2009 Renault Mégane Trophy

Having starred in the World Series by Renault - the premier saloon car championship created in 2005 - Megane Trophy has undergone a raft of radical modifications in readiness for the 2009 season. The most visible change concerns its new body design which takes its inspiration from the lines of New Megane Coupe.Under the bonnet, a fresh look has also been taken at the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s V6 3.5 24V powerplant which now delivers 360hp. At the same time, Renault Sport Technologies has carried over many of the acclaimed features of the current Mégane Trophy to produce a competitive and affordable racing car.There can be no mistaking New Mégane Trophy’s performance pedigree thanks its stunning looks which are based on the design of New Mégane Coupe. The front and rear light units and windscreen are those of the road car, while the designers at the Renault Technocentre have made full use of digital simulation technology in the field of fluid mechanics to hone the flowing lines of the bodywork. New Mégane Trophy also carries over the ground effect aerodynamics of the existing car.Refinements to the set-up have produced a 20% improvement in downforce and a 15% reduction in drag which, together, represent a gain of almost 40% in terms of the new car’s aerodynamic performance over the previous generation machine.

Under its composite outer skin, New Mégane Trophy features the same mechanicals as the current car, including an FIA-homologated sports-prototype tubular chassis, a mid-rear V6 3.5 24V engine, a semi-automatic gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift, double wishbone suspension with adjustable dampers, 18-inch wheels and Michelin tyres.A new inlet manifold, which is fed by roof-mounted air-ducts, has taken engine power from 330 to 360hp. The new car’s reliability is as excellent as ever with rebuild intervals of every 5,500km. Combined with the aerodynamic gains, the extra power output of the V6 3.5 24V engine will enable New Mégane Trophy to lap in times similar to those of a Porsche GT3.
After completion of its development programme, New Mégane Trophy will go on sale at the end of the year in the form of a kit that will enable existing cars to be upgraded. The modifications required to adapt the chassis to the new bodywork will be carried out by the Alpine factory in Dieppe.
As in previous years, the Eurocup Mégane Trophy will form part of the World Series by Renault programme and its calendar takes in some of Europe’s most prestigious venues.

Source - Renault

2009 Peugeot 308 GT

Peugeot 308 is a replacement model for one of the most successful Peugeot models of all-time, the 307, that racked up 3.2 million sales worldwide since its launch in 2001. The 308 sits on the same basic framework, but is bigger in almost every dimension.
Four engines has been offered; a new 110kW 1.6-litre turbcharged petrol engine, an 88kW naturally-aspirated version of the same engine, and carried-over 1.6-litre (80kW) and 2.0-litre (100kW) four-cylinder diesels.The HDi engines will be mated to manual gearboxes initially - a five-speed for 1.6 diesel and six speeds for 2.0 diesel.

The 308 has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating for occupant protection by independent safety body NCAP.

The Peugeot 308 will also introduce a lane-departure warning system. A camera mounted in the front end monitors lane markings and the driver's seat will vibrate if the car strays across white markings without the indicator being used.

Later in 2008, Peugeot will add a Touring (wagon) version and a CC (coupe-cabriolet) model to replace the 307 CC. In 2009 Peugeot is expected to launch a coupe rival for the Audi TT , previewed by the RC Z concept that debuted at this year's Frankfurt motor show.

Peugeot's first hybrid is expected to join the range in 2010 - powered by a drivetrain comprising 1.6-litre diesel four-cylinder and an electric motor. Peugeot says that unlike the Corolla-sized Toyota Prius, the 308 Hybrid will cost only a relatively small premium over the 1.6-litre diesel model.The 308, looks more like a facelift on the outside. Stepping inside reveals a cabin reconstruction that answers the criticism levelled at the 307's quality, if not roominess.

While Peugeot claims a fraction more knee room (in the rear) and elbow room (in the front), a one-piece dash moulded from soft-touch plastic, tactile dials and buttons, and a row of chrome-ringed air vents form the centrepiece of a vastly improved interior.

The 308's better designed, more luxurious feeling cabin is arguably the new benchmark in small-car interiors.Luxury is a word that described the ride quality of Peugeots of old, but the 307 was one of the prime examples of how the French brand has struggled with suspension tuning more recently. The 307's ride could be jiggly and crashy, but rarely compliant.

The new 308 refines the 307's suspension configuration to more effectively cushion occupants from rougher roads, at least on the models we test drove at the launch in France.

Peugeot says the 1.6-litre turbo 308 is a tenth quicker (8.8sec) than the 2.0-litre petrol 307 from zero to 100km/h.

The engine responds strongly from low revs, and shows a willingness to utilise the engine's full rev range.

2007 Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione

Alfa 8C Competizione is directly derived from the concept car that aroused such admiration at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show and has benefited from the best technical and industrial know-how that the Alfa-Maserati Sports Centre can offer. The cooperative venture between both manufacturers was conducted with a view to ensuring integration between the Alfa Romeo design departments and the Maserati production departments.


The 8C Competizione is inspired by Alfa Romeo's glorious past, projecting its brand values of technology and emotion into the future. The historical allusions begin with the evocative name, recalling the great sporting tradition of Alfa Romeo. The 8C code was used to identify cars (racing and on-road) of the Thirties and Forties equipped with the revolutionary eight cylinder engine produced by the famous designer Vittorio Jano. The term 'Competizione' is intended as a homage to the '6C 2500 Competizione', a sports coupé driven in 1950 by the duo Fangio and Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race.

The name, '8C Competizione' is not an arbitrary invention but a distinctive mark of Alfa Romeo's own sporting history. A veritable legend that has arisen out of the innumerable victories won on circuits throughout the world through the skill of men and their passion for racing, engine research and advanced technology and a reawakened taste for new challenges.

The attractive shape created by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre makes this car with its two bucket seats unique in the Gran Turismo scenario. The designers have worked hard to ensure that the aerodynamic and performance demands have not altered the car's original concept.

The solutions introduced on the Alfa 8C to achieve the highest levels of aerodynamic efficiency are not limited to the shape. Air wraps around the car and follows its natural course, unhindered by corners and unevenness. The compact dimensions concentrate the aggression of a car designed to ensure maximum driving efficiency.

This car used 8 cylinder 4.7 engine together with brand new 90° V 8 cylinder unit with a cylinder capacity of 4691 cc that was designed with one aim in mind: to ensure extraordinary performance while still offering a smooth drive and being usable in all circumstances, from the track to city traffic.

The top engine performance figures may be summarised as a maximum power output of 450 bhp at 7000 rpm, a peak torque of 470 Nm at 4750 rpm and a top speed of 7500 rpm.

Harmonisation of the intake and exhaust geometry together with the introduction of continuous variable valve timing on the intake camshafts and optimisation of the combustion chamber and engine calibration means that 80% of torque is available from 2000 rpm.

The 6-speed gearbox with computerised speed selection by means of levers behind the steering wheel is designed to ensure ultra-slick gear shifts and may be used in Manual-Normal; Manual-Sport; Automatic-Normal; Automatic-Sport and Ice modes. The self-locking differential allows acceleration and stability to be managed with extraordinary efficiency in all situations.

The braking system offers perforated, ventilated discs with aluminium brake callipers to ensure prompt, effective braking even with heavy use. To ensure the car stays glued to the road, it is fitted with 20" tyres specially developed to ensure outstanding performance: 245/35 at the front and 285/35 at the rear, fitted on perforated rims in fluid moulded aluminium to ensure lightness and maximum brake ventilation efficiency.

2008 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Japanese automakers are notoriously tight lipped about future products, but the veil of secrecy over the next-generation Nissan Skyline GT-R has been nothing short of amazing. Thus, at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, there was a huge air of expectancy and a real buzz on the Nissan stand prior to the introduction of the Nissan GT-R Proto. In Japan, the Skyline is gear head manna, so the car had been written about, talked about, and fantasized about for months leading up to the show.

( Download 2008 Nissan Skyline GT-R Wallpaper )

The show car rides on 255/40R-20 Bridgestone tires up front, with 285/35R-20s at the rear. It looks bigger and broader than the R34 Skyline GT-R, the last of the straight-six-powered, twin-turbo four-wheel-drive GT-Rs made between 1989 and 2002. Although the R34 fueled the modern GT-R cult, it was derived, like all Skylines, from a sedan. The new GT-R will be the first to stand alone as a model in its own right.

The production GT-R will have a front-mounted, twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V-6 engine that's a development of the 350Z's unit. Nissan's original plan to do a V-8 has been axed because the engine is too big and heavy to provide the dynamic balance the engineers want. The V-6 will reputedly produce 450 hp and 370 lb-ft of torque. The power will be sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed transmission. The all-wheel-drive system will feature a development of the GT-R's famed, torque-sensing, electronic ATTESA E-TS, matched to four-wheel steering.


Nissan is apparently aiming for a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.8 seconds, with a top speed north of 180 mph. Ironically, the new GT-R will mark the beginning of a new Japanese supercar race.

Whatever it's called, we reckon that, if it has the kind of searing performance and soul of the last generation, it will be worth its rumored $70,000 or so asking price.

2008 Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

Less than a month after the reveal of the limited edition Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès at the Geneva Motor Show comes another highly exclusive version of one of the fastest and most desirable supercars on the planet, the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir. The new edition is dedicated to the original Bugatti Atlantique 57S of the 1930s and features a number of new styling elements, namely an all-black exterior with unpainted carbon-fiber panels.

Download Wallpaper Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

Other details include aluminum on the side-mirrors and grille surround, blacked out headlights, new alloy wheels with black powder-coated elements and a custom tan-colored leather and Alcantara interior. The Sang Noir, which translates to ‘Black Blood,’ is loosely based on the previous Pur Sang edition of which only five cars were built. No word yet on pricing and volume details for the new model.

The Veyron features a W16 engine—16 cylinders in 4 banks of 4 cylinders, or the equivalent of two narrow-angle V8 engines mated in a "W" configuration. Each cylinder has 4 valves for a total of 64, but the narrow V8 configuration allows two camshafts to drive two banks of cylinders so only 4 camshafts are needed. The engine is fed by four turbochargers and displaces 8.0 L (7,993 cc/488 in³) with a square 86 mm by 86 mm (3.4 in. × 3.4 in.) bore and stroke.The Veyron has the greatest acceleration of any production car to date, reaching 60 mph (97 km/h) from a standstill in 2.46 seconds. It reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in approximately 2.5 seconds, which equates to an average acceleration of around 1.18 g. The car is greatly aided in achieving such times by the presence of a four-wheel drive system that permits the transmission of such great amounts of power in the initial stages of acceleration.

The Veyron consumes more fuel than any other production car, using 40.4 L/100 km (6.99 mpg imp/5.82 mpg US) in city driving and 24.1 L/100 km (11.7 mpg imp/9.76 mpg US) in combined cycle. At full throttle, it uses more than 115 L/100 km (2.46 mpg imp/2.05 mpg US), which would empty its 100 L (22 imp gal/26 US gal) fuel tank in just 12 minutes 46 seconds.

There will be only 15 Sang Noir car will be built and offered in Europe, the Middle East and the United States.