Thursday, June 30, 2011
Vietnam hot long legs inside Yamaha BW's
Piecha Design Gives the new 2012 Mercedes SLK its First Tune
Not surprisingly, it didn’t take long for aftermarket specialists to get their hands on the new Mercedes-Benz SLK. Piecha Design is if not the first, one of the first tuners to release a package for the compact German roadster. Named “Accurian RS”, the kit focuses on exterior enhancements.
A redesigned bumper fitted with a spoiler lip, new vents and LED daytime running lights dominates the front end of the car. Piecha Design's aerodynamic package also includes side skirts with LEDs that light the asphalt under the car.
At the rear end, Piecha designers fitted the SLK with a new diffuser, available in two sizes, small or large. In addition to its functional role, the diffuser also acts as a frame for the quad tailpipes. Finally, a rear spoiler lip on the boot lid completes the aero package.
Piecha also offers 19-inch monoblock rims with a turbine-inspired design. The wheels are available in combination with 25 mm lowering springs.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
New Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel Goes from Birmingham
aguar is touting it’s new diesel-powered XF 2.2D saloon as the most fuel-efficient model in its history and to back its claims, the company set out to complete a journey from its factory at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, UK, to Munich, Germany, on a single tank of fuel.
The British company manages to a chieve its goal, with the four-cylinder XF covering a distance of 816 miles or 1,312 kilometers on 64 liters of diesel fuel, which gives an average fuel economy of 57mpg UK, equal to 4.9 lt/100km and 47.5 mpg US.
David Madgwick, an independent tester, accompanied by navigator Alexander Madgwick, drove the vehicle, which left Jaguar’s facilities with a little over 3,000-miles on the clock.
The crew was met in Munich by Chief Programme Engineer for the XF, Andy Whyman, who commented:
“The entire development team is very proud of what the new XF 2.2 has achieved – this not only proves the efficiency of the new model but underlines that performance and economy can be combined,” said Andy Whyman, Chief Programme Engineer for the XF.
The new Jaguar XF 2.2D is powered by an updated version of the Ford-sourced 2.2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the Land Rover Freelander and the European-market Ford Mondeo.
It produces 190-horses and 332 lbs ft of torque allowing the XF to accelerate from naught to 62mph (100km/h)in 8.5-seconds before reaching a top speed of 140mph (225 km/h).
The four-pot is connected to a new eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and, in a first for Jaguar, a Stop-Start system.
It will join the rest of the facelifted XF range in Europe this September.
