It’s not often that a car is made especially for a game – which makes the GTbyCITROEN really rather special indeed. It is by no means a standard production car anyway, but this amazingly futuristic vehicle only exists in virtual space so far. It is going to be available for download for the PS3 game Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. Whether the car will become a reality remains to be seen, but just check out the spec listed below – very impressive I’m sure you’ll agree.

The amazing GTbyCITROËN is the first ever car to be specifically designed to bring the virtual and real worlds together. The car makes its global premiere at the Paris Motor Show where visitors can actually drive the car in a true to life simulator on the Citroën stand. GTbyCITROËN, a joint venture between Citroën and the makers of Gran Turismo, was created for the eagerly anticipated 5th game in the multi-million selling Playstation series.

At almost five metres long, GTbyCITROËN packs the latest hi-tech racing equipment into an exaggerated sporty frame. Planted on 21-inch, diamond-effect, aluminium wheels, the car’s gullwing doors, over-sized rear end with mobile spoiler, gaping air intakes and flat underside exude the qualities of an accomplished racer.

With chrome chevrons on the smooth, aerodynamic, front end asserting the car’s Citroën identity, the GTbyCITROËN is bursting with styling cues typical of the Company’s creative flair. The sharp lines and sculpted body are emphasised by the white-to-grey flared paint work which gives the car a forceful look and an impression of speed – even when it’s standing still.

The sleekly muscled racer sports a large wraparound windscreen adding to the impact of the car’s size and dynamic appearance. Penetrating blue LED headlamps and slim-line carbon fibre rear view mirrors – which appear to be suspended in mid-air – add to GTbyCITROËN’s futuristic racing style.

Premium materials used throughout GTbyCITROËN’s hi-tech interior reflect the car’s distinguished and refined personality. In contrast to its light body work, the cabin features a darker, more brooding colour scheme with two padded racing seats finished in black leather and fitted with four point harnesses.

The dark leather, along with copper and steel touches inside the cabin and a low-slung driving position, create an opulent and powerful racing environment. Important on-board data is displayed via a red LED head-up display, allowing drivers to maintain focus on the track. In the game, the GTbyCITROËN showcases Citroën’s dedication to the environment with an electric drive train powered by a fuel cell, totally eliminating pollutant emissions.

Kazanori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of Gran Turismo, commented, “GTbyCITROËN shows how the worlds of virtual and real-life motoring can join together to create a truly innovative partnership. To see the GTbyCITROËN take shape in our game studios and then for real has been a truly unique experience – as our work normally stays in the digital world.”

The Nissan GT-R is a multi-dimensional performance machine that lives up to the concept of “the ultimate supercar that can be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere” and achieved a lap time of 7:38 around the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, one of the fastest times achieved by a production-spec vehicle to date.

Under the hood, the Nissan GT-R features an all-new 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque (estimated), while meeting ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standards. The engine is backed by an all-new, paddle-shifted, GR6-type dual clutch rear transaxle.

The new Nissan GT-R is built on an exclusive all-new Premium Midship platform. This new platform enables the use of a world’s first independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, which places the transmission, transfer case and final drive at the rear of the vehicle, optimizing weight distribution and maximizing handling capability.

Suspension is a special Bilstein DampTronic system, and the braking system is made up of Brembo full-floating drilled rotors, low steel high stiffness brake pads and Brembo mono block six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers. Tires are nitrogen-filled Bridgestone high-performance run flat or optional Dunlop high-performance all-season tires, on exclusive GT-R 20-inch wheels.

The Nissan GT-R’s functional styling utilizes advanced aerodynamics, evoking the lines of a well-trained athlete. GT-R’s hybrid body construction combines steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum, and features a low coefficient of drag of 0.27, while achieving high front and rear downforce. Styling cues include front fender “aero-blades” and vents, aggressive front end design with a large hood budge and single central air intake, and “super wide beam” headlights.

GT-R’s four-passenger cabin features a sloping “aero blade canopy” roofline and curved C-pillar “sword edge,” as well as GT-R’s hallmark four-ring taillights, functional rear carbon fiber underbody diffuser, rear spoiler and large, integrated quad exhaust tips.

GT-R’s interior balances functionality with a sense of ease and comfort. It features sculpted performance bucket seats for an optimal driving position, a cockpit-style instrument panel with a large center-mounted tachometer and multi-function display – which includes mechanical and driving information, as well as an on-board driving recorder.

Total vehicle adjustability is provided by a “set-up switch” located in the center of the instrument panel, enabling the driver to adjust transmission shifts, shock absorbers and the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC-R) in three settings – Normal, Comfort or “R,” for ultimate handling. Available is a specially designed 11-speaker Bose® sound system, with speakers mounted in rigid aluminum die cast panels, which provides sound quality suitable for a supercar.

When I say that you’ll probably never want a faster car than this, it’s almost certainly true. What makes the GT-R so special though is the price. At two-thirds the price of a full blooded 911 turbo this car is something that you could seriously aspire to. No doubt about it, this is a genuine Japanese muscle car that means, looks and performs the business. I can’t wait to get in one.

Never one to rest on its laurels, SEAT will be expanding its recently-launched Ibiza line-up at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show, with the unveiling of the fire-breathing Cupra and ultra-green Ecomotive models.

Set to make their Show debuts on 2 October, the Cupra and Ecomotive are highly significant additions to the sharp-looking new Ibiza range – at a stroke, they become respectively the meanest and greenest versions of SEAT’s supermini.

The Cupra is brimming with sophisticated technology.  It uses a 180 PS 1.4-litre petrol engine, featuring not only a turbocharger but also a supercharger, an approach beneficial to both power delivery and fuel efficiency.  Furthermore, this compact yet potent powerplant is mated to a seven-speed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) transmission, complete with F1-style steering wheel shift-paddles.

As expected from the Spanish brand whose ethos is ‘auto emoción‘, the new Ibiza Cupra has style to match its spirit.  Based on the SportCoupé (SC) three-door body shape, the Cupra boasts a bespoke look, with a new front bumper and air intakes surrounding the grille.  Eye-catching 17” alloy wheels, a rear diffuser incorporating a centrally-placed trapezoid exhaust pipe, Cupra sports seats and track-inspired aluminium pedals are other visual highlights penned by Luc Donckerwolke, SEAT’s Design Director whose curriculum vitae includes the Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago.

The other high performance Ibiza – though in this context performance is measured in mpg rather than mph – is the next generation Ecomotive which, just like the current model, has an official carbon dioxide emissions figure of just 99 g/km.  That is currently the joint lowest figure of any internal combustion engined-car available in the UK today, which means that the Ecomotive will once again qualify for free road fund licence.

Available in both 5dr and SC versions, the Ibiza Ecomotive is equipped with a clean and frugal 80 PS 1.4 TDI engine with DPF diesel particulate filter.  Its notably low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are achieved through engine software modifications, as well as enhancements to the gearbox and gear ratios, the fitment of new 175/70 R14 low rolling-resistance tyres and the substitution of the spare wheel for a puncture kit.

Aerodynamic performance has also been analysed, resulting in a new closed front grille and revised rear spoiler which combine to reduce air resistance. Naturally, these changes do not affect the Ibiza’s extrovert appearance, meaning that the Ecomotive is arguably the sportiest-looking small eco-car on the market.

Both prices and specification for the new Ibiza Cupra and Ibiza Ecomotive will be announced closer to their UK arrival towards the middle of next year. In the meantime, all current Ibiza Ecomotive models are available with 0% finance (over 3 years, with 35% deposit) – a hugely attractive deal for financially and environmentally aware buyers, who will already benefit from the car’s road tax exemption and 74.3 mpg fuel economy.

Honda has revealed a concept of its affordable family hybrid car, to be displayed at the Paris Motor Show next month. Honda has revealed a concept of its affordable family hybrid car, to be displayed at the Paris Motor Show next month. The production version goes on sale in Spring 2009, and will be priced significantly lower than any other hybrid car on the market, making petrol-electric technology accessible to more people. The car will be named Insight, reviving the name of the 1999 hybrid coupe – the first production hybrid car to be sold in Europe.

Takeo Fukui, President and CEO of Honda Motor Co. said: “The original Honda Insight launched in 1999, was the pioneer of hybrid technology in Europe and remains an iconic symbol of Honda’s environmental innovation. “This new Insight will also break new ground by providing an affordable hybrid to an expanded number of customers craving great fuel economy and great value.”

Positioning
• It will be significantly lower in price to any other hybrid on the market
• By offering a more affordable hybrid that’s accessible to more people, Honda hopes to attract a new section of the market to petrol-electric technology – those car buyers who have never considered a hybrid car before
• The price will be announced at a later date

Specification
• The car will be a 5-door family hatchback, capable of carrying five people
• It will be smaller than the Honda Civic Hybrid
• The Insight is based on a completely new platform
• The car takes many exterior styling cues from the FCX Clarity, Honda’s hydrogen-powered fuel cell car, which is currently being leased to customers in the United States
• The control unit and battery for the IMA system are mounted beneath the boot space to give the Insight both a low centre of gravity and the practicality of a conventionally-powered hatchback.
• The Insight has a unique function to assist more fuel efficient driving – helping drivers to maximise their real world fuel consumption

Predicted sales
• Honda aims to sell 200,000 Insights a year, globally
• Over the next few years, Honda will also launch a sporty hybrid (based on CR-Z), a Jazz Hybrid and a new Civic Hybrid
• With these four hybrid cars, Honda will sell over 500,000 hybrids globally per year
• 10 per cent of global sales will be hybrid by 2010

Production
• Production costs will be significantly reduced. Honda has further advanced the equipment and processes used to produce the electric motor.
• A new production line will be added to the Suzuka factory, in Japan, to double the per hour production capacity

The 1999 Honda Insight
• The first Insight was a two-seater hybrid coupe launched in 1999
• It was the first mass produced hybrid to be sold in Europe
• Honda sold 17,000 Insights worldwide and 400 cars in Europe

With its stunning visual impact, exhilarating all-round dynamic performance, innovative chassis technology and high levels of luxury, packaging and convenience, the Evora heralds an exciting new era for Lotus.

The first all-new Lotus since the iconic Elise made its debut in 1995, The Evora enters the sports car market as currently the world’s only mid-engined 2+2. Powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 280 PS, and weighing just 1350 kg (prototype specification), the Evora promises breathtaking performance. During preliminary testing around the famous Nürburgring, the Lotus chassis engineers report that it is extremely agile and great fun to drive – even when clad with the full development disguise that hid the beautiful lines from the prying motor-industry paparazzi.

In addition to its excellent performance and exemplary handling, the Evora offers a more refined ownership experience than Lotus’s existing smaller four-cylinder models. Its elegantly styled cabin is elegantly trimmed and its equipment list includes contemporary features such as an advanced touch-screen multi-media system and electric power-fold door mirrors.

Because one of the roles of the Evora is to attract new customers to the Lotus brand, much attention has been paid to its ease of use. Wider, taller door apertures and narrower sills make getting in and out of the cabin a less athletic undertaking than it is in Lotus’s smaller sports cars (the Elise, Exige, Europa and 2-Eleven), while the design of the cabin itself will accommodate two 99th percentile (6ft 5in tall) American males in the front seats.

The ‘convenience factor’ of the Evora extends to less obvious areas of the car. For instance, beneath the skin the entire front-end structure is a high tech aluminum sacrificial modular unit, attached to the main extruded aluminum tub. This modular unit is designed to deform for maximum safety, and to reduce repair costs in the event of a frontal impact.

The Evora has been designed with global automotive regulations in mind, and future derivatives are planned, these including amongst others, a convertible.

The Evora will be hand crafted and built on a dedicated new assembly line within Lotus’s advanced manufacturing facility at Hethel in the east of England; capacity limitations will restrict production to approximately 2000 cars a year, ensuring the dynamic new sports car’s rarity and exclusivity.

Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc, has this to say about the exciting new model: “The Evora is the biggest milestone Lotus has achieved since the Elise was born 13 years ago and is part of our bold five year strategic plan, which includes the introduction of new cars and technologies to many more markets around the world. The Evora also represents Lotus core values of performance through light weight and efficiency and proves that you can have phenomenal performance, fuel efficiency elegant design and practicality all in a class leading mid-engine 2+2 sportscar, which will meet global safety and homologation standards”

Mike Kimberley continues, “Looking to the future, we will continue to research, develop and produce lighter, more efficient vehicles which are linked to our extensive and well-regarded work on all aspects of future fuels, alternative engines and electric and hybrid vehicle solutions for the future. We all have an environmental responsibility to future generations and the Evora is another example where Lotus is seen to make significant steps towards improving the efficiency and sustainability of the motorcar keeping Britain at the forefront of the high technology motor industry.”

Style or function? Have both…
Designed ‘in-house’ by Lotus Design, the sleek and athletic form uses fluid forms and crisp surfaces to communicate velocity, agility and sophistication. Low and wide with modern cab forward proportions, muscular rear haunches and function optimised hip air intakes this is clearly a serious mid engined sportscar that skilfully hides the practicality of its two plus two capability.

Russell Carr, Head of Lotus Design, led the Evora’s design team with Steven Crijns, Design Manager responsible for the exterior and Anthony Bushell, Senior Designer, responsible for the interior.

“A cornerstone of the design’s success was working closely with the technical team to develop a package that allowed us to get the proportions correct,” says Head of Design Russell Carr, “The asymmetric wheel sizes, the short rear overhang, long front overhang and cab forward visor screen all contribute to giving the car visual movement and an agile stance. This is incredibly important to us because we want the car’s aesthetics to communicate its driving characteristics”.

Lotus products have always embodied a perfect balance between form and function and the Evora successfully continues this heritage. “We never lost sight of the fact that, although this car must provide real world usability, sportscars are emotional purchases and that you have to seduce the customer through beguiling looks and exotic persona. We are, therefore, very proud that we have been able to use technical and user functionality to positively drive the design in key areas and create some of the car’s most distinctive features”. says Carr.

Ingress and egress, for example, dictated a minimal “step-over” to get into the Evora. We simply cut away the surface under the door and created a unique and dramatic piece of sculpture that enhances the stance of the car as well as its usability.

Elsewhere, aerodynamic considerations for drag, down force and cooling had significant but positive influence on the overall form and details such as air intakes. A desire to create balanced down force, that increases cornering performance, led to the adoption of, the now, “signature” top exit radiator vent, race car inspired diffuser and “floating rear wing”. Drag limitation, drove the dramatic tear-dropped cabin layout and the curvaceous plan view has given the car a more muscular rear shoulder and conveys a level of sophistication appropriate to this market segment.

“We believe that our designs should be honest as well as dramatic and so we are really pleased with the fact that these iconic features all do a real job” says Steven Crijns, Design Manager.

This inherent understanding of the relationship between the technical and the aesthetic paid dividends the first time a full-scale model of the Evora was wind-tunnel tested – only minimal adjustments were required to the car’s aerodynamic package to meet the targets for downforce and stability.

Steve Crijns continued, “Overall the design language shows a clear DNA link with its Lotus siblings, whilst establishing its own distinctive and contemporary theme. The undulating shoulder line is brilliantly mirrored in the lower part of the bodyside by the cut -away sill that creates a torso-like muscularity.”

“The front three-quarter view is really powerful” Russell Carr continues, “Your eye is drawn effortlessly, from our signature mouth, rearward by fluid surfaces and fast lines that create a sense of speed even when the car is stationary. From this angle you can also see how dramatically the visor screen sweeps around the teardrop form of the cabin and the gently waisted plan shape perfectly accentuates the muscularity of the rear fender. This is unmistakably mid engined language and the Evora is unmistakably a Lotus.”

Trident Performance Vehicles have designed and produced a two-seater sports car that can reach over 200mph, get from 0-60mph in under 4 seconds and deliver up to 100mpg*.

Whilst city cars (MEGA City, Ze-O, G-Wiz) work brilliantly for people who live and work in a city, Trident represent those that travel on the M1, the M4, the M6 to get to work, people who live in rural locations and those situations where electric cars are not (for the time being) viable due to their comparitively short range. In the meantime, the Trident Iceni offers current technology that is available now which reduces fuel consumption and therefore reduces emissions.

It’s a diesel sports car and if you’re able to obtain any kind of biodiesel, this can be used without any invalidation of warranty, adjustment to the engine or affect on performance.

Their fantastic fuel economy is achieved through technology called torque multiplication and it can be applied to all diesel cars (the popularity of which is growing year on year versus petrol cars), buses, lorries and trains. It’s available now, requires no further research and development and can make an immediate difference to the amount of emissions diesel vehicles produce. In short, Trident have the solution to what we’re told is a huge problem.

So serious is the concern about carbon reduction, the Government affiliates itself with a number of organisations that exist to provide grants to people and/or companies that can contribute to or offer a solution.

Carbon Trust, EEDA (East of England Development Agency), Carbon Connections, HGCA (Home Grown Cereals Association), EEMS (Energy Efficiency in Motor Sport), Energy Savings Trust, Renewables East to name a few. Trident have applied to all the above mentioned agencies for grants and have received nothing – not a penny. Not only have they received no money but have struggled to get reasons for why they have failed and have been unable to find out who has received grants.

The team at Trident have invested £2.3m in the project which has enabled the completion of all the development needed to get the Iceni into production. They’re now seeking funds to make this happen and satisfy their growing bank of customers.

*68.9mph at a constant 70mph was the first recorded test at Millbrook Proving Ground. The figure naturally improve at lower speeds – at 30mph, Trident’s initial tests returned 108mpg. This is yet to be confirmed but they don’t believe in quoting a figure for 30mph as this is unrealistic – unless you drive exclusively in a city.

The Iceni is a traditional grand tourer. With a full tank of diesel, you can expect to travel around 2000 miles without needing to fill up. The boot has space for luggage and golf clubs – enough for a two week holiday. The chassis is made from stainless steel and is guaranteed against corrosion for 100 years and the body is made from composite and can therefore never rust or degrade.

There are cars, and then there are those that look like they could well be Batman’s next set of wheels. In this case, the BRB Evolution fits firmly into the latter category. What makes it special? Well, it’s taking a different tack to the usual ‘oh we should all go electric’ environmental argument – actually accepting that most people like and want cars. As such, the trick of the BRB Evolution is to fold in half – great when there isn’t much in the way of parking spaces.

In the future, there’s going to be an even bigger demand globally for cars then there is now. But, not everyone is going to be happy in a tiny Toyota or even smaller Smart car. That’s where the BRB could step in. Designed by an Englishman named Daniel Bailey, his solution is to have a car that can fold in half to save space (though obviously the occupants have to be out of the vehicle to complete this process).

Bailey is currently studying industrial design at Montclair State University in New Jersey. His design is entering the 2008 Peugeot Design Contest. Now in its 5th year, the contest is open to anyone over the age of 14, and intended to showcase future vehicle concepts, displaying “social harmony and interactive mobility”.

Of course, Mr Bailey hasn’t completely overlooked the need for fuel efficiency and not only does his vehicle have a slippery, aerodynamic design but it will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, or hybrid petrol/electric motor.

Do I think that the model will come into existence eventually? Well, I’d like to think so. The more bright minds we have to consider the issues around the environment and space (after all, we need room to drive) the better.