Motoring - Car Briefs
New Ferrari California revealed Ferrari has revealed its new California, the latest addition of new generation Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and more recently, the 430 Scuderia. Powered by a new V8 engine, mounted for the first...
New Ferrari California revealed
Ferrari has revealed its new California, the latest addition of new generation Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and more recently, the 430 Scuderia. Powered by a new V8 engine, mounted for the first time in the marques history in the mid-front position, it generates 453bhp at 7,500 rpm.
The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and also features Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material discs as standard. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Paris International Car Show.
New Lexus IS 250 SR
Following in the footsteps of the Lexus IS-F comes the new sporty IS 250 SR. Designed to bridge the gap between the IS-F and IS 250 Sport, the SR offers a full body kit and 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, aluminium pedals and scuff plates and heated front seats as standard. Other standard features include 10 airbags, climate control, cruise control, smart keyless entry and engine start and sequenced LED interior lighting.
Powered by a 204bhp 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine, the IS 250 SR will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 8.1 seconds (8.4 with the optional six-speed automatic transmission) on to a top speed of around 140mph.
Hyundai introduces new eight-seater people carrier
Just a few months after Hyundai launched the smallest car in its i-family, the i10, the company has unveiled the largest. The i800 is an eight-seater people carrier.
Like many MPVs, the i800 has three rows of seats, but the difference is that behind the pair of front seats are two benches, each of which will take three adults in comfort, Hyundai says. Both are accessed by the sliding rear doors and can split and fold 60/40, while the centre row also slides back and forwards so that owners can juggle space as necessary. What's more, even with all eight seats occupied, there is still 851 litres of space in the boot.
The cabin is deliberately car-like, featuring two-tone trim, a six-speaker stereo and air-conditioning, with individually controllable ducts in the rear. The rear-wheel drive chassis, too, is car-like, as it has a purpose-built rear suspension rather than being lifted directly from a commercial vehicle. For safety, all models come with ESP and reversing sensors, and despite the i800's size - it's more than five metres long - the turning circle is a reasonable 11.2metres.
New, more powerful engine for Vauxhall VXR8
Vauxhall's VXR8 now has a new engine, which brings more power and performance to the saloon.
The 6.2-litre V8, known as the LS3, replaces the old 6.0-litre LS2 unit and has 425bhp, 14 more than the old engine. As a result, the 0-60mph time on models with automatic transmission drops from 5.0 to 4.9 seconds, while in-gear acceleration times for the manual-gearbox cars are also shorter: 50-70mph in third gear drops from 2.8 to 2.6 seconds, while 30-50mph in second gear is down from 2.0 to 1.9 seconds. However, despite these improvements, the new engine returns the same fuel economy as the old engine.
Ferrari has revealed its new California, the latest addition of new generation Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and more recently, the 430 Scuderia. Powered by a new V8 engine, mounted for the first time in the marques history in the mid-front position, it generates 453bhp at 7,500 rpm.
The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and also features Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material discs as standard. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Paris International Car Show.
New Lexus IS 250 SR
Following in the footsteps of the Lexus IS-F comes the new sporty IS 250 SR. Designed to bridge the gap between the IS-F and IS 250 Sport, the SR offers a full body kit and 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, aluminium pedals and scuff plates and heated front seats as standard. Other standard features include 10 airbags, climate control, cruise control, smart keyless entry and engine start and sequenced LED interior lighting.
Powered by a 204bhp 2.5-litre V6 petrol engine, the IS 250 SR will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 8.1 seconds (8.4 with the optional six-speed automatic transmission) on to a top speed of around 140mph.
Hyundai introduces new eight-seater people carrier
Just a few months after Hyundai launched the smallest car in its i-family, the i10, the company has unveiled the largest. The i800 is an eight-seater people carrier.
Like many MPVs, the i800 has three rows of seats, but the difference is that behind the pair of front seats are two benches, each of which will take three adults in comfort, Hyundai says. Both are accessed by the sliding rear doors and can split and fold 60/40, while the centre row also slides back and forwards so that owners can juggle space as necessary. What's more, even with all eight seats occupied, there is still 851 litres of space in the boot.
The cabin is deliberately car-like, featuring two-tone trim, a six-speaker stereo and air-conditioning, with individually controllable ducts in the rear. The rear-wheel drive chassis, too, is car-like, as it has a purpose-built rear suspension rather than being lifted directly from a commercial vehicle. For safety, all models come with ESP and reversing sensors, and despite the i800's size - it's more than five metres long - the turning circle is a reasonable 11.2metres.
New, more powerful engine for Vauxhall VXR8
Vauxhall's VXR8 now has a new engine, which brings more power and performance to the saloon.
The 6.2-litre V8, known as the LS3, replaces the old 6.0-litre LS2 unit and has 425bhp, 14 more than the old engine. As a result, the 0-60mph time on models with automatic transmission drops from 5.0 to 4.9 seconds, while in-gear acceleration times for the manual-gearbox cars are also shorter: 50-70mph in third gear drops from 2.8 to 2.6 seconds, while 30-50mph in second gear is down from 2.0 to 1.9 seconds. However, despite these improvements, the new engine returns the same fuel economy as the old engine.