Car Unique Dream: August 2012

Friday, August 10, 2012

The Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a 2+2 coupé automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1970 to 1977.

L'Alfa Romeo Montreal est un coupé 2 2 automobile produite par le constructeur italien Alfa Romeo de 1970 à 1977.

The first production car, Tipo 10564, was shown at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and was quite different from the original, using a 2593 cc 90° dry-sump lubricated V8 engine with SPICA (Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini) fuel injection that produced around 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp), coupled to a five-speed ZF manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential. This engine was derived from the 2-litre V8 used in the 33 Stradale and in the Tipo 33 sports prototype racer; its redline was set at 7000 rpm, unheard of for a V8 at that time.

The chassis and running gear of the production Montreal were taken from the Giulia GTV coupé and comprised double wishbone suspension with coil springs and dampers at the front and a live axle with limited slip differential at the rear.

Since the concept car was already unofficially known as The Montreal, Alfa Romeo kept the model name in production.

Stylistically, the most eye catching feature is the car's front end with four headlamps partly covered by unusual "grilles", that retract when the lights are switched on. Another stylistic element is the NACA duct on the bonnet. The duct is actually blocked off since its purpose is not to draw air into the engine, but to optically hide the power bulge. The slats behind the doors contain the cabin vents, but apart from that only serve cosmetic purposes. The Montreal was more expensive to buy than the Jaguar E-Type or the Porsche 911.[7] When launched in the UK it was priced at GB£5,077, rising to GB£5,549 in August 1972 and to GB£6,999 by mid-1976..[

The world first saw the Montreal at Expo '67 in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Presented as a concept car, it was stylistically different from previous Alfa.
Built as a 2+2 coupé, the Montreal was distinguished by its front headlight treatment by designer Marcello Gandini fitted. He fitted the headlights beind four unusual grilles. By the time the car reached prodcution in 1970, these were replaced by larger, single panels. Other unique details include a hood-mounted NACA duct and nonfunctional slats behind the doors.
The first two prototypes were powered by an inline-4 from the Alfa Romeo Giulia, but the production version was much more serious. Instead it was powered by 90° V8, with competition features like dry-sump lubrication and SPICA fuel injection. This was a derivative of the same potent V8 which was used in the Alfa Romeo 33 racecar.

Chassis details were lended from the Giulia GTV including its double wishbone front suspension with a live axle in the rear.
Almost 4000 Montreals were produced from 1970 to 1977. Ironically, none were ever sold in Montreal because Alfa Romeo was limited to European markets.

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a luxury grand tourer automobile developed by Mercedes-AMG to replace the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

The car is the first Mercedes automobile designed in-house by AMG and is described by Mercedes-Benz as a spiritual successor to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

The SLS AMG is designed to be a modern 300SL Gullwing revival by Gorden Wagener. The car has a long bonnet, the passenger compartment is close to the rear axle and the rear of the car is short. The SLS AMG was developed in tandem with the Dodge Viper, with mules using Viper body panels over an aluminum chassis developed by Dodge SRT.

The SLS AMG has also adapted the feature of wing doors that will swing open upwards on gas struts, not in a mix of upwards and forward like the SLR. The doors must be closed manually as AMG engineers decided against auto-closing systems because the systems would have added 90 pounds (41 kg) to the car.

In case of a roll-over, the doors can be fully detached to allow the occupants to leave the vehicle. Although there is some overlapping in price and performance, the lighter SLS AMG is considered more of a sporty track-oriented car, compared to the Mercedes-Benz SL which is a more autobahn-focused grand tourer especially with its optional V12 engine.

Compared to the SLS AMG Roadster, the SL is a hardtop convertible with technological and comfort amenities, and it also has available heated and cooled seats with a massage function.
Despite the addition of "GT" to its name, and despite the fact that this is indeed a more hardcore version of the tasty Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, there's one thing you need to keep in mind: This is not – we repeat, not – an addition to the SLS range. To pull from the automaker's press blast, "Mercedes-Benz will now exclusively offer the new SLS AMG GT. Available as a Coupe and Roadster, it will go on sale in mid-November 2012, replacing previous SLS AMG versions."

The SLS AMG is dead. Long live the SLS AMG GT.

So, let's dive in to the good stuff. For starters, the GT uses the same 6.2-liter fire-breathing V8 from the current SLS, though there's an additional 20 horsepower on tap – 583 versus the 563 of the outgoing model. Torque output remains the same at 479 pound-feet and the same seven-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission is on tap as before. The added grunt shaves a tenth of a second off of the SLS' 0-60 time (3.6 seconds instead of 3.7), and the GT's top speed is electronically limited to the same 197 miles per hour as before.

But it's not just the powertrain that gets some enhancements. Mercedes has reworked its adaptive performance suspension, and compared to the 2012 model, we're told that the 2013 GT rides on stiffer springs and dampers that have been more aggressively tuned. The new SLS still rides on 19-inch alloy wheels up front, wrapped in sticky 265/35-series rubber, while 20-inch rollers are found at the rear, wearing even stickier 295/30-series tires.

A number of enhancements have been made to the SLS' interior with the introduction of the GT model, including a new Designo style package. This optional extra comes in three different color combinations – in both single- and two-tone finishes – and features only the finest leather surfaces with contrast stitching and a diamond quilt pattern on the seats and doors. Sounds plush. Of course, plenty of other optional goodies are also available, including carbon fiber parts for both the interior and exterior, carbon ceramic brakes, a Bang & Olufsen sound system and different wheel options.

We never could find much fault with the current SLS AMG, and it would appear that things are only getting better for 2013, added nomenclature aside.

Η Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG είναι ένα μεγάλο πολυτελές αυτοκίνητο tourer που αναπτύχθηκε από τη Mercedes-AMG να αντικαταστήσει τη Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

メルセデス·ベンツSLS AMGは、メルセデス·ベンツSLRマクラーレンを置き換えるためにメルセデス·AMGによって開発された豪華なグランドツアラーの自動車です。

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG представляет собой роскошный большой автомобиль Tourer разработаны Mercedes-AMG, чтобы заменить Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG on ylellinen Grand Tourer autojen kehittämä Mercedes-AMG tilalle Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 (pronounced as Nine Eleven, German: Neunelfer) is a luxury 2-door Grand Tourer made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998. Since its introduction in 1963, it has undergone continuous development, though the basic concept has remained little changed.

Throughout its lifetime, the 911 has been modified by private teams and by the factory itself for racing, rallying and other forms of automotive competition. It is among the most successful competition cars ever. In the mid 1970s, normally aspirated 911 Carrera RSRs won major world championship sports car races such as Targa Florio, Daytona, Sebring and Nürburgring, even against prototypes. The 911-derived 935 turbo also won the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979.

In the 1999 international poll for the award of Car of the Century, the 911 came fifth. It is one of two in the top five that had remained continuously in production (the original Beetle remained in production until 2003), and was until 1998 the most successful surviving application of the air- (now water-) cooled opposed rear-engine layout pioneered by its original ancestor, the Volkswagen Beetle. It is one of the oldest sports coupe nameplates still in production.

1 911 nomenclature 2 Air-cooled engines (1963–1998)
2.1 Porsche 911 classic (1963–1989)
2.1.1 911 Carrera RS (1973 and 1974)
2.1.2 911 and 911S 2.7 (1974–1977)
2.1.3 911 Carrera 2.7 (1974–1975)
2.1.4 911 Carrera 3.0 (1976–1977)
2.1.5 911 Turbo (Type 930) (1975–1989)
2.1.6 911SC (1978–1983)
2.1.7 911 3.2 Carrera series (1984–1989)
2.2 964 Series (1990–1993)
2.2.1 964 Turbo (1990–1994)
2.3 993 Series (1994–1997)
2.3.1 993 Turbo (1995–1997)
3 Water-cooled engines (1998–present)
3.1 996 Series (1998–2004)
3.1.1 996 GT3 (1999–2004)
3.1.2 996 Turbo (2001–2005)
.2 997 Series (2005–2011)
3.2.1 997 Turbo
3.2.2 997 GT3
3.2.3 997 GT3 RS
3.2.4 997 GT2
3.2.5 997 GT2 RS
3.3 991 Series (2011–)
4 911 GT1

Der Porsche 911, salopp auch „Neunelfer“, selten auch nur „Elfer“ genannt, ist der bekannteste Sportwagen von Porsche und gilt als Inbegriff dieser Marke.

Er wurde 1963 auf der IAA in Frankfurt am Main als Nachfolger des Porsche 356 mit der Bezeichnung Porsche 901 vorgestellt. Aufgrund namensrechtlicher Forderungen von Peugeot wurde die mittlere Null durch eine Eins ersetzt, sodass der Wagen im Jahr 1964 als Porsche 911 auf den Markt kam.

Der Porsche 911 ist ein typischer 2+2-Sitzer: zwei Sitze und zwei Notsitze. Angetrieben wird er durch einen Sechszylindermotor in Boxer-Bauweise, der sich im Heck des Wagens befindet. Diese Art des Heckmotors findet man auch in klassischen Fahrzeugen wie etwa dem VW-Käfer oder dem Porsche 356. Der Porsche 911 hat in der Regel einen Heckantrieb (Carrera), seit 1989 werden aber auch Fahrzeuge mit Allradantrieb (Carrera 4) angeboten. Das Spitzenmodell des Porsche 911 ist seit 1995 der 911 GT2, eine gewichtsoptimierte und leistunggesteigerte Version des 911-Turbo. Der Motor erfährt hier wie beim Turbo eine Aufladung mittels zweier Turbolader. Der Antrieb erfolgt im Gegensatz zum Turbo-Modell nur über die Hinterachse.

La Porsche 911 è un'autovettura sportiva prodotta dalla Porsche a partire dal 1963. È tuttora in produzione, e nel corso degli anni ha avuto molti cambiamenti. Si possono, tuttavia, distinguere due serie fondamentali: le 911 con motore raffreddato ad aria (1963-1997[1]) e le 911 "moderne" (dal 1998 ad oggi).

Porsche Macan

Porsche 911 (произносится «девять-одиннадцать», нем. Neunelfer) — спортивный автомобиль производства германской компании Porsche. С самого начала 911 модифицировался специальными командами и самим концерном для гонок, ралли и других видов автомобильных соревнований. Самой удачной модификацией часто называется 911 Carrera RSR, выигравшая в середине 1980-х главные мировые соревнования (такие как Targa Florio, 24 часа Дайтоны, 12 часов Себринга, 24 часа Нюрбургринга). А модель 935 turbo частной команды "Кремер" в 1979 году выиграла знаменитую гонку 24 часа Ле-Мана.