2011 BMW 335is – First Drive

Here's something new: For once North America will be getting a special performance edition of a popular European model that the Europeans won't receive (at least for now). This performance edition shall be known as the 335is and it comes courtesy of our friends at BMW North America.
The is ("i" for injection, as in fuel, and "s" for sport, as in fun) follows a tradition of s-badged sport-enhanced models, including the 320is, 325es, 325is, 535is, and most recently, the X5 4.6is and 4.8is.

This 335is features a massaged version of the N54 turbocharged inline six and an array of M Sport accoutrements to put it on a tier above the current 335i.

In spite of the recent revelation of BMW's next-generation turbo six (the single-turbo N55), the 335is will employ the more familiar N54 twin-turbo. Precision fuel injection, Double-VANOS stepless valve timing, and an advanced Digital Motor Electronics (DME) control system collaborate to push peak power from 300 to 320 hp, and torque from 300 to 330 lb-ft. There's also an overboost function that briefly kicks the peak torque to a massive 370 lb-ft under hard acceleration in "certain circumstances."

Other engine upgrades are placed to compensate for the increased performance, like an additional radiator behind the left side bumper intake, an oil cooler behind the other intake, and stiffer engine mounts.

The 335is comes with a standard six-speed manual transmission, or, for the first time on a non-M car, the seven-speed DCT automated manual (which includes a launch control function) as an option.

While all 3 Series coupes and convertibles have received a midlife facelift for the coming model year-including massaged body panels and front and rear light clusters-M Sport styling cues vistually set the 335is apart from its more pedestrian siblings, including a front fascia and side skirts designed to move more air to critical locations, a rear fascia with diffuser, standard Shadowline window trim, gloss-black side mirrors, 335is badges on the front quarters, and standard 18-inch wheels (19s are optional). On the inside, the M Sport upgrades include the steering wheel, sport seats, an anthracite-colored headliner, stainless steel pedals, 335is branding on the dashboard and tachometer, and M-branded sill plates, dead pedal, and gearshift knob.

Built specifically for the club-racer enthusiast who isn't afraid to take his street car to the track, this should be regarded as the most dynamically capable 3 Series this side of an M3. You might even call it an M3 Lite. Putting the 5 Series around the bends at the Estoril circuit was fun; throwing this 3 Series around them was a total blast. Steering precision and road-holding abilities are what you'd expect from the already-sporty 335i; the is packages makes it that much sharper. And the torque delivery, at least on a wet track, could be described as superfluous-you know, if such a concept exists in the car-guy mind. Don't read that as a complaint. On the smooth, rain-slick tarmac at Estoril, the DTC light in the instrument cluster might have been on a strobe. Pure entertainment for sure.

The 335is will be offered in coupe and convertible form. The former will start at $50,525 including destination. The folding hard top version will set you back $59,075

2011 BMW 335is

Layout
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive

Engine
3.0-liter I6, dohc, 24-valve, turbocharged

Transmission
Six-speed manual; optional seven-speed DCT automated manual

MSRP: $50,525

Performance
Peak Power: 320 hp @ 5900 rpm
Peak Torque: 332 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
0-62 mph: 5.0 sec. (DCT)
Top Speed: 155 mph (limited)

where are future cars?

Okay, cars are getting a lot smarter, as just observed by my colleague Larry Dignan, but why aren’t they capable of flying yet? Where are the flying cars? Where are the jetpacks?

Maybe it’s time to get over that 1960s-Jetsons-era vision and move on to more realistic, sustainable goals. Then again, maybe flying cars will still be part of a future in some form.

World Future Society spokesman Patrick Tucker tells CBS correspondent Tracy Smith why the future is “okay” without flying cars. Flying cars — long the idealistic vision of futurists past and present — may always be too impractical. And considering the way some people drive, it would be better if they weren’t whizzing around 1,000 feet in the air. “The regulatory and bureaucratic obstacles to a flying car system in a developed country like the United States are probably insurmountable,” Tucker says.
Don’t tell the folks at Terrafugia, Inc. about Tucker’s poo-pooing of flying cars. Terrafugia said last year that it successfully completed the flight testing program designed for its Transition Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept. (Check out the video.)

Terrafugia calls its prototype The Flying Car, which completed its historic first flight on March 5, 2009 with 27 additional flights completed over the next several weeks. First delivery of a production model is expected in 2011, the company says.

Then there are interesting innovations happening with hovercraft, which may turn into the first manifestations of mass-produced “flying cars” (even if they do only go a foot above the ground). Just the other day, in fact, President Obama convinced New York Times reporter Sheryl Stolberg to demo a small hovercraft at Industrial Support Inc., a manufacturing services company in Buffalo, N.Y.

Most predictions about the future do tend to miss the mark, but many things are coming to pass as well. Picture phones, for example, were always something that were somewhere off in the future, but are now an everyday reality, thanks to cellphone advances and Webcams. Flat-screen TVs, long anticipated, also are a daily reality. Another interesting twist, Tucker says — we may be viewing television within our heads.

We do have a space station, a la 2001: A Space Odyssey, albeit much more cramped and sparsely occupied than the grand orbiting hotel envisioned in the movie.

It seems the one area that most futurists of the past got it wrong was computing. Most views of future are a vision of huge, often menacing, Hal-like centralized supercomputers keeping all things connected. (Think 2001, and Colossus: The Forbin Project). I don’t think anybody foresaw saw the loose — and highly democratic — confederation of systems of all sizes that make up our emerging world of social networking and cloud services.

A car from future up for auction! Sounds incongruous, right? In the year 2054, some cars will be self-cleaning, some will drive in an accident free system, and some will change colors on command. At least that was the vision of the future in Steven Spielberg's film "Minority Report," starring Tom Cruise. He had cast the luxury auto brand Lexus as the car of the future in this movie. The inspiration behind the car was a vehicle that would fit the requirements of the year 2054, but beneath the futuristic design is a standard Chevy V6 and conventional manual gearbox. Fancy driving like Tom Cruise in Lexus? Yeah, this specific car was on sale on eBay for a price of $88,000. (Sad to say but it’s no more on the site). According to the seller, the 2054 model-year car, which is one of only three made by Lexus, is about the same size as a Chrysler 300 and has only 38 miles on it since it was built. Curiously, it boasts a six-cylinder Chevy engine--which is 47,000 miles old--and comes with a manual transmission. The ad suggested that the fiberglass and steel car is probably street legal, but advises potential buyers to check local regulations on open-wheel cars.

I guess somebody at Lexus really wanted to come up with a new bat-mobile. Maybe the car itself isn't that spiffy looking, but designer Jon RÃ¥dbrink thinks that cool designs must be complemented by "low weight and large presence" in order to make for a great premium car in the future.

While it might look like an exotic prototype, the Lexus design is actually a luxury car forst and foremost. According to Gizmodo, the driver would use a drive-by-wire steering pad and a completely customizable multi-point touch screen. Rådbrink even thinks that our hands are far more accurate for driving than our feet, so he didn’t bother integrating any pedals. Everything is controlled via the steering wheel. "Since the car is powered by electrical motors [found in each of the four wheels]," Rådbrink says, "there is no transmission and you break intuitively by pushing the steering wheel away from your body."


Lexus “Bat-Mobile”

Published by Bogdan Alex, on Aug 18 2008, in the categories: transportation



I guess somebody at Lexus really wanted to come up with a new bat-mobile. Maybe the car itself isn’t that spiffy looking, but designer Jon Rådbrink thinks that cool designs must be complemented by "low weight and large presence" in order to make for a great premium car in the future.



While it might look like an exotic prototype, the Lexus design is actually a luxury car forst and foremost. According to Gizmodo, the driver would use a drive-by-wire steering pad and a completely customizable multi-point touch screen. Rådbrink even thinks that our hands are far more accurate for driving than our feet, so he didn’t bother integrating any pedals. Everything is controlled via the steering wheel. "Since the car is powered by electrical motors [found in each of the four wheels]," Rådbrink says, "there is no transmission and you break intuitively by pushing the steering wheel away from your body."




The prototype measures in at around 14.5-ft. and the lightweight materials are obviously introduced for the sake of increasing mileage and efficiency, as it is an electric vehicle after all. How light is light? "I believe that this design paradox of low weight and large presence could be the way we’ll define premium in the future," Rådbrink said. It turn out that the prototype is only intended to carry 2 passengers.

2010 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

Price Range: $27,799 - $32,599
Body Style: Convertible
Performance & Efficiency: 3,828 cc 3.8 liters V 6 front engine with 95.0 mm bore, 90.0 mm stroke, 10.5 compression ratio, overhead cam, variable.

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2010/mitsubishi/eclipse_spyder/index.html#ixzz0rMGoRCeJ

'10 LEXUS HS 250H

According to Lexus, more than 60 percent of entry luxury car buyers would consider a hybrid if one would be available. With the Lexus HS 250h slated to go on sale late summer 2009, the company will deliver that vehicle. And this car is a dedicated all-hybrid with no other powertrain configuration available. Though EPA numbers have not yet been finalized, the company promises that the HS will be not only the most fuel efficient Lexus built, but that it will also offer the best combined fuel economy of any luxury car available in the United States. Equipped with a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle engine, it will also be the first ever four cylinder powered Lexus. Key features: # Exhaust-heat recovery system to aid in engine warm-up and help enhance fuel economy # Operates on lower cost 87-octane gasoline # Low 0.27 coefficient of drag for increased fuel economy # 30 percent of interior is made from plant-based eco plastic # AT-PZEV emissions rating

2010 Lexus IS-C

The ES gets updated front and rear styling, new wheels, and a handful of new colors. Inside we find updated trim, a new instrument panel and a bunch of new features, including memory for the power seat, mirrors and steering wheel, rear seat side airbags, rain-sensing wipers, a larger center console storage bin, and an updated navigation system. The premium sound system now comes with an iPod-compatible USB port, and the cassette deck has finally been eliminated.