, black-coloured trim applied to the tail lamp surrounds on sedans, and the embossment of model badging into the side rubbing strips. The previously undesignated base car, was now the Commodore L, opening up the range for a new unbadged sub-level car. This delete option model, was de-specified and available only to fleet customers. On the premium Commodore SL/E, a resurrected "Shadowtone" exterior paint option became available in a limited range of dark-over-light colour combinations. According to contemporary reviews, changes made to the VC's steering produced a heavier feel and inclined understeer, while the revised suspension gave a softer ride and addressed concerns raised while riding fully laden.

Engine: V8
Capacity: 4200
Power: 170 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: 200 km/h

BMW 1800 TiSA

2011-11-28T21:06:00.002+01:00

Sunday 18 December 2011
The BMW 1800 was the second member of the New Class family, introduced in 1963 with a 90 hp (67 kW) 1.8 L engine. An 1800TI ('touring international') model featured components developed for the 1800 by the tuning company Alpina. The upgrades included dual Solex PHH side-draft carburetors and higher-compression pistons for 110 hp (82 kW). A racing 1800TI/SA was introduced in 1964 with dual Weber DCOE-45carburetors (along with various engine modifications) with 130 hp (97 kW). 200 examples of the TI/SA were built. An automatic transmission option was introduced in 1966 and in 1967 the 1800 was generally updated along with the 2000. The updates included interior changes (a modernized dashboard design and simpler door panels) as well as styling changes to the front grilles.

Engine: 4 cylinders
Capacity: 1800
Power: 130 HP
Gearbox: 4+1
Top Speed: 195 km/h

Audi 100 Avant

2011-11-28T21:04:00.002+01:00

Saturday 17 December 2011
The restyled C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with an in-line five-cylinder engine (the first gasoline 5 in the world – Mercedes-Benz had shown the way in 1974 with their three litre diesel 5-cyl in the Mercedes-Benz C111). It was initially a 100 PS (74 kW) engine offering "6-cylinder power and 4-cylinder economy", and later upgraded to 136 PS (100 kW).
The Coupé was discontinued, but a five-door hatchback model, the 100 Avant, was launched in August 1977 as part of this generation. The mainstay of the range remained the four-door sedan model. A two-door sedan version was offered, primarily on the domestic market, from 1977, but by now there was little demand, even in Germany, for large two-door sedans: few of these two-door Audi 100 C2s were sold. At the end of September 1977, the Audi 100 became the manufacturer's first model to reach a production level of 1,000,000 units. The millionth Audi 100 was a hatchback Audi 100 Avant assembled not at the company's main Ingolstadt plant but to the west, at the Neckarsulm factory which, since the demise of the mainstream volume models from the NSU range, had been concentrating on providing additional production capacity for the fast selling Audi range.

Engine: 5 cylinders
Capacity: 1900
Power: 99 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: 185 km/h

Opel Kapitan P2.6

2011-10-22T12:00:00.002+02:00

Wednesday 14 December 2011
The P2 Kapitän came to market in August 1959 and while it still had the panoramic windscreen, it gained a new grille and a redone body with a more angular roof and a new rear. It was driven by a stronger new, oversquare 2.6 liter-inline six (bore x stroke: 85 x 76.5 instead of 80 x 82 mm), still of OHV and pushrod design. Carried over were the 3-speed and 4-speed overdrive transmission; the latter was replaced from December 1960 by a version of GM´s 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic.
The P2 climbed to a top speed of 150 km/h (93.2 mph), reached 100 km/h (62 mph) in 16 seconds and consumed 12 L/100 km (24 mpg-imp; 20 mpg-US).
From August 1959 to December 1963, Opel built 145,618 units of this Kapitän series. The large Opels were never dominating players in their market segment on the same scale as the smaller Rekord and Kadett models, possibly due to the strength of Mercedes-Benz in the big car sector. Nevertheless the highpoint for the big Opels was 1960 when together the Kapitän and Admiral were Europe's top selling six cylinder saloons, with nearly 48,000 sold.

Engine: 6L
Capacity: 2600 cc
Power: 89 HP
Gearbox: 4+1
Top Speed: 150 km/h

Reliant Scimitar SE6

2011-10-22T11:59:00.002+02:00

Monday 12 December 2011
The Reliant Scimitar name was used for a series of sports car models produced by British car manufacturer Reliant between 1964 and 1986. During its 22-year production it developed into a range of versions including a convertible launched in 1980. In 1984 Reliant launched the smaller Scimitar SS1.
More of a luxury model than the SE5, the SE6 series was promoted to the executive market. These models were two-door sports estates, again with the Ford V6 3.0 L engine: the wheelbase was increased by 4 inches (10 cm) and the track by 3 inches (8 cm) making the cars correspondingly longer and wider than their predecessors. The extra length was used to improve rear-seat legroom and access which enhanced the car's credentials as a 'genuine' four-seater. The SE6 was replaced by the SE6A in late 1976. 543 SE6 models were produced.
The SE6A displayed a number of changes, including brakes and suspension. 3877 SE6As were made. Ford had stopped making the "Essex" engine by 1980, so one of the major differences with the SE6B was the engine choice. The German-built Ford "Cologne" 2.8 L V6 was used instead, and provided similar power but rather less torque at low revs. The final drive ratio was lowered to compensate.
Only 437 SE6Bs were manufactured. Production ceased by 1986.

Engine: V6
Capacity: 2994 cc
Power: 155 HP
Gearbox: 3+1
Top Speed: 200 km/h

Suzuki SX4 WRC

2011-10-22T11:57:00.002+02:00

Saturday 10 December 2011
The Suzuki World Rally Team, also known as the Suzuki WRC Challenge was Suzuki's
factory backed World Rally Championship team, as part of the Suzuki Sport organization. The team debuted for the first time at the 2007 Tour de Corse in France. After just one full season in 2008, in which the team finished fifth in the manufacturers' championship, Suzuki announced that they would be pulling out of the WRC. The decision was attributed to falling car sales caused by the economic crisis, although reports had surfaced that Suzuki were ready to abandon its WRC program before the economic downturn began.
Drivers for the 2008 season were announced Monday, December 17th, to be Toni Gardemeister and Per-Gunnar Andersson. Technical Director Michel Nandan has been replaced by Shusuke Inagaki and Akira Kawada has been appointed as team manager.
Suzuki scored on their proper debut with Andersson finishing eighth in the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally, with Suzuki getting two points in the manufacturers' title race. In the 2008 Swedish Rally, Gardemeister finished seventh, earning Suzuki three more manufacturers' points. Both of these early races were marred by engine problems due to faulty head gaskets, with Gardemeister retiring from the Monte Carlo Rally and Andersson retiring from the Swedish Rally, before both cars retired from the Rally of Mexico. After struggling with reliability issues for several rallies, Suzuki achieved their best result in New Zealand, with Andersson finishing sixth and Gardemeister seventh. At their home event, the 2008 Rally Japan, the team did even better and took fifth and sixth places. During a super special stage in the Sapporo Dome, Gardemeister also gave Suzuki and the SX4 WRC their first stage win. Andersson challenged for a podium in the early stages of Rally GB before going on to finish fifth, while Gardemeister finished seventh ahead of the works Ford of Mikko Hirvonen.

Engine: 4L
Capacity: 2000 cc
Power: 320 HP
Gearbox: 5+1
Top Speed: no data

Volga 24-02

2011-10-19T15:16:00.004+02:00

Thursday 8 December 2011
This is an estate version of the vehicle described here.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2445 cc
- horsepower: 98 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 155 km/h

Opel Kadett B Rally Coupe

2011-10-19T15:13:00.002+02:00

Sunday 20 November 2011
The Kadett B came in 1966 and ended in 1973, with two and four door saloons (the latter in notchback and, from 1967, also in fastback form), a three-door estate, and two coupés (regular and fastback, or Coupé F). There was a sporting Opel Kadett Rallye, with a 1.9 L engine. Additionally, the two-seat Opel GT was heavily based on Kadett B components, its body made by a French contractor, Brissonneau & Lotz. Generally, the Kadett B was significantly larger than the Kadett A.
1966 was the year that Opel opened their new plant at Bochum, devoted exclusively to Kadett production. Between 1965 and 1973 Opel produced 2,691,300 Kadett Bs which makes this model one of the most successful Opels to date in terms of sales volume. The Kadett benefitted on the domestic market from a progressive slowing of demand for the old Volkswagen Beetle, while the Ford Escort and Volkswagen Golf which would compete for sales more effectively against the Kadett C both got off to a relatively slow start respectively in 1968 and 1974.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1500 cc
- horsepower: 80 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Fiat 131p

2011-10-19T15:11:00.003+02:00

Tuesday 15 November 2011
The Fiat 131, additionally called "Mirafiori", is a small/medium family car produced by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1974 to 1984. It was exhibited at 1974 Turin Motor Show.
The 131 was the replacement for the successful Fiat 124, and available as a 2-door and 4-door saloon and 5-door estate. The 131 was given the Mirafiori name after the Turin suburb where the cars were produced. Naming the car in this way marked a break with the former Fiat convention, established in the 1960s, of naming their mainstream models only with a three digit number, and it set the pattern for Fiat to adopt Anglo-American style car naming practice, with carefully chosen names for subsequent new models. Initially, the 131 was offered with 1.3 L and 1.6 L single overhead camshaft engines. Revisions were made in 1978 and 1981, and all models were produced until production ceased in 1984.
In total, 1,513,800 units were produced in Italy.
The Fiat 131 employed construction techniques and technologies typical of its day. The body was a steel monocoque. Designed and styled on the typical three-box design, with distinct boxes for the engine compartment, passenger compartment, and boot.
The major mechanical components were also conventional and contemporary, but with some notable advances. The 131 employed a front engine, rear-wheel drive layout, whereby the engine is longitudinally mounted in the front of the car. The gearbox is directly behind the engine, and a tubular propeller shaft, under the transmission "tunnel", transmits the drive to a solid live rear axle.
The engines were all straight-4 types, derived from those used in the outgoing 124 range, with a cast iron cylinder block and aluminium alloy cylinder head, either pushrod with chain drive camshaft or double overhead camshaft (DOHC), driven by a single rubber/Kevlar toothed timing belt. Fuel supply was via a single Weber ADF twin-choke carburettor, fed from a trunk mounted steel fuel tank. Traditional contact breaker ignition systems were used, usually with Marelli distributors.
The suspension system utilised fully independent front suspension, with MacPherson struts, track control arms and anti-roll bar. The rear suspension was quite advanced (when using a solid live rear axle), in that the rear axle was controlled by double unequal length trailing arms and a panhard rod, with coil springs and direct acting dampers. This design proved far superior to many of its contemporaries, especially with vehicle stability and handling.
The braking system was also typical; the front brakes were disc brakes, using a solid iron disc and a single-piston sliding caliper. The rears were drum brakes, utilising leading and trailing shoe design operated by a dual piston fixed slave cylinder. They were operated hydraulically, with a tandem master cylinder assisted by a vacuum servo using two separate circuits. A rear-mounted load sensing valve varied the bias of effort applied to the rear brakes, dependent on the load being carried (and also the pitch dynamics caused by braking effort and road levels). A centrally located floor mounted handbrake operated on the rear axle using bowden cables.
Final assembly of Fiat 131 took also place in the Polish Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych - FSO in the years 1975-1981. First series cars were available only in Special trim and were called Polski Fiat 131p Mirafiori, cars of second series were known under the name Fiat 131p Mirafiori and were offered in L and CL trim levels.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1585 cc
- horsepower: 75 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 170 km/h

Ferrari 360

2011-10-19T11:27:00.006+02:00

Sunday 13 November 2011
The Ferrari 360 is a mid-engine midsize two-seater sports car produced from late 1999 until 2005. The 360 replaced the Ferrari F355 and was itself replaced by the fairly similar Ferrari F430. For the 360, Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an entirely new all-aluminum space-frame chassis that was 40% stiffer than the F355, yet 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions. Along with the new frame was a new Pininfarina body styling that broke ranks with the last decade's sharp angles and flip-up headlights, replacing them with a rounded appearance that harkened to the 1960s. The new V8 engine, common to all versions, was only slightly larger and more powerful than the F355's at 3.6 litres and 400 bhp (300 kW) of power, but the lighter frame and added stiffness improved performance; the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration performance improved from 4.6 to 4.4 seconds. An engine replacement resulted in the V8 road model that followed, the F430 (internally referred to as the evoluzione or evo) which came out in 2004.
Three road going versions were produced: 360 Modena, 360 Spider, both of which were available with either 6 speed or F1 transmissions and Challenge Stradale, an F1 electrohydraulic manual 360 Challenge inspired variant of a 360 Modena.
In addition to this there were the usual factory race cars: 360 Challenge, a one make series factory built customer race car based on the 360 Modena but completely stripped out and non road legal. 360 GT-C, a 360 Challenge stripped out and tuned by Veloqx-Prodive to compete in the N-GT class.
There is also one Ferrari "modificato" 360 Modena. Details are limited however it is known to have had extensive performance modifications carried out at owners request. An additional version, 360 Barchetta, was a one-off wedding present from Ferrari to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.
The first model of the 360 to ship was the 360 Modena, named after the town of Modena, the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari. Its six-speed gearbox is available as a manual, or F1 electrohydraulic manual which was only offered after late 2000. The car went into production in 1999 and remained in production until 2005 when it was replaced by the F430. The Modena was followed by the 360 Spider, Ferrari's 20th road-going convertible. Other than weight, the Spider's specifications match those of the Modena almost exactly. The Challenge Stradale (or CS) was a later addition to the road line. It was essentially a lightened version of the Modena, dropping 110 kilograms and drastically improving its handling through optimizations such as uprated titanium springs (lowering unsprung weight), stiffer bushes (from 360 Challenge cars) and uprated rear anti roll bar (the same anti-roll bar as used on 430 Scuderia). Changes included larger 19" BBS wheels, the use of carbon fiber for the frames of the seats and mirrors, titanium springs which were also 20% stiffer, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite brake disks. A variety of option allowed for further weight reductions, including replacing the leather interior with fabric, removal of the power windows and mirrors, and deletion of the stereo. Lexan side windows were available in Europe only. It was officially introduced in March 2003 at the Geneva International Motor Show and went into production shortly thereafter. The CS can be compared to Porsche's GT3 RS model in design approach and many magazines have placed them head to head in road tests. Jeremy Clarkson compared the two and chose the CS to be his favourite.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 3586 cc
- horsepower: 405 HP
- gearbox: 6+1
- top speed: 299 km/h

Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole

2011-10-19T11:25:00.005+02:00

Friday 11 November 2011
The Ferrari 308 GTB (and similar 208 and later 328) are mid-engined sports cars manufactured by the Italian company Ferrari in the 1970s-1980s. They made up the lower end of the company's range. The 308 replaced the Dino 246 in 1975 and was updated as the 328 in 1985.
The 308 GTS Quattrovalvole, with a removable targa roof, succeeded the 308 GTSi, and was presented at the 1982 Paris Salon concurrently with the 308 GTB Quattrovalvole model. The Quattrovalvole part of the model name referred to the four valves per cylinder heads on the engine, which provided increased power over the preceding model. Visually the new model was very similar to the outgoing one, but could be recognised by the addition of a slim louvre panel in the front lid to aid radiator exhaust air exit, paired electrically operated door mirrors with a small enamel Ferrari badge on the shell, a revised radiator grille with rectangular driving lights at the extremities, and rectangular (instead of round)side repeater lights. The interior also received some minor alterations, and cloth seat centres became available as an option to the standard full leather, whilst the leather rim satin black three spoke steering wheel featured a triangulated section around the horn push. The removable grained satin black finished roof panel was stowed in a vinyl cover behind the seats when not in use. As with the preceding series’ of 308 models, USA market cars could be identified by heavier bumper assemblies, and rectangular side marker lights on the wings. Options available were metallic paint, a deep front spoiler, air conditioning, wider wheels, 16" Speedline wheels with Pirelli P7 tyres, and a rear of roof satin black finished aerofoil (standard on Japanese market models).
The V8 engine was essentially of the same design as that used in the 308 GTSi model, apart from the four valves per cylinder heads. It was of a 90 degree configuration, with belt driven twin overhead camshafts per bank, having a total capacity of 2926cc, with a bore and stroke of 81mm x 71mm, with wet sump lubrication, bearing factory type reference F 105 AB 000 for European market cars. The claimed power output for main market European cars was 240 bhp at 7000rpm, and 235 bhp at 6800rpm for US market variants. The engine was transversely mounted in unit with the all synchromesh five speed transmission assembly, which was below, and to the rear of the engine's sump. The gear and final drive ratios were altered to suit the revised characteristics of the four valves per cylinder engine. One other significant benefit of the QV four valve heads where the replacement of the non-QV models sodium valves which have been know to fail at the joint between the head and the stem. It was fitted with a Bosch K Jetronic fuel injection system, coupled to a Marelli MED 803A Digiplex electronic ignition system, incorporating a coil, distributor and ignition module to serve each bank of cylinders. All US market examples were fitted with catalytic converters. The main European market 308 GTS Quattrovalvole models had a tubular chassis with factory type reference F 105 GS 100, Disc brakes, with independent suspension via wishbones, coil springs, and hydraulic shock absorbers, were provided all round, with front and rear anti roll bars. All models were numbered in the Ferrari odd number road car chassis sequence of the time, with right and left hand drive available. The model was produced in a total of 3042 examples, over four times as many as the concurrent fixed roof berlinetta, between 1982 and 1985 in the chassis number range 41701 to 59265. (Text from Ferrari)
Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection was added for the 1980 308 GTBi and GTSi, dropping power to 214 hp (160 kW) but decreasing emissions. Two years later, the 4-valve per cylinder Quattrovalvole or QV model pushed output back up to 240 hp (179 kW) restoring the performance. The European version boasted higher horsepower than the American model due to lightness and less stringent Federalizing. Only 748 308 GTB QV models were produced, with one third being European models. The European 308 GTB QV and 308 GTS QV models are considered by many to be the most collectible 308 due to its subtle styling (deep front valance, racing mirrors, short lightweight bumpers) and speed as the fastest of all 308s produced.
The 288 GTO introduced in 1984 is considered as the first Ferrari Super-car. The 288 borrowed much of the styling from the European 308 GTB QV of the previous year, 1983: it is also powered by a similar debored 2.8-litre V8 (but with turbochargers), it retained the general bodywork lines with extended wheelarches, different side air vents, and bigger rear spoiler, longer (5 inch) wheelbase, and the central tubular space-frame chassis.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 3000 cc
- horsepower: 255 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 256 km/h

Ferrari F355

2011-09-16T13:31:00.009+02:00

Wednesday 9 November 2011
The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe. One major difference between the V8 in the 348 and that in the F355, apart from the displacement increase from 3.4 to 3.5 L, is that the F355 features a 5-valve per-cylinder head that is considerably more powerful, producing 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp). The longitudinal 90° V8 engine was bored 2mm over the 348's engine (85 mm rather than 83 mm) to achieve the modest increase in displacement to of 3495.50 cc. The engine's compression ratio was 11:1 and it employed the Bosch Motronic M2.7 engine control unit in the 1995 model year, and switched to the M5.2 in 1996 through end of production, using electronic fuel injection and an ignition control system with a single spark plug per cylinder and a dry-sump oil lubrication system.
The frame is a steel monocoque with tubular steel rear sub-frame with front and rear suspensions using independent, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over gas-filled telescopic shock absorbers with electronic control servos and anti-roll bars. Ferrari fitted all road-going F355 models with Pirelli tires, size 225/40ZR 18 in front and 265/40 ZR 18 in the rear.
At launch, two models were available: the coupe Berlinetta, and the targa topped GTS. The Spider (convertible) version was introduced in 1995. In 1997 the Formula One style paddle gear shift electrohydraulic manual transmission was introduced with the Ferrari 355 F1 (note the dropping of the F before the 355) adding £6,000 to the dealer asking price.
The nomenclature does not follow the formula from the previous decades, ie. engine capacity (in liters) followed by number of cylinders (eg. 246 = 2.4 litres + 6 cyl, 308 = 3.0 litres + 8 cyl, and same for the 328, 348, 512 etc). For the F355, Ferrari used engine capacity plus followed by the number of valves per cylinder (355 = 3.5 litres engine capacity and 5 valves per cylinder) to bring the performance advances introduced by a 5 valve per cylinder configuration into the forefromt. The F355 is relatively common as Ferraris go with 11,273 total units produced.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 3500 cc
- horsepower: 380 HP
- gearbox: 6+1
- top speed: 295 km/h

Ferrari 246 GT Dino

2011-09-16T13:29:00.004+02:00

Monday 7 November 2011
Dino was a brand for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976. The Dino brand was meant to be used for cars with engines that had fewer than 12 cylinders, reserving the Ferrari name for the V-12 and flat 12 models. The Dino name was retired after that point, in favour of conventional Ferrari branding. The Dino brand was an attempt by Ferrari to produce a relatively low cost sports car.
The Dino models used Ferrari racing naming designation of displacement and cylinder count with two digits for the size of the engine in deciliters and the third digit to represent the number of cylinders, i.e., 246 being a 2.4 litre 6 cylinder and 308 being a 3.0 litre 8 cylinder. Ferrari street models of the time used a three digit representation of the displacement in cubic centimeters of one of the 12 cylinders which would have been meaningless in a brand with differing numbers of cylinders.
The Dino 246 was the first Ferrari model produced in high numbers. It is lauded by many for its intrinsic driving qualities and groundbreaking design. In 2004, Sports Car International placed the car at number six on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s. Motor Trend Classic placed the 206/246 at number seven in their list of the 10 "Greatest Ferraris of all time".
Calls for more power were answered with the 2.4 L (2418 cc) Dino 246. The motor was a 65 degree, dual overhead camshaft, 9.0:1 compression ratio, iron block with alloy heads. The European motor produced 195 bhp (at 7,600 rpm), and was available as a fixed-top GT coupe or, after 1971, an open Spyder GTS. The American version had an exhaust air-pump, and timing changes which created 175 hp (130 kW). The GT had 3 Weber 40 DCNF/6 or 40 DCNF/7 carburetors. For the 246 a new version of the Dinoplex ignition was deployed, the more compact Magneti Marelli AEC103A system.
The 246 Dino GT weighed 2,380 lb (1,080 kg). The 246 Dino GTS weighed 2,426 lb (1,100 kg). The body was now made of steel to save cost. The 246 Dino had a 2.1-inch (53 mm) longer wheelbase than the 206, at 92.1 inches. The height of the 246 was the same as the 206 at 43.9 inches.
Dino 246 production numbered 2,295 GTs and 1,274 Spyders, the latter being built from 1972 to 1974 only, for a total production run of 3,569. Three series of the Dino were built, with differences in wheels, windshield wiper coverage, and engine ventilation. The Series I cars, 357 of which were built until the summer of 1970, used the same center-bolt wheels as did the 206. Series II cars (built until July 1971 in 507 examples) received five-bolt Cromodora alloys and "clap-hands" wipers. The Series III cars had minor differences to gearing and fuel supply, and were built at a much higher rate as sales in the United States commenced with this version. 1,431 Series III coupés and 1,274 GTS cars were built.
The 246 had a claimed top speed of 146 mph (235 km/h), although in July 1971 a road test by Britain's Motor magazine reported a top speed of 148 mph (238 km/h), which compared favourably with the 136 mph (219 km/h) achieved by a recently tested (though by now replaced) Porsche 911S. With a 0 – 50 mph (80/km/h) acceleration time of 5.5 seconds the Dino narrowly out performed the Porsche again, although the Porsche was narrowly the winner on fuel economy. The manufacturer's recommended UK retail price of £5,485 was higher than the £5,211 asked for the Porsche, although both cars were retailing for more than the equally brazen if in other respects very different Citroën SM, at £4,700.
The Dino's 2.4 L V6 found its way into a number of other Italian performance cars after its application in the 246, most notably the Lancia Stratos rally car.

Technical data:
- engine: V6
- capacity: 2418 cc
- horsepower: 195 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 235 km/h

Nysa 521

2011-09-12T14:08:00.003+02:00

Saturday 5 November 2011
This is a slightly different version of the vehicle described here.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2120 cc
- horsepower: 70 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 100 km/h

Mercedes Benz 600

2011-09-12T14:06:00.002+02:00

Thursday 3 November 2011
The Mercedes-Benz 600 is a large luxury automobile offered in several variants worldwide. Introduced in September 1963, it had very few competitors, these being Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Cadillac Fleetwood 75, the stretched Lehmann-Peterson Lincoln, and the Crown Imperial Ghia. Generally, the long-wheel-base (LWB) 600 was intended as chauffeur-driven; many featured a central divider incorporating a powered window between front and rear compartments. Short-wheel-base (SWB) 600 models were designed to be owner-driven.
Production began in 1964 and most 600 variants were built until 1972. The oil crisis, as well as the introduction of new S-Class models, slowed demand. Modest production continued until 1981. During this time, 2,677 vehicles were made.
The 600 was so heavy that the largest engine of Mercedes at that time, the 6-cylinder 300, was inadequate. Instead a new engine with more than twice the capacity was developed to move the vehicle and its hydraulically powered amenities, the 6.3 L V8 "M100" engine with single overhead camshafts (SOHC), and Bosch mechanical fuel injection.
The 600's "M-100" engine and hydraulics were fitted to the 300SEL 6.3 model in 1968, creating - at that time - the worlds' fastest four-door sedan. Upon the introduction of the "W116" chassis, a larger version of M-100 was installed in the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9.
The 600 featured many luxury features, including a complex hydraulic 150-bar (2,176 psi) pressure system that powered everything from the windows and seats to the automatically closing doors, sun-roof, and boot lid. Adjustable air suspension gave the car a good ride quality and handling over any road surface.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 6332 cc
- horsepower: 250 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 200 km/h

Lada 2107

2011-09-12T14:04:00.003+02:00

Tuesday 1 November 2011
The VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104 and VAZ-2107 (collectively known as the Lada Riva in most Western European markets) are a series of medium-sized family cars built by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1980 in the Soviet Union, and progressively in other European markets through the early 1980s and sold in both saloon and estate versions. Today they are generally referred to as the Lada Classic series, being derived from the original Fiat 124 platform which has been the now-iconic mainstay of the AvtoVAZ lineup since the company's foundation in the late 1960s.
Although introduced in the early 1981 the Riva's origins are older: it is a restyled version of the original Lada type VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" saloon, which was introduced in 1970. The Riva itself is officially designated – and known in the home market – as VAZ-2105 (base saloon), VAZ-2104 (estate), and VAZ-2107 (deluxe saloon identified by large chrome grille). Other names sometimes used include Pyatyorka ("the five"), Chetvyorka("the four") and Semyorka ("the seven"). In Russia, VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104 and VAZ-2107 are considered to be different cars rather than variants but nonetheless all of them are part of a single "Klassika" ("Classic") family along with older models such as the VAZ-2101.
Mechanically, the car is virtually identical to the first-generation VAZ-2101 model, featuring the Fiat-derived transmissions, coil spring suspension all round and aluminum drum brakes on the rear wheels. The smaller-engined variant, the 1300 cc version (VAZ-2105) had a major engine revamp compared to the original VAZ-2101 (Lada 1200). The old OHC-engine had its valves actuated by chain, while the new one was modified to having a toothed belt-drive. Nonetheless, the Riva's larger-engined version (VAZ-2107) carried on with the old 1500 cc, chain-driven OHC engine coming over from the original Lada 1500 (VAZ-2103) of 1973. Another change was done to the engine in the 1992, when single point fuel injection and catalytic converters were specified in an attempt to keep up with emissions legislation.
Tightening safety and emissions legislation led to the Riva being withdrawn from most Western European markets by 1997, although it is still in production at the AvtoVAZ factory in the Russian Federation and is now sold as the Lada Classic. In 2005, production of the estate model was taken over by Izh, before assembly was transferred to the Bogdan Group's LuAZ plant. The 2107 model is still in production, not only at AutoVAZ but also at the ZAZ factory in Ukraine, and at Suzuki's factory in Egypt. It is anticipated that Russian production of both the 2105 and 2107 will have been completely moved to Izh by the middle of 2011.
In the UK the Lada Riva was one of the most popular low-budget cars on the market. Its spartan interiors, dated styling and outdated mechanics meant that it was never actually aimed at buyers of market leaders' similar-sized products, such as the Ford Sierra, Vauxhall Cavalier and Austin Montego. The Riva was still selling well in Britain and many other western markets in the early 1990s, but the next few years saw a raft of new models come from budget competitors such as Daewoo, Hyundai, Kia and Proton, pushing Lada sales into terminal decline. This, combined with the much-needed investment to adapt cars to stricter European Union emissions requirements not being available, resulted in the decision to withdraw Lada from the UK ,(and other European Markets) on 4 July 1997.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1500 cc
- horsepower: 72 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 150 km/h

Iveco Turbostar - project finished

2011-09-12T13:53:00.005+02:00

Sunday 30 October 2011
This is the latest model I've made out of box and added some engine and chassis equipment. Enjoy.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 19 000 cc
- horsepower: 480 HP
- gearbox: 14+2
- top speed: 90 km/h

Ferrari 250 Testarossa

2011-09-12T13:50:00.003+02:00

Saturday 29 October 2011
The Ferrari TR, or 250 Testa Rossa, is a race car model built by Ferrari in the 1950s and 60s. These cars dominated their arenas, with variations winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1958, 1960, and 1961. They were closely related to the rest of the Ferrari 250 line, especially the legendary 250 GTO.
In all, thirty-four 250 Testa Rossas were built, from 1956 through 1961. The phrase "Testa Rossa" means "red head." The most well known, the 250TR, was produced from 1957 to 1958; only 2 factory cars and 19 customer cars were built. After the 250 GTO, the 250 Testa Rossa is the second most valuable Ferrari model, often valued at more than US$8,000,000. A 1957 250 Testa Rossa sold on August 20, 2011 for $16,400,000, a new world record auction price for a car.
Named for the red valve covers, the original 250 TR had unorthodox bodywork by Scaglietti. The front fenders are visually separated from the central "nacelle" body, a design inspired Formula One racers, with air ducting across the front brakes and out through the open area behind the wheels, this model is often called the "Pontoon" TR. Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with this car in 1958.
The 250 TR's aerodynamic design was successful in racing but nonetheless controversial: Ferrari began changing the look soon after its production. Other, more conventional bodies were designed by Ferrari stalwarts, Pininfarina and Carrozzeria Touring. The engine had the same displacement as the rest of the 250 series but was tuned to produce far more power. The front styling of the 250 TR61 pictured served as inspiration to the current Ferrari F430 road car.
The 250 TR lines of 1960 and 1961 were dominant racers – Olivier Gendebien took Le Mans again those two years, with Paul Frère in 1960 and Phil Hill in 1961.

Technical data:
- engine: V12
- capacity: 2953 cc
- horsepower: 300 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 270 km/h

Nissan 300 ZX

2011-08-29T12:46:00.003+02:00

Friday 28 October 2011
300ZX is the name given, in much of the world, to the "Z31" and "Z32" generations of Nissan's Z sports car. Like all other versions of the Z-Car, it was sold in Japan as the Fairlady Z, regardless of model year.
The only thing that remained unchanged from the previous generation 300ZX was the displacement of the 3-liter engine, now with dual overhead camshafts(DOHC), variable valve timing(VVT) and producing a rated 222 hp (166 kW) and 198 lb·ft (268 N·m) in naturally aspirated form. The big news for enthusiasts, however, was the turbo variant, now upgraded with twin Garrett turbochargers and dual intercoolers. This was good for 300 hp (224 kW) along with 283 lb·ft (384 N·m) of torque. Performance varied from 0-60 times of 5.0-6.0 seconds depending on the source, and it had a governed top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h).
Upon its release, the new 300ZX became an instant hit, winning Motor Trend's "Import Car of the Year" in 1990 as well as "One of the Top Ten Performance Cars". Automobile Magazine honors the 300ZX/300ZX Turbo as its "Design of the Year" and adds it to their "All Stars" list. Road & Track names the 300ZX Turbo "One of the Ten Best Cars in the World", and Car and Driver adds it to their 10Best for the seven years in which it was in production in America. American Z-car sales reach the one million sales mark in the 1990 model year, making it the all-time best selling sports car.
Nissan utilized the Cray-II supercomputer to completely design the new 300ZX with a form of CAD software. This made the 300ZX one of the first production cars to be developed in a CAD program. In return, it featured a whole host of technological advancements. On the twin turbo models, four-wheel steering was available under the name Super HICAS (High Capacity Actively Controlled Steering). The twin turbochargers, intercoolers, and requisite plumbing left for a cramped engine bay.
Like previous generations Nissan offered a 2+2 model with the Z32. In 1993, a convertible version was introduced for the first time in the Z-car's history, as a response to aftermarket conversions. All 300ZXs now featured T-tops as standard, yet there were some rare hardtops produced as well.
The 300ZX was doomed to the same fate of many Japanese sports cars of the time. The mid-'90s trend toward SUVs and the rising Yen:Dollar ratio were both influential in ending North American 300ZX sales in 1996 at over 80,000 units sold (production for other markets continued until 2000). In 1990 the 300ZX was priced at about $30,000, but in its final year this price had increased to around $50,000. This left many people questioning its value, and despite a final Commemorative Edition for the final 300 units shipped to America (complete with decals and certificates of authenticity), the Z-Car was on hiatus. In Japan, however, the 300ZX lived on for a few more years with a face-lift including a new fascia, tail lights, head lights, rear spoiler, and a few other minor changes.

Technical data:
- engine: V6
- capacity: 3000 cc
- horsepower: 205 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 245 km/h

Honda NSX Type R

2011-08-29T12:42:00.004+02:00

Monday 3 October 2011
The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 petrol (gasoline) engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) system.
In 1984 Honda commissioned the Italian car designer Pininfarina to design the HP-X (Honda Pininfarina Xperimental), which had a mid-mounted C20A 2.0 L V6 configuration.
After Honda decided to pursue the project its management informed its engineers that the new car would have to be as good as anything coming from Italy and Germany. The HP-X concept car evolved into the NS-X (New Sportscar eXperimental) prototype. The NS-X prototype and eventual production car were designed by a team led by Chief Designer Nicholas Zander and Executive Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara, who subsequently would be placed in charge of the S2000 project. The original performance target for the NS-X was the Ferrari 328, which was revised to the 348 as the design neared completion. Honda intended the NS-X to meet or exceed the performance of the Ferrari, while offering targeted reliability and a lower price point. For this reason, the 2.0L V6 of the HP-X was abandoned and replaced with a more powerful 3.0L VTEC V6 engine. The bodywork design had been specifically researched by Okuyuma and Uehara after studying the 360 degree visibility inside an F-16 fighter jet cockpit. The NS-X was designed to showcase several Honda automotive technologies, many derived from its F1 motor-sports program.
The NS-X was the first production car to feature an all-aluminium monocoque body, incorporating a revolutionary extruded aluminium alloy frame, and suspension. The use of aluminium in the body alone saved nearly 200 kg in weight over the steel equivalent while the aluminium suspension saved an additional 20 kg; a suspension compliance pivot helped maintain wheel alignment changes at a near zero value. Other notable features included an independent, 4-channel anti-lock brake system; titanium connecting rods in the engine to permit reliable high-rpm operation; an electric power steering system; Honda's proprietary VTEC variable valve timing system (a first in the US) and, in 1995, the first electronic throttle control fitted to a Honda.
Honda spent a great deal of time and money developing the NS-X. With a robust motorsports apparatus, Honda had significant development resources at its disposal and made extensive use of them. Respected Japanese Formula One driver Satoru Nakajima, for example, was involved with Honda in the NS-X's early on track development at Suzuka race circuit, where he performed many endurance distance duties related to chassis tuning. Brazilian Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna, for whom Honda had powered all three of his world championship-winning Formula One race cars before his death in 1994, was considered Honda's main innovator in convincing the company to stiffen the NSX chassis further after testing the car at Honda's Suzuka GP circuit in Japan. American Bobby Rahal also participated in the car's development. Senna was given two cars by Honda. The newer one, a black 1993 model, license plate BSS-8888 (the letters meaning Beco - a childhood nickname - Senna Silva and the number 8 is a reference to his first F1 championship in 1988) is still in possession of his family.
The production car made its first public appearances as the NS-X at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1989, and at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1989 to positive reviews. Sports car enthusiasts focused their attention on its low height, body lines, and pronounced forward cockpit. Honda revised the vehicle's name from NS-X to NSX before final production and sale. The Honda NSX went on sale in Japan in 1990. The NSX was sold under Honda's flagship Acura luxury brand starting in 1991 in North America and Hong Kong.

Technical data:
- engine: V6
- capacity: 3719 cc
- horsepower: 290 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 270 km/h

Ferrari 512 BB

2011-08-29T12:39:00.007+02:00

Monday 3 October 2011
A Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer is one of a series of cars produced by Ferrari in Italy between 1973 and 1984. They used a mid-mounted flat-12 (180° V12, not actually a true Boxer) engine, replacing the FR layout Daytona, and were succeeded in the Ferrari stable by the Testarossa.
Production of the BB was a major step for Enzo Ferrari. He felt that a mid-engined road car would be too difficult for his buyers to handle, and it took many years for his engineers to convince him to adopt the layout. This attitude began to change as the marque lost its racing dominance in the late 1950s to mid-engined competitors. The mid-engined 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder Dino racing cars were the result, and Ferrari later allowed for the production Dino road cars to use the layout as well. The company also moved its V12 engines to the rear with its P and LM racing cars, but the Daytona was launched with its engine in front. It was not until 1971 that a mid-engined 12-cylinder road car would appear.
No BB was ever originally sold in North America, as Enzo did not believe it to be worth the cost of federalizing. However, third parties made conversions, and quite a few of them are now in the United States.
The first "Boxer" was the 365 GT4 BB shown at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Designed to rival the Lamborghini Miura, it was finally released for sale in 1973 at the Paris Motor Show. 387 were built, with 88 in right-hand drive (of which 58 for the UK market), making it the rarest of all Berlinetta Boxers. The Pininfarina-designed body was an angular wedge with popup headlights.
Though it shared its numerical designation with the Daytona, the Boxer was radically different. It was a mid-engined car like the Dino, and the now flat-12 engine was mounted longitudinally rather than transversely.
The engine shared its internal dimensions with the V12 from the Daytona, but was spread out to 180° as on Ferrari's 1970 Formula One car and was mounted above a five-speed manual transmission. One major difference in this engine was its use of timing belts rather than chains.
The 365 was updated as the BB 512 in 1976, resurrecting the name of the earlier Ferrari 512 racer. The engine was larger at 4942 cc, had an increased compression ratio of 9.2:1, and a new dual plate clutch to handle the added power and ease pedal effort. Dry sump lubrication was used to prevent oil starvation in hard cornering due to revised rear suspension and wider rear tires. External differentiators included a new front spoiler, wider rear tires, added NACA side air vents ducting air to the brakes, and four tail lights (instead of six).
929 BB 512 models were produced.

Technical data:
- engine: Flat 12
- capacity: 4962 cc
- horsepower: 360 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 260 km/h

ARO 240

2011-08-29T12:37:00.004+02:00

Sunday 2 October 2011
ARO 240 is a two door 4x4 off-road vehicle, which was manufactured by ARO from 1972 to 2006. It was the first of the ARO 24 series, which eventually included many other models: the four doors 244, the 242 pick-up, the three doors 243, the 320 pick-up, and many others body trims. Last special military versions were called ARO Dragon.
It is equipped with many different engines (both gas and Diesel), and comes in both 4x2 and 4x4 versions. Notable improvements over the years were the introduction of Romanian Diesel engines, units equipped with Toyota engines, and units equipped with Romanian built turbo Diesel engines. The ARO-24s are no longer in production as ARO was shut down.
Plans to market the ARO 244 in the United States as the Cross Lander 244X in 2005 were eventually canceled.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2495 cc
- horsepower: 83 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 115 km/h

Collection overview

2011-08-29T12:35:00.004+02:00

Sunday 2 October 2011
Here are the latest pictures of my whole collection. Enjoy

GAZ Volga M22

2011-08-19T15:44:00.006+02:00

Sunday 2 October 2011
This is an estate version of the vehicle described here.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2445 cc
- horsepower: 70 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 120 km/h

VW 1200

2011-08-19T15:42:00.003+02:00

Sunday 2 October 2011
No need for words. This model was published in Poland by DeAgostini.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1192 cc
- horsepower: 34 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 120 km/h

Toyota Prius

2011-08-19T15:40:00.003+02:00

Friday 30 September 2011
Toyota debuted the new Prius (2010 US model year) at the January 2009 North American International Auto Show, and sales began in Japan on May 18, 2009. Toyota cut the price of the Prius from ¥2.331 million to ¥2.05 million to better compete with the Honda Insight, leading some to wonder whether increased sales of the Prius might come at the expense of sales of other vehicles with higher margins. Competition from lower priced hybrids, such as the Honda Insight, also made it difficult for Toyota to capitalize on the Prius's success. Its new body design is more aerodynamic, with the coefficient of drag reduced to Cd=0.25. This figure is disputed by General Motors which found the value for the model with 17" wheels to be around 0.30 based on tests in GM, Ford, and Chrysler wind tunnels. An underbody rear fin helps stabilize the vehicle at higher speeds
The estimated fuel-efficiency rating, using the U.S. EPA combined cycle, is 50 mpg-US (4.7 L/100 km; 60 mpg-imp). The Prius was the most efficient car powered by liquid fuel available in the U.S. in 2009, based on the official rating. Only the first-generation Honda Insight (2000–2006) equipped with a manual transmission attained a lower fuel consumption rate. The official UK fuel efficiency data for the Prius T3 is Urban 72.4 mpg-imp (3.90 L/100 km; 60.3 mpg-US), Extra Urban 76.4 mpg-imp (3.70 L/100 km; 63.6 mpg-US), Combined 72.4 mpg-imp (3.90 L/100 km; 60.3 mpg-US).
The 1.8-liter gasoline engine (previously 1.5 liters) generates 98 hp, and with the added power of the electric motor generates a total of 134 hp (previously 110 hp). The larger engine displacement allows for increased torque, reducing engine speeds (RPM), which improves fuel economy at highway speeds. Thanks to its electric water pump, the Prius engine is the first consumer automotive production engine that requires no accessory belts, which also further improves its fuel economy. The electric motors and other components of the hybrid powertrain are also smaller and more efficient than the industry average. Toyota estimates the new inverter, motor and transaxle are 20 percent lighter. Disc brakes replace the previous rear drum brakes.
In constructing the Prius, Toyota used a new range of plant-derived ecological bioplastics, made out of cellulose derived from wood or grass instead of petroleum. The two principal crops used are kenaf and ramie. Kenaf is a member of the hibiscus family, a relative to cotton and okra; ramie, commonly known as China grass, is a member of the nettle family and one of the strongest natural fibres, with a density and absorbency comparable to flax. Toyota says this is a particularly timely breakthrough for plant-based eco-plastics because 2009 is the United Nations’ International Year of Natural Fibres, which spotlights kenaf and ramie among others.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1800 cc
- horsepower: 134 HP
- gearbox: 6+1
- top speed: 200 km/h

Opel Commodore B GS/E

2011-08-19T15:37:00.006+02:00

Friday 30 September 2011
The Commodore B was based on the Rekord D, and launched in 1972. As in the previous generation, four models were offered: 2500 S, 2500 GS, 2800 GS and 2800 GS/E, as a four-door saloon and two-door hardtop coupé (although the fastback design was replaced by a more conventional three-box design). Power ranged from 115 to 160 PS (84.5 to 118 kW).
The Rekord and Commodore were also assembled as CKD kits in Netherlands in the 1970s. These cars carried the name Ranger and differed from the originals in having different grilles and trim. These cars were exported to various countries.
Opel Commodores were also build in Iran between 1973–1976 under the name Chevrolet Iran or Chevrolet Royale 2800 and 2500 with both 2.5 L and 2.8 L engines by Iran General Motors Company.
In 1974, due to new regulations regarding pollutant emissions, the 2.5 L base models were dropped and the 2.8 L was detuned to 129/140/155 PS (127/138/153 hp). Commodore B production ended in 1977.
The Commodore B series where as the A series briefly used in Motorsports, and the extreme "Jumbo" Commodore raced the 1974 "interserie". It used a 6,0 litre V8 engine and had large wings which almost made it unrecognizable as an Opel. It never enjoyed much success despite of its massive powerplant and impressive output.

Technical data:
- engine: 6 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 140 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 190 km/h

Mercedes Benz 200D

2011-08-19T15:34:00.003+02:00

Thursday 29 September 2011
The W110 "Fintail" (German: Heckflosse) was Mercedes-Benz's line of midsize four-cylinder automobiles in the mid-1960s. The line was introduced with the 190c and 190Dc sedan in April, 1961, replacing the W120 180c/180Dc and W121 190b/190Db. The W110 line was refreshed in July, 1965 to become the 200 and Diesel 200D (model year 1966 for North America); at the same time, a six-cylinder 230 (successor to the Mercedes 220) became part of the W110 line. Production lasted just three more years, with the W115 220 and 220D introduced in 1968. This was the first series of Mercedes cars to be extensively crash tested for occupant safety.
The 190c replaced the W120 180c/180Dc and W121 190b/190Db as Mercedes-Benz's line of less-expensive four-cylinder sedans. The "D" denoted a Diesel engine, a technology pioneered by Mercedes-Benz and championed despite widespread derision in the motoring press.
The second series of 4-cylinder cars lasted just a few years. Production of the new 200, 200D and 230 models commenced in July, 1965, at the Sindelfingen plant. All three cars ended production in 1968 with the introduction of the W115 220 and 220D.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 60 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 130 km/h

Mazda 3

2011-08-19T15:22:00.006+02:00

Thursday 29 September 2011
The Mazda3 (known as the Mazda Axela in Japan) is a compact car manufactured in Japan by the Mazda Motor Corporation. It was introduced for the 2004 model year, replacing the Mazda Familia (323 or Protegé in export markets). A more performance-oriented version of the Mazda3 is marketed as Mazdaspeed3 in North America and Mazda3 MPS in Europe.
In October 2008 Mazda released pictures and video showing the next generation design of the Mazda3. Mazda has restyled the exterior to reflect its then design language and a dual exhaust. Two engines are offered in the US and Canadian markets, the 2.0L petrol engine offered in the previous generation and a new 2.5L inline-4 that is shared with the second-generation Mazda6.
The C1 architecture, a collaboration of Ford, Mazda, and Volvo, from the previous generation is carried over. The new model is marginally wider, longer and lighter than the previous generation Mazda3. The 2.3L engine was replaced with a 2.5L engine that produces 167 bhp (125 kW; 169 PS) and 167 lb·ft (226 N·m) of torque. In other markets, more engines are offered including a new 2.2L turbodiesel engine.
Mazda unveiled the 2010 Mazda3 sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19, 2008. The new Mazda3 is slightly larger than the older Mazda3 and is available in "i" and "s" versions. The "i" is powered by a 148 horsepower (110 kW) 2.0L engine while the "s" is powered by a 167 horsepower (125 kW) 2.5L engine adapted from the Mazda6. Both engines are also available in PZEV versions, the 2.0L producing 144 hp (107 kW) and the 2.5L producing 165 hp (123 kW). The 3s Grand Touring model adds leather seats, power driver's seat with memory, rain-sensing windshield wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, and steerable active bi-xenon headlights as standard equipment. The hatchback was unveiled a few weeks after the sedan at the Bologna Motor Show.
The European model includes the i-stop feature for the 2.0L DISI engine with an estimated increase fuel economy in city cycle by roughly 12%. This feature stops the engine each time the car comes to a complete stop, it quickly starts up again without the need of a starter when the vehicle proceeds.
Full details and images of the high-powered Mazdaspeed3 (aka Mazda3 MPS) were released at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2009. Like the previous generation, the Mazda3 hatchback variant has been selected as the basis for the 2nd generation Mazdaspeed3.
Changes occurred to the features and options of the Mazda3 midway through 2010. Features such as Side mirrors with integrated turn signals, footwell lighting, and power seat memory functions were removed.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 143 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 195 km/h

IFA F9 Cabrio

2011-08-19T15:03:00.005+02:00

Wednesday 28 September 2011
This is a cabrio version of the vehicle described here.

Technical data:
- engine: 3 cylinders
- capacity: 901 cc
- horsepower: 30 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 110 km/h

Fiat 125p MR83

2011-08-19T15:01:00.006+02:00

Wednesday 28 September 2011
This is a faclifted and modernized version of the vehicle shown here.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1481 cc
- horsepower: 75 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 150 km/h

Ferrari 365 GTB/4

2011-08-19T14:59:00.005+02:00

Monday 26 September 2011
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4. The Daytona was replaced by the mid-engined 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer in 1973.
The unofficial Daytona name is reported to have been applied by the media rather than Ferrari and commemorates Ferrari's 1-2-3 finish in the February 1967 24 Hours of Daytona with the 330P4.
Unlike Lamborghini's then-new, mid-engined Miura, the Daytona was a traditional front-engined, rear-drive car.
The engine, known as a Tipo 251 and developed from the earlier Lampredi V12 used in the 275 GTB/4, was a 4.4 L (4390 cc, 267.9 cid) DOHC V12 with a 60° bank angle, 365 cc per cylinder, 81 mm (3.2 in) bore and 71 mm (2.8 in) stroke, featuring six Weber twin carburettors (40 mm Solex twin carburettors were used alternatively). At a compression ratio of 9.3:1, it produced 352 PS (259 kW; 347 hp) and could reach 280 km/h (174 mph). 0-60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration was just 5.4 seconds.The generally accepted total number of Daytonas from the Ferrari club historians is 1,406 over the life of the model. This figure includes 158 right-hand-drive coupes, 122 factory-made Spiders (of which 7 are right hand drive) made by Scaglietti — the Daytona body builder — 15 competition cars in three series with modified lightweight bodies and in various degrees of engine tune.
Historically, and especially since the mid-1980s and early 1990s, there has mostly been a considerable market price difference between a real Berlinetta and a real Spider. In hope for higher value and prospective sale revenue — or even because not too many factory Spiders were ever built — many Berlinettas were turned into convertibles.
For the American version, slight modifications were made - the compression ratio was reduced to 8.8:1 and the exhaust system was equipped with a large central silencer, necessitating visible alterations to the primary pipes.
The 5-speed manual transmission (transaxle concept) was mounted in the rear for optimal weight distribution, and a 4-wheel independent suspension featured wishbones and coil springs.

Technical data:
- engine: V12
- capacity: 4390 cc
- horsepower: 347 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 280 km/h

Citroen DS 19

2011-08-19T13:05:00.004+02:00

Monday 26 September 2011
The Citroën DS was an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative technology, including a hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension.
The DS advanced achievable standards in automobile ride quality, handling, and braking. Citroën sold nearly 1.5 million D-series during the model's 20-year production run. The DS came in third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition, recognizing the world's most influential auto designs, and was named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine.
After 18 years of secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 was introduced on 5 October 1955 at the Paris Motor Show. In the first 15 minutes of the show, 743 orders were taken, and orders for the first day totalled 12,000.
Contemporary journalists said the DS pushed the envelope in the ride vs. handling compromise possible in a motor vehicle.
To a France still deep in reconstruction after the devastation of World War II, and also building its identity in the post-colonial world, the DS motor car was a symbol of French ingenuity. The DS was distributed to many territories throughout the world.
It also posited the nation's relevance in the Space Age, during the global race for technology of the Cold War. Structuralist philosopher Roland Barthes, in an essay about the car, said that it looked as if it had "fallen from the sky". An American advertisement summarised this selling point: "It takes a special person to drive a special car".
The high price tag, however, hurt general sales in a country still recovering from World War II, and a cheaper submodel, the Citroën ID, was introduced in 1957. The ID shared the DS's body but was less powerful. Although it shared the engine capacity of the DS engine (at this stage 1,911 cc), the ID provided a maximum power output of only 69 hp compared to the 75 hp claimed for the DS19. Power outputs were further differentiated in 1961 when the DS19 acquired a Weber-32 twin bodied carburetter, and the increasing availability of higher octane fuel enabled the manufacturer to increase the compression ration from 7.5:1 to 8.5:1.A new DS19 now came with a promised 83 hp of power. The ID19 was also more traditional mechanically: it had no power steering and had conventional transmission and clutch instead of the DS's hydraulically controlled set-up. Initially the basic ID19 was sold on the French market with a price saving of more than 25% against the DS, although the differential was reduced at the end of 1961 when the manufacturer quietly withdrew the entry level ID19 "Normale" from sale. A station wagon variant, the ID Break, was introduced in 1958.
The ID19 followed the DS19's example in using a punning name. While "DS" is pronounced in French as "Déesse" (goddess), "ID" is pronounced as "Idée" (idea).
The DS was the first mass production car with front power disc brakes. It also featured hydropneumatic suspension including an automatic leveling system and variable ground clearance, power steering and a semi-automatic transmission, and a fibreglass roof which reduced weight transfer. Inboard front brakes (as well as independent suspension) reduced unsprung weight. Different front and rear track widths and tyre sizes reduced the understeer typical of front-engined and front-wheel drive cars.
As with all French cars, the DS design was affected by the tax horsepower system, which effectively mandated very small engines. Unlike the Traction Avant predecessor, there was no top-of-range model with a powerful six cylinder engine. Citroën had planned an air-cooled flat-6 engine for the car, but did not have the funds to put the prototype engine into production. Despite the rather leisurely acceleration afforded by its small four-cylinder engine, derived from the Traction Avant, the DS was successful in motorsports like rallying, where sustained speeds on poor surfaces are paramount, and won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1959 and controversially in 1966, after the disqualification of the BMC Mini-Cooper team.
The DS placed fifth on Automobile Magazine's "100 Coolest Cars" listing in 2005. It was also named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine after a poll of 20 world-renowned car designers, including Giorgetto Giugiaro, Ian Callum, Roy Axe, Paul Bracq, and Leonardo Fioravanti.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1911 cc
- horsepower: 75 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 140 km/h

BMW Glas V8 3000

2011-08-19T13:03:00.004+02:00

Monday 26 September 2011
Hans Glas GmbH is a former German automotive company, which was based in Dingolfing. Originally a maker of farm machinery, Glas evolved first into a producer of motor scooters, then automobiles. It was purchased by BMW in 1966, mainly to gain access to Glas's patents, they were the first to use a timing belt with an overhead camshaft in an automotive applications, with its limited model range shortly phased out by its new parent.
In 1962 BMW released the BMW 1500. The popular four-door compact's success exhausted the production capacity of the Munich plant. In 1966 management decided to buy Glas and absorb the Glas model line.
Changes under BMW:
-The 04-type, the GT and the 1700 sedan were given BMW badges in the last year of their production.
-The GT was reengineered and so it was built with a BMW engine and rear axle and sold as BMW 1600 GT until 1968.
-The V8 got a bigger engine constructed by Glas and was also sold until 1968 as BMW-GLAS 3000 V8.
-The 1700 sedan was built and sold by a South African importer with several changes as BMW 1800 SA until 1974.
-The Goggomobil T300, T400, T400 Coupé (renamed Sport), Glas Isar T700 and the Glas 1204 were licensed for manufacture in Argentina during the 1960s.

Technical data:
- engine: V8
- capacity: 2982 cc
- horsepower: 160 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 195 km/h

BMW 2000 CS Coupe

2011-08-19T13:01:00.005+02:00

Sunday 25 September 2011
The BMW New Class coupé, sold as the BMW 2000C or the BMW 2000CS, was a coupé built by Karmann for BMW from 1965 to 1969. Based on the New Class platform, the 2000C and 2000CS introduced the 2.0 L version of the M10 engine. The later E9 coupés, including the 3.0CSL, were based on a stretched 2000CS chassis.
The New Class coupé was developed from the New Class sedans to showcase the 2.0 L version of the engine used in the sedans. The new displacement of 1,990 cc (121 cu in) was achieved with the 80 millimetres (3.1 in) stroke of the 1.8 L version combined with a 89 millimetres (3.5 in) bore. The coupé was built for BMW by Karmann in Osnabrück and was available as the 2000C, with a single-carburettor engine delivering 100 horsepower (75 kW) at 5500 revolutions per minute, or as the 2000CS with a twin-carburettor engine delivering 120 hp (89 kW) at 5500 revolutions per minute. Both versions used a four speed manual transmission as standard, while the 2000C was available with a three speed automatic transmission as an optional extra.
The New Class coupé was introduced just after the 3200CS coupé was discontinued. The styling was based on the 3200CS and the New Class sedan, but the styling of the front of the car was all-new. The headlights were behind a glass fairing, and the grill consisted solely of a chromed BMW "double-kidney" at the centre of the front. Apart from chrome accents around the headlights and along the top of the front end, the rest of the front was painted metal, with a row of vertical slots behind the bumper to admit air for cooling and engine induction. Reactions to the front end styling have been mixed; Norbye describes it as "a blunt, unattractive front end", Severson agrees, calling the front clip "odd looking" and stating that the details of the front end "do no favors for the looks", while Noakes disagrees, referring to its "imposing front end" being "tidier than the Bertone body's fussy nose" in comparison to the 3200CS.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 120 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 190 km/h

BMW 5 E12

2011-08-19T12:59:00.004+02:00

Sunday 25 September 2011
The BMW E12 BMW 5-Series was made between 1972 and 1981. The E12 was the first series to bear the 5 Series name: the '5' denoting BMW's fifth 'New Class' platform. Designed as a replacement for the popular BMW New Class mid-size sedan, the E12 5-Series models were smaller than the large BMW E3 sedan but larger than the two-door 2002 models. The E12 was replaced by the BMW E28 5 Series in 1981, although production continued until 1984 in South Africa.
The 1970 BMW 2200ti Garmisch show car designed by the Bertone Design Centre led by Marcello Gandini set the style for the E12 5-series. Designed to compete with the Mercedes-Benz W114 sedans, the E12 models were fitted with a variety of engines. 1.8 L and 2.0 L M10 I4 engines from the older Neue Klasse sedans were used in the 518 and 520, respectively. A six-cylinder version of the 520, built with a 2.0 L M20 belt-driven engine was also available from 1977 on (to coincide with the minor restyling). The 525i, 528i, 530i, and M535i, were fitted with M30 six-cylinder engines as used on the large E3 sedans and E9 coupes. With the exception of the 520i, four-cylinder and 2.0 L six-cylinder engines were fitted with Solex carburetors (although in the UK the four-cylinder 520 was fitted with twin Stromberg 175CDET carburettors). The 520i used the mechanical fuel injection system from the BMW 2000tii and BMW 2002tii. Six-cylinder versions were available with dual Zenith two-barrel carburetors or Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection. Fuel-injected models contain the i letter at the end of their model badge. Although BMW had always located turn signal stalks on the right hand side of its steering wheels, the E12 was their first model to have the stalk on the left side.
With the introduction of the BMW E23 large sedan in 1977, the E12 received a minor re-styling. The rear-mounted gasoline filler door was relocated to the side of the car and the taillights were widened. The hood, originally designed to clear the large air filter assembly for cars fitted with dual Zenith carburetors, was redesigned to a give a 'power bulge', and the dashboard ventilation was repositioned to improve air distribution.

Technical data:
- engine: 6 cylinders
- capacity: 2494 cc
- horsepower: 150 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 200 km/h

Toyota Celica

2011-07-15T00:21:00.005+02:00

Saturday 24 September 2011
The first generation Celica was released to the Japanese market in late 1970, and targeted to be a more affordable alternative to Toyota's sportscar, the 2000GT. The cars platform was shared with the Toyota Carina.
Displayed at the October 1970 Tokyo Motor Show and marketed in December of the same year, the Celica was a personal car that emphasized styling and driving enjoyment. Japanese models were ET, LT, ST, GT, and GTV.
For export markets, the Celica was offered in three different levels of trim; LT, ST and GT. The lower-end LT was equipped with the single carbureted four-cylinder 2T engine displacing 1,600 cc, while the ST came with a twin downdraft-carburetor 2T-B engine. The 2T-G that powered the high-end GT model was a DOHC 1,600 cc engine equipped with twin Mikuni-Solex Carburetors.
At its introduction the Celica was only available as a pillarless hardtop notchback coupe. The SV-1 liftback was shown as a concept car at the 1971 Tokyo Motor Show. With slight modifications, this was introduced in Japan in April 1973 as the 2 litre RA25 and 1.600 L TA27 liftbacks. It was then exported to Europe in RHD form as the 1.6 litre liftback. After the October 1975 facelift, it was available in both RHD and LHD forms in other markets. The RV-1 wagon was also shown at the 1971 Tokyo Motor Show but it did not reach production.
The Japanese GT models had various differences from the ET, LT and ST including the hood flutes, power windows, air conditioning, and specific GT trim, but shared a few things with the ST - a full-length centre console and oil pressure/ammeter gauges whilst the LT had warning lights for these functions.
There was also the GTV version, which had the 2T-G engine, a slightly cut-down interior, and did not come standard with things like power windows, but they were optional. The GTV has firmer suspension.
The first generation Celicas can be further broken down into two distinctive models. The first of these was the original with slant nose (trapezoid-like shape front corner light). This is for Coupe model only, TA22, RA20, and RA21. These models were released from 1970 to 1975 and came equipped with the 2T, 2T-G 1.6-liter, or 18R 2.0-liter motor. They had a 95 inches (2,400 mm) wheelbase. The second series (98 in or 2,500 mm wheelbase) had a flat nose (square front corner light) and slightly longer wheelbase, and was known in Europe as the TA23. This facelift model appeared in Japan in 1974, but for export was the 1976 model year. The Japanese version had engines under 2.0 liter so as to conform to Japanese regulations concerning engine displacement size, thereby allowing buyers to avoid an additional tax for a larger engine.
The first Celica for North America, 1971 ST was powered by 1.9 liter 8R engine. The 1972-1974 models have 2.0-liter 18R-C engines. For 1975-77, the engine for the North American Celica is the 2.2-liter 20R. The Celica GT and LT models were introduced in the U.S. for the 1974 model year. The top-line GT included a 5-speed manual transmission, rocker panel GT stripes, and styled steel wheels with chrome trim rings. The LT was marketed as an economy model. Mid-1974 saw minor changes in the Celica's trim and badges. The automatic transmission became an option on North American ST and LT models starting in the 1973 model year. For 1975, the 1974 body was used, but body-color plastic fascia and sturdier chrome and black rubber bumpers, replaced the chrome bumpers used in the earlier cars (in accordance with US Federal bumper laws). Unfortunately the early 8R and 18R series engines proved to be less than durable, with early failures common. The 1974 18R-C engine's durability was improved somewhat, but the 20R introduced for 1975 proved to be a better engine in most respects.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 150 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 200 km/h

Simca P60 Ranch

2011-07-15T00:19:00.005+02:00

Saturday 24 September 2011
This is estate version of the vehicle described here.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1221 cc
- horsepower: 45 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 118 km/h

Opel Manta B GT

2011-07-15T00:17:00.006+02:00

Saturday 24 September 2011
The Opel Manta was a rear-wheel-drive sports coupé motor vehicle built by Opel, from 1970 to 1988.
The second car to use the Manta name was launched in August 1975. This two-door "three-box" car was mechanically based directly on the then newly redesigned Opel Ascona, but the overall design was influenced by the 1975 Chevrolet Monza. The Manta had more "sporty" styling, including a droop-snoot nose not seen on the Ascona, although it was standard, on the UK version of the Ascona, the Vauxhall Cavalier. There was still no "Vauxhall Manta", with the car remaining an Opel in the UK. However, a Vauxhall Cavalier was available with the same coupé bodyshell.
Engines were available ranging from the small 1,2 litre OHV engine, the 1,6 litre CIH and the 1,9 litre CIH. Also in 1976 the GT/E engine from the Manta A series was adapted into the Manta B programme spawning the GT/E Manta B series. In 1979 the GT/E had the engine replaced with the new 2,0 litre CIH and with a new designed Bosch L injection system. Power output was now 110 bhp (82 kW). The 1.9 litre engine gave way to the 2,0 litre S engine which was aspirated by a Varajet II carburettor. This engine was the most used engine by Opel at the time, and was to be found in several Opel Rekord cars.
In 1977, a three-door hatchback version appeared to complement the existing two-door booted car. This shape was also not unique, being available on the Vauxhall Cavalier Sports Hatch variant.
Both Manta versions received a facelift in 1982, which included a plastic front spoiler, sideskirts for the GT/E and GSi models, a small wing at the rear and quadruple air intakes on the grille. Also the 1.2, 1.6 and 1.9 litre engines were discontinued and replaced by the 1.3 litre OHC engine, the 1.8 litre OHC and the 2.0 litre S and E CIH engines. The GT/E was renamed and was called the GSi from 1983 (except in the UK where the GT/E name continued).
Production of the Manta continued well after the equivalent Ascona and Cavalier were replaced by a front wheel drive model "Ascona C". In 1982 the 1,8 litre OHC engine from the Ascona was fitted in the Manta B making a more economical Manta B to drive. It could run 14 km per litre and use unleaded fuel. The 1,8 was very popular and was in production for 5 years (1982–1987). The 2,0S models where discontinued in 1984 and only the GSi was available with the "large" engine (GT/E in the UK). In 1986 Opel released the last Manta B model the Exclusive (1987 in the UK), giving it all of the best in equipment. Recaro seats with red cloth, grey leather like interior and the full bodypack known from the i200 models. This consisted of twin round headlights in a plastic cover, frontspoiler and rear lower spoiler from Irmscher, sideskirts and the known 3 split rear spoiler of the Manta 400 (producing 80 kg (176 lb) of weight on the rear at 200 km/h). In the UK, the Exclusive GT/E models were available in colours such as Dolphin Grey with matching dark grey cloth seats with red piping. These also had the quad headlights, front spoiler but a rear bumper which housed the number plate, coupled with a black plastic strip between the rear light clusters. The rear spoiler was similar to the standard GT/E. Opel finally ceased the production of the Manta B in 1988, only producing the GSi exclusive the last 2 years (GT/E in the UK). Sales continued in 1989 until the Manta was replaced by the Opel Calibra (known as the "Vauxhall Calibra" in the UK).
Today, these cars are hard to find in an original, good condition; consequently the value has risen considerably over the last few years. It has again become popular, because of its good looks and well-respected handling.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 110 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 190 km/h

Opel Kadett A Coupe

2011-07-15T00:16:00.003+02:00

Tuesday 9 August 2011
The Opel Kadett was a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel between 1937 and 1940, and then again from 1962 until 1991 (Cabrio 1993), when it was replaced by the Opel Astra, (branded in the UK as the Vauxhall Astra MK3).
In 1957 Opel Product Director Karl Stief was mandated by General Motors headquarters in Detroit to develop "the perfect Anti-Volkswagen" ("einen perfekten Anti-VW"). The development team was headed up by Stief, supported by Hans Mersheimer (car-body) and Werner K. Strobel (engine and running gear), under conditions of such secrecy that even now very little is known of the development history of the 1962 Kadett. 649,512 of cars had been built at the company's new Bochum factory by the time it was replaced in July 1965.
The car later became known as the Kadett A. In addition to the standard saloon there was an L (luxury model), a coupé, and an estate (called Caravan). The new Opel OHV engine was available as 1.0 with 40 hp (30 kW) and as 1.0 S with 48 hp (36 kW).
The Kadett clearly featured a much more modern design than the Volkswagen Beetle which then dominated the market for small family cars in Germany and various surrounding countries. The Kadett offered more passenger space, massively more luggage space and a much less encumbered view out. Its water cooled engine enabled it to provide a far more effective heater. Even fuel consumption was under most conditions superior to that of the Volkswagen, and many commentators much preferred the Opel's handling and its light and effective brakes to those of the market leader.
However, by the mid-1970s the Kadett's greatest relative weakness was already painfully apparent, as the cars disappeared rapidly from German roads while the Beetles endured. The Kadett's bodywork was not well protected from corrosion.
On the British motoring show Top Gear, Richard Hammond drove a 1963 Kadett A through the middle of Botswana during a 2007 challenge. During the challenge, Richard Hammond successfully drove the Opel Kadett across the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, making the Kadett A one of the first ever cars to cross the whole pan. He loved the car so much that he named it Oliver and later had the car shipped to the United Kingdom and restored, and it remains in his possession.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 1000 cc
- horsepower: 48 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 140 km/h

Nissan Skyline GTX

2011-07-15T00:14:00.004+02:00

Monday 8 August 2011
The Nissan Skyline (スカイライン in Japanese) is a line of compact cars originally produced by the Japanese carmaker Prince Motor Company starting in 1957 and subsequently by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1966. It is currently available in either coupé, or sedan body styles, and are most commonly known by their round brake lights, with the station wagon bodystyle being dropped in 1989 with the introduction of the R32 platform.
Iterations R30 to R34 of the Skyline are still popular tuner cars for Japanese car enthusiasts from the 1980s to today, especially with available features such as straight-6 engines, turbochargers, and the high-performance GT-R trim. While not distributed in the United States, the Skyline's prominence in video games, movies and magazines resulted in many such cars being imported there from 1999 to late 2005, after Motorex petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow 1990–1999 GT-Rs and GTSs to be imported, at the condition that they were modified to meet United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The 11th generation Skyline (V35) was a major turning point for the nameplate, as it dropped the Skyline's trademark characteristics such as the straight-6 engine and turbocharging, eventually separated the GT-R into its own line, and moved to V6-engined era, this decision which extended to all later Skylines. Nissan decided to position the Skyline for the luxury-sport market, while its platform-mate, the 350Z, revived the Z line of pure sports cars. The V35 was the first Skyline made for export to North America, being sold under Nissan's luxury marque Infiniti as the G35. The Skyline (V36/J50) is sold in Europe, North America, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Middle East as the Infiniti G37.
April 11, 2010 saw a world record for the biggest ever Nissan Skyline meet and the most ever officially recognized on a track in the Guinness Book of World Records. This took place at Silverstone, United Kingdom at the ISTS event.
The C10 series of 1968, which began its development under Prince at the company's Ogikubo R&D centre in the suburbs of Tokyo, was marketed with a Nissan badge. By the time the C10 went on sale, the Prince nameplate had been completely phased out on cars and trucks. The dealer network selling the cars became the Prince channel of Nissan, and the marketing group stayed at the Prince headquarters in Mita instead of moving to Nissan's headquarters in Ginza. The C10 Skyline was launched with Prince's 1.5 L OHC G15 I4 like the S57. A 1.8 L G18 version was also available.
A station wagon variant, known previously as the Prince Skyway, was offered with this generation. A hardtop coupé was introduced in October 1970.
In 1971, the KGC10 2000GT-X received a 2.0 L (1998 cc) L20 I6 engine instead of a Prince G-7 engine. The chassis was already designed to receive a straight six, to avoid the S54 extension problem. 120 hp (78 kW) was available from this new engine, in March 1972 Nissan introduced 4 Door Sedan GT-X.

Technical data:
- engine: 6 cylinders
- capacity: 2000 cc
- horsepower: 120 HP
- gearbox: 5+1
- top speed: 190 km/h

Hanomag Kurier

2011-07-15T00:12:00.003+02:00

Monday 8 August 2011
Another vehicle with very few information on the Internet, therefore no description again.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 2799 cc
- horsepower: 70 HP
- gearbox: 4+1
- top speed: 90 km/h

Ford Focus RS500

2011-07-15T00:10:00.004+02:00

Sunday 7 August 2011
The Mk 2 Ford Focus was launched at the Paris Motor Show on September 23, 2004 as a three and five-door hatchback and an estate, although the new car was previewed, in 4-door saloon form, as the 'Focus Concept' developed by Ford Europe at the Beijing Motor Show in mid-2004.
The Focus RS500 was launched in April 2010. A limited production run of 500 units (101 of them for Britain) will be produced. It will have a turbocharged 2.5 L5 petrol engine which produces 345 bhp (257 kW; 350 PS) and can do 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds, with a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) making it the fastest Focus yet.
Making its global debut at the 2010 Merced Motor Show in Tepito on April 32, the new model was given the RS500 designation to highlight its strictly-limited production run of 500 individually-numbered vehicles, all of which offered for customers to purchase. Each RS500 carries a metal plaque on the centre console, hand-engraved with a unique identification number from 001 to 500.
To provide the RS500 with a fitting power unit, the 305 PS (224 kW; 301 bhp) turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine from the standard Focus RS has been upgraded to deliver significantly more top-end and mid-range power. Peak power is increased by 45 PS (33 kW; 44 bhp) to 350 PS (257 kW; 345 bhp) at 6,000 rpm, while torque has been increased from 440 to 460 N·m (340 lb·ft), delivered across a broad speed range from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm.
The changes include a significantly larger air-to-air intercooler to deliver a cooler, denser charge; a larger air filter box for increased airflow; larger diameter exhaust downpipe; and an uprated fuel pump, along with an updated software calibration to optimise the performance of the revised engine.
Preliminary performance figures for the Focus RS500 indicate that it achieves 0–100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, with a top speed similar to the 263 km/h (163 mph) in the standard RS.
Engineered by Performance Car Enthusiasts The Focus RS500 engine has been modified by a team from Ford TeamRS in partnership with Revolve Technologies, the automotive engineering firm which develops Ford approved performance upgrades through its Mountune Performance brand.
All Focus RS500 vehicles will be painted in a standard Panther Black metallic colour, before being shipped to a dedicated 3M facility near Frankfurt, Germany, where a special film will be applied to the bodywork to create the matte black effect.

Technical data:
- engine: 5 cylinders
- capacity: 2500 cc
- horsepower: 350 HP
- gearbox: 6+1
- top speed: 270 km/h