Bentley Continental Supersports shatters speed record on frozen Baltic Sea |  |
- Bentley Continental Supersports shatters speed record on frozen Baltic Sea
- Porsche brings electricity to the new Panamera S Hybrid
- Audi A8 with broadband Internet connection
| Bentley Continental Supersports shatters speed record on frozen Baltic Sea Posted: 16 Feb 2011 07:00 AM PST Rally champion, Juha Kankkunen achieves 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) in extreme Bentley convertible Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen drove a Bentley Continental Supersports convertible on the hazardous frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland, at a breathtaking 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) to set a new world speed record on ice. Kankkunen was in irresistible form with his all-wheel drive, 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible which, in line with the Company’s CO2 strategy, ran on biofuel. The world’s fastest soft top enabled Juha to shatter his own 2007 world ice speed record of 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) set in the Continental GT at the same location. With the help of his own experienced team and Bentley engineers, Kankkunen overcame the challenges of temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, sudden snow blizzards and potentially dangerous crosswinds on the 16.5km track on a 70cm-thick layer of sea ice. The record attempt was driven on a 1000m long measured distance with the speed certified by officials from the Finland Traffic Police. His new world record was based on the average of two runs in opposite directions with measured speeds ratified by a representative of The Guinness Book of Records. “The last time, I narrowly missed the magical 200 mph mark in a Continental GT. When I heard about the Supersports I was determined to go record breaking again with the Bentley Boys. This time, with over 600bhp under the bonnet, a Quickshift transmission and the security of the all-wheel drive system, the Supersports convertible was the perfect car to go for the record. ” Kankkunen said. “200mph came up after 5km on sheet ice. Then it was just a question of getting everything right in the timing zone and hoping the snow kept away. There’s nothing to beat driving a Bentley at these speeds; the conditions may be perilous but the car responds so well to the slightest adjustment which gives you the confidence to push even harder.” As with the previous record-breaking drive in the Continental GT the Anglo-Finnish team used a car with minimum modification. A fully-welded, heavy-duty safety roll-cage, along with Pirelli winter tyres (Pirelli SottoZero II 275/40R20) and a rear bumper-mounted parachute provided reassurance in case of an emergency. Front and rear spoilers provided optimum high speed stability on the treacherous surface. To highlight Bentley’s environmental commitment to sustainable fuel sources, Kankkunen’s Supersports Convertible was fuelled with E85 bioethanol rather than petrol (gasoline). All models in the Continental range are capable of running on petrol (gasoline), E85 bioethanol or any combination of the two. Wolfgang Dürheimer, Bentley’s new Chairman and Chief Executive, said: “The ice speed record is an amazing feat by Juha Kankkunen, whose skill and courage in extreme conditions truly make him one of the modern-day Bentley Boys. We will be celebrating this achievement with a very special ‘extreme’ Bentley, which will be the most powerful model ever to bear the famed Winged B emblem.” A limited edition of just 100 examples of this most extreme Bentley will be made and the car will make its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show on 1st March. [Gallery not found] Related posts:
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| Porsche brings electricity to the new Panamera S Hybrid Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:14 AM PST The Panamera S Hybrid marks the beginning of a new chapter of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart’s Porsche Intelligent Performance, continuing the success story of its four door Gran Turismo. Without sacrificing sportiness and elegance, the new Gran Turismo combines the total power output of 380 hp (279 kW) with best case consumption of only 6.8 l/100 km (41.54 mpg imp.) of fuel based on the NEDC. That equates to CO2 emissions of just 159 g/km. That doesn’t just make the Panamera S Hybrid the most economical Porsche of all time, it also puts it streets ahead of all the full hybrid production vehicles in its class, the luxury class, when it comes to fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. It achieves these values thanks to Michelin’s even lower rolling resistance all season tyres developed specially for the Panamera and available as an option. But even with the standard tyres, the new Porsche hybrid model’s fuel consumption is at an unprecedentedly low level in this class at 7.1 l/100 km (39.79 mpg imp.) based on the NEDC – which equates to 167 g/km CO2.
The Panamera S Hybrid sets new standards, both in terms of classic performance and when measured against hybrid vehicle characteristics. The Panamera S Hybrid accelerates from a standing start to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.0 seconds, reaching top speed at 270 km/h (168 mph). The range in purely electric mode is approximately two kilometres (1.24 miles) with electric driving possible up to 85 km/h (53 mph), depending on the driving situation. The Porsche hybrid drive is also the only system in the world able to exploit additional consumption reserves thanks to so-called “sailing” on motorways and main roads. This entails disengaging and switching off the combustion engine at speeds of up to 165 km/h (103 mph) (Cayenne S Hybrid: 156 km/h (97 mph) during phases when no power is being delivered by the combustion engine. The Panamera S Hybrid is driven by the same engine combination that has already proved itself in the Cayenne S Hybrid: The main propulsion is provided by a three litre V6 compressor engine delivering 333 hp (245 kW) supported by a 47 hp (34 kW) electric motor. Both machines are capable of powering the Panamera S Hybrid either alone or in combination. The electric motor also operates both as a generator and a starter. Together with the decoupler it forms the compact hybrid module located between the combustion engine and the transmission. The electric motor is connected to a nickel metal hydride battery (NiMh) where the electrical energy recovered from braking and driving is stored. Power transmission is handled by the familiar eight-speed Tiptronic S fitted as standard in the Cayenne models with a wide spread of ratios. The range of standard equipment for the Panamera S Hybrid is even wider than that of the already extensive standard equipment of the Panamera S with eight-cylinder engine. For example, the hybrid model is fitted as standard with the adaptive air suspension including the adaptive shock-absorber system with PASM, with Servotronic and a rear wiper. The new Gran Turismo also features the Cayenne S Hybrid’s innovative display concept that provides the driver with all the relevant information about the vehicle’s specific hybrid driving status. With the new hybrid variant, the Panamera model line now comprises six different models. This offering underlines the strategic importance of “Porsche Intelligent Performance“ and creates totally novel highlights in the luxury segment – from sporty to environmentally friendly. This chimes with what customers want, as the major market success is already confirming. Approximately 15 months after sales started, not quite 30,000 vehicles have been delivered. That means the Gran Turismo has seized a 13 percent share of the upper and luxury segment. The new model will further boost the attractiveness of Porsche’s fourth model line in the market. The Panamera S Hybrid will come on the market in June 2011 and cost 106,185 Euros in Germany, including VAT and country-specific equipment. The Panamera S Hybrid will celebrate its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. The press conference will be held at the Porsche stand in hall 1, stand 1050, at 7:30 a.m. on March 1, 2011 and will be webcasted live at www.porsche.com/geneva.
       - Porsche AG Related posts:
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| Audi A8 with broadband Internet connection Posted: 16 Feb 2011 06:03 AM PST Audi unveils an A8 wired for broadband with LTE technology. Developed in collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent, the car’s mobile broadband connection can transfer data faster than conventional 3G-technology and modern DSL connections.
During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, announced that LTE technology would be used in cars by early 2011. Just some weeks later, Audi and its development partner, Alcatel-Lucent, present a fully functional prototype. The Audi A8 L with LTE technology contains the mobile communications technology of the future: LTE is considered the successor to the current 3G transmission technology, which also includes the UMTS mobile communications standard. LTE offers very high data transfer rates that can reach up to 100 Mbit per second. In comparison, a fast 3G connection offers about 14,4 Mbit per second. With its short transfer rates, LTE mobile communications allow significantly faster access to Internet content and allow large amounts of data to be exchanged. For demonstration the technicians used the LTE connection for transmitting high-definition videos live to the vehicle. “ We will use LTE technology to extend our advantage in automotive networking and further consolidate the Audi connect strategy,” says Michael Dick, Audi Board Member for Technical Development, during the presentation of the prototype. Related posts:
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