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Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic (2010)




True to Maserati's commitment to introduce a new model at each international car show, the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic will première at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. The new Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic features a 4.7 V8 which develops 440 HP (323kW) at 7000 rpm. The maximum torque is 490Nm at 4.750 rpm.
The major novelty is the combination of the automatic transmission with the most powerful wet sump Maserati V8 on the GranTurismo - until now offered as 4.2 l with automatic transmission and 4.7 l with an electro-actuated gearbox. Thanks to the combination of the 323kW produced by the powerful 4.7l V8 engine and the smoothness of the ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox, the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic stresses the original granturismo concept while at the same time offering peak performance.
The Skyhook suspension system featuring continuously adjustable dampers provides great driving comfort. Passive safety is further enhanced thanks to the introduction on the Maserati GranTurismo range of a new generation passenger air-bag with Low Risk Deployment functionality.
Consistently with the unmistakable design of all Maseratis, the Maserati GranTurismo S Automatic features some marked stylistic differences which make it immediately recognisable: the new under-door mini-skirts featuring a prominent shape, which enhances the dynamism of its profile and the new 20" wheel rims with "Trident" design, which recall the strength and elegance of the car.
A further enriched equipment increases the on board pleasure for the driver and the three passengers, thanks to the Bluetooth® Wireless Technology, offered as standard, and the Ipod® interface, available upon request, which complete the Maserati Multi Media System.

BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept (2009)











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A genuine BMW offering new options and features in truly fascinating style and diversity - this is the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept.
Introducing this trendsetting concept car, the world's most successful manufacturer of premium automobiles is establishing a brand-new segment in the automobile market, enriching the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of BMW by a new facet and carrying over that unique BMW style to another type of vehicle.
As in the case of the BMW X5 as the world's first Sports Activity Vehicle and the BMW 1-Series, to this day the only rear-wheel-drive premium compact car, BMW, through outstanding innovation, is once again developing new and progressive market segments and giving additional target groups that unique experience of the BMW brand.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is the production-based rendition of the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) in the upper midrange segment, offering an outlook at the extension of the BMW 5-Series by a new, additional vehicle concept. For the first time in the automobile market, this concept car combines the looks and appearance of a prestigious Sedan, a modern Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo. Indeed, perhaps the most outstanding feature of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is this unprecedented combination of stylish elegance, luxurious comfort, and impressive diversity.
As the name alone indicates, the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is the ideal car for long journeys while still offering a magnificent driving experience also in everyday traffic on short routes. The design of the body alone also presents all the dynamics and efficiency of a BMW dedicated to sporting performance. And apart from the proportions so typical of the brand, the design language again characteristic of a BMW comes out clearly from every angle.
An intelligent concept for modern mobility.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept conveys an up-to-date image of modern mobility. The focus in particular is on the demands and requirements of the discerning motorist who expects generosity, appreciates an exclusive ambience, and enjoys all the benefits of a variable interior.
Precisely with this in mind, the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept meets all these demands, representing the special status and elegant style of an upper midrange model with individual flair oriented to the driver's personal needs and preferences.
This provides the potential to win over new target groups for BMW, with the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept being a truly unique and attractive offer for the dedicated motorist wishing to retain classic features such as presence, luxury and premium quality while nevertheless living out a versatile and spontaneous lifestyle and remaining open to innovative concepts. The car therefore also reflects new demands made by the modern motorist wishing to enjoy a vehicle in perfect harmony with all kinds of situations and requirements in life - both in a prestigious professional world and in dynamic leisure time activities.
The interior of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept combines spaciousness, personal luxury and an exquisite choice of materials to provide a genuine premium experience. The four doors allow convenient and ergonomically ideal access to all seats, the driver-oriented design of the cockpit again in typical BMW style demonstrates truly sporting performance, and the slightly elevated seating position promotes the driver's superior control of the car.
Unique design also at the rear provides a modern, exclusive and generous ambience. With the seats being adjustable to many different positions, both legroom and the seat angle may be set to the individual preferences of the passengers. Headroom is virtually the same as in the BMW X5, giving both the driver and front passenger as well as the passengers at the rear a genuine experience of first class comfort.
Large side windows emphasise the bright and generous ambience within the car, as does the panorama glass roof previously available only in the BMW 5-Series Touring and the BMW X models.

Luxurious comfort and impressive variability.
Depending on the driver's and passengers' priorities, legroom at the rear may be increased to the same level as in the BMW 7-Series or the capacity of the luggage compartment may be upgraded to that of a BMW 5-Series Touring.
The unique variability of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept comes, among other things, from the rear seats adjustable fore-and-aft by up to 100 millimetres or more than 3.9". A further option is to adjust the backrest angle individually according to one's personal requirements, either in the interest of maximum seating comfort or for additional space in the luggage compartment.
Using all the space available at the rear, legroom is roughly the same as in the BMW 7-Series and luggage capacity amounts to 430 litres or 15.1 cubic feet. With the rear seats moved to the front and the partition wall opened up, in turn, luggage capacity increases to 570 litres or almost 20 cubic feet. And even in this position legroom in the rear still meets the substantial demands made of an outstanding sedan in the upper midrange segment.
After completely folding the rear-seat backrests as well as the partition wall leading to the luggage compartment, the driver and passengers are able to load particularly large and bulky objects into the rear. With the firm luggage compartment cover being stowed away in the floor of the luggage compartment, maximum luggage capacity in the loading area extending all the way through is no less than 1650 litres or nearly 58 cubic feet.
The seat backrests fold down both electrically and by means of a button on the side panel of the luggage compartment, the partition wall, after being released, following the respective movement of the rear-seat backrests. This ensures absolute convenience in adjusting luggage capacity to current requirements even during the process of loading the car.
The option to fold down the rear-seat backrests individually provides even greater variability, especially as the rear partition wall also splits up into two sections, likewise folding down according to current requirements.

Optimum visibility and comfortable access thanks to the elevated seating position.
On the front seats both the driver and front passenger benefit from a slightly elevated seating position. This semi-commanding seating position, as it is called, offers an optimum overview all around the car, like in the BMW X models. And the particular configuration developed for the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept serves furthermore to provide very convenient and ergonomic access to the car.
In the design of the cockpit, the structure of horizontally arranged, cascadelike surfaces finished in different materials and colours strongly accentuates the width of BMW's new concept car. The displays and controls are clearly separated from one another, grouped together according to their functions.
Through its design, the instrument panel enhances the very good visibility already provided by the elevated seating position, giving the driver a clear view from above of the control elements for the lights and the start/stop button on the middle level strongly inclined to the front. As the final important feature in this context, the horizontal orientation of the entire cockpit additionally accentuates the generous character of the interior.

Elegant interior design accentuating the unique feeling of space.
The trim bar stretching out as an exciting arch throughout the entire width of the instrument panel continues into the door linings, the impression of a fully enclosed space around the occupants created in this way being further enhanced by the harmonious design and finish of the trim surfaces on the front and rear doors with their perfect blend of shapes and colours. The interaction of ascending and descending lines and contours throughout the entire length of the interior creates a homogeneous impression optically connecting the front and rear seats. All lines and the surfaces finished with the most sophisticated materials taper out to the rear behind the rear seats, giving the interior its particularly comfortable and spacious character.
The dynamic flow of lines not even interrupted by the B-pillar additionally emphasises the length of the interior crucial to the feeling of space and generosity. And last but not least, this feeling of length is supported by the centre console in the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept extending all the way to the rear.
The elaborate design of individual elements on the door panels adds further exciting effects, from the very beginning bringing out the overall design context without any interruption between the front and rear areas.
A more precise look reveals the subtle play of surfaces in the door linings, with individual elements changing not only in shape, but also in their function. The middle section on the door lining around the front seats, for example, is strongly contoured and also forms a kind of legrest. Then, moving back to the rear, these contour lines become even stronger, the surface turning to the inside within itself. Finally, this surface now concave in shape leads on to the armrests on the rear seats.

Special concept of materials and colours within the interior.
The colour and materials concept for the interior further enhances the impression of personal luxury and the interplay of surfaces and lines. All surfaces within the interior are finished in high-quality natural leather, the surfaces on the seats and the door armrests forming the comfort zone in Glacier White leather. This creates the impression of a bright brand extending round the lower section of the instrument panel, the cool and elegant colour giving particular emphasis to the generous und luxurious feeling of space.
The bright surfaces in the comfort zone are surrounded by a dark, warm reddish brown, this special colour referred to as Copper Brown providing a smooth link to the exterior paintwork.
The superior impression of modern luxury is further enhanced through the use of authentic materials such as polished metal elements milled out of one piece and ceramic units.
The superior quality of the interior finish is borne out particularly by the solid wooden trim with metal inlays extending generously across the instrument panel.
Instrument cluster with colour display in black panel technology.
The instrument cluster of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is made up of a high-resolution colour display in black panel technology presenting the four round instruments in traditional sports car style as well as status and function displays, navigation data, information from the Check/Control, feedback from various control units and service interval information in the traditional style of a sports car.
Introduced for the first time in the new BMW 7-Series, black panel technology ensures particularly precise and, at the same time, sophisticated presentation of the instruments and displays. In its rest mode the entire panel forms a homogeneous black surface, the numbers on the circular instruments then being generated electronically when activated, together with all the symbols on the Display.
The iDrive Control Display arranged in typical BMW style on the same level as the instrument cluster is integrated in the dashboard in a central position as a free-standing element. The Control Display forms one common design unit with the black panel in the central section of the dashboard housing the controls for the audio system and air conditioning. For optical purposes this unit is separated by the horizontal trim bar with its central ventilation grid and a storage box. A further point is that in the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept the special look of black panel technology continues into a homogeneous surface in the centre console.
Proportions: dynamism in typical BMW style combined with the elegance of a Gran Turismo.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept re-interprets the experience of driving a BMW, the luxury and variability of the interior coming together to form a modern rendition of superior generosity.
This offers both the driver and his passengers unique opportunities in enjoying the driving experience, the new flair of the car forming an ideal match with fascinating features typical of BMW, in particular uncompromising premium quality and interior design ensuring Sheer Driving Pleasure of the highest standard.
The body design of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept likewise ensures an exciting balance of innovation and tradition. The concept car stands out at first sight as a genuine BMW, just as the overall look of the exterior clearly alludes to the extension of BMW's model portfolio made possible by this unique automobile. Indeed, the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept enters new terrain in the history of the BMW brand and has no competitors throughout the entire world of motoring.
In its exterior dimensions the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept fits in perfectly between the BMW 7-Series and BMW's various SAV models. In its length of 499.8 centimetres or 196.8", it is second only within the BMW model range to BMW's Luxury Performance Sedan, while the car's height of 155.5 centimetres or 61.2" is exceeded significantly only by BMW's X models.
The characteristic look of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept so typical of the brand results in particular from the car's proportions, the long engine compartment lid, the long wheelbase and the greenhouse moved far to the rear bearing out the dynamic performance characteristics of a BMW also through the car's design.
These features are combined with innovative elements highlighting the unique qualities of the new concept, the extra-large passenger cell clearly bearing testimony to the luxurious variability of the interior. The coupé-like roofline extending into the air spoiler at the rear, in turn, represents the sporting elegance of a genuine Gran Turismo.
Paintwork in Fluid Cuprite, a new colour developed specifically for this concept car, again highlights the unique design and look of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept. The extremely fine surface flair reminiscent of liquid metal most impressively models the various surfaces on the body under all kinds of light conditions through its powerful contours.
And to provide an appropriate supplementary touch, the brake callipers and the inner surfaces on the exhaust gas tailpipes are finished in a new colour called Copper.

Front view with that forward-pushing motion.
The front view of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is characterised in particular by the strong presence of the low-slung BMW kidney grille, the large air intake, and the characteristic dual round headlights. The BMW kidney grille is slanted slightly to the front, its upper edge marking the foremost point on the body. In its presence, the kidney grille is further accentuated by the surrounding surfaces intentionally moved further back.
All contour lines flowing along the engine compartment out of the side panels aim at the kidney grille at the front of the car. The air intake, in turn, is lower in the middle where it extends beneath the kidney grille. And last but not least the contours on the headlight units taper out smoothly towards the middle of the car.
Just as the size of the BMW kidney grille clearly demonstrates the engine's significant demand for cooling air, the power dome in the middle of the engine compartment lid emphasises the sheer power and muscle of the engine itself. The outer flanks of the engine compartment lid facing downward form a cascade-like contour together with the widely flared wheel arches, giving the front view of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept a particularly wide and powerful look.
This impression is further enhanced by the foglamps positioned at the outer edges of the air intake, while the all-aluminium bars separating the two outer elements on the air intake and extending beyond the foglamps further enhance the sheer look of width at the front through their horizontal orientation.

Dual round headlights typical of BMW, unique LED corona rings.
The dual round headlights typical of a BMW come with new contour lines and a new technology for the daytime driving lights on the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept.
Slanted to a distinctive angle and extending far into the side panels, the headlight units are highlighted by surrounding bars, the headlights themselves cylindrical in shape bordering at the top on a matt headlight cover. This particularly emphasises the unique look of the front end again in typical BMW style with its clear, almost penetrating focus.
Apart from the direction indicators, the corona rings for the daytime driving lights come for the first time as LED units generating a particularly homogeneous and bright light adding new and attractive features to that particular look so typical of BMW.
Side-view: coupé-like roofline and waistline emphasising the sleek elegance of the car.
Appropriate lines along the side create the harmonious symbiosis of the front end, the side view and the rear section so typical of BMW design also on the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept. The dominating feature from the side is the waistline characteristic of a BMW extending from the outer edge of the headlights and moving back at the same level as the door openers along the entire length of the car, rising up slightly in the process and continuing into the contours of the rear light clusters.
The equally striking sill-line continues into the upper edge around the air intake at the front and the contour in the rear air dam, this interplay of the waistline and the sill-line making the car look lower and more crouched down on the ground and emphasising the dynamic wedge of the body.
The roofline consistently tapering out and ending in the rear air spoiler conveys a feature typical of a modern coupé to a four-door automobile in the guise of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept. The innovative character of the car's design is indeed a visual expression of the many features and qualities the car has to offer. With its sporting flair, the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept leaves an even greater and more positive impression through its spacious and generous interior.
Both front and rear the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept comes with frameless doors, a feature of particularly sporting cars now to be admired for the first time on a four-door BMW.
The door cutout bars are another special feature, forming one unit across both entry areas and thus corresponding with the overall harmonious flair conveyed by the door panels inside the car.
Large, significantly flared wheel arches symbolise the sporting potential of the car: The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept comes on 21-inch light-alloy rims offering a particular touch of elegance through their exclusive multi-spoke design.
Yet another feature of particularly sporting cars is the small mass of the body above the front wheels, keeping the side panels particularly low and long. This effect is further intensified by the horizontal lines of the car borne out by the waistline as well as the joint and contour line on the engine compartment.

The "Hofmeister kink" re-interpreted in modern style.
The design of the side window graphics also presents a re-interpretation of a characteristic BMW feature: On the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept both the shaft covers and the window surrounds are made of one piece, this three-dimensional shape giving the frame made of aluminium a particularly sophisticated and dynamic look around that famous "Hofmeister kink".
The exterior mirrors also represent a new design element, with the mirror base forming part of the shaft cover starting on the foot of the A-pillars and thus blending particularly smoothly and harmoniously with the side panel of the car. The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept offers a brand-new rendition of the counter-swing in the bottom corner of the rear side window frame so well-known as the "Hofmeister kink". In this case the inner radius of the "kink" is particularly large, the outer radius strikingly small. This creates an exciting contrast to the roofline moving down smoothly and gently to the rear specifically at this point.
Powerful rear end.
The design of the rear end offers a particularly striking impression of this unique concept with its exceptional strengths and features. The two outer rooflines as well as the shoulder lines merge into the air spoiler on the tailgate, giving the rear end in its fastback style a kind of surrounding line and at the same time adding a compact touch to the overall design of the car.
The entire rear view of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is split by horizontal lines highlighting the width and powerful stance of the car. At the same time this creates an attractive interplay of convex and concave surfaces, the negatively slanted surface above the chrome bar between the rear light clusters bearing the BMW logo offering an additional sporting effect.
The rear end reaches its full width around the wheel arches, the exhaust tailpipes positioned far to the outside also directing the eyes of the beholder to the wheels. The distinctive light edge in the lower part of the bumper adds a further touch, while a diffuser finished in black marks the gap between the rear panel and the road.

Impressive function: two tailgates in one.
With the rear panel of the car appearing to start directly beneath the rear light clusters in order to convey a sporting impression, the low loading sill on the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept is not visible at first sight.
Another innovation crucial to the superior function of the car is likewise only recognisable when opening the tailgate: To stow away luggage, the tailgate may be opened either in full or only around the rear window. If only the lower section is swivelled upward, the driver and passengers will load the luggage compartment in the same way as in a sedan, naturally benefitting in the process from the far lower loading sill. Since in this case they only open the luggage compartment as such, the passenger compartment will not suffer in the process from drafts or any other effects of bad weather.
The need to open the complete tailgate pivoting above the rear window arises only when stowing away particularly large and bulky objects.
The L-shape of the rear light clusters typical of a BMW is re-interpreted on the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept, with the two rows of light following a dynamic sweeping motion. The rear lights extend far into the side panel, emphasising the full width of the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept also in the car's night design.
The lights fed by LED illumination units provide a homogeneous light effect with the brake lights and direction indicators positioned behind the rows of lights and being illuminated even more brilliantly when activated.
The rear light clusters are connected to one another by a chrome bar continuing from the waistline at the side into the line extending into the rear lights and thus accentuating the width of the rear end. Yet a further innovation is the integration of the third brake light in the rear fin again so typical of BMW.
BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept: new momentum in a demanding market.
Presenting the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept, BMW is once again proving its outstanding competence in the development of innovative vehicle concepts. The world's most successful manufacturer of premium cars follows the challenges created by the need for up-to-date mobility.
This new car concept addresses a demanding target group seeking to combine stylish elegance, luxurious wellness and impressive variability in individual style with the demands and requirements of their active lifestyle.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept offers precisely these qualities, enhancing the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of the brand by a new dimension thrilling the true connoisseur also beyond BMW's existing target groups.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept clearly reveals the full bandwidth of its qualities when compared with the demands made of an up-to-date grand tourer. With its elegant look, the sophisticated ambience of its comfortable and spacious interior, as well as its generous and variable transport capacities, the BMW Concept 5-Series is simply perfect for a wonderful travel experience.
And since BMW's innovative power is also borne out by an extremely efficient drivetrain, this new concept car will also ensure appropriate economy in today's world.
The BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept thus stands out as a modern interpretation of the Gran Turismo segment so rich in tradition, cars which at all times have combined particularly superior long-distance driving qualities with a truly comfortable interior.
Stylish elegance, luxurious spaciousness, and impressive versatility all come together in the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo Concept in unique style. Features never before combined in one car in this way make the new concept a truly progressive innovation serving ideally to set new standards in the most demanding upper midrange segment.
Establishing a new vehicle segment in this process, BMW is consistently continuing its successful development strategy. Qualities typical of the brand once are again carried over into a new market with an innovative concept unique to world over. Hence, BMW is using all the innovative power of the brand to give new customers that unique thrill of Sheer Driving Pleasure and to continue the ongoing growth of the BMW brand in a lasting, long-term process.

Super Car Games Wallpapers












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Chevrolet Stingray Concept (2009)






















The Chevrolet Stingray Concept design is influenced by the original Stingray race car, introduced in 1959, but also draws on Corvette heritage cues from other generations. It brings them together in a futuristic shape that seems to be equal parts racecar and space ship.

Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson (2010)











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The 2010 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson delivers a new standard of "custom cool," combining the smooth handling and legendary durability of America's best-selling truck with the authentic styling of Harley-Davidson, the industry leader in motorcycles.
This marks the 14th Harley-Davidson edition of an F-Series truck and latest in a line of Ford Harley-Davidson F-Series models dating back to 2000, which aim to appeal to customers who appreciate quality and unique details only this kind of collaboration can bring.
"Our successful co-branding, unmatched in the industry, offers customers true specialized truck luxury," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Global Product Development. "Just like with our other associations, we've linked with an industry leader to offer the best of the best."
The successful collaboration between these two icons of the open road has produced eight F-150 models, as well as six Super Duty F-250, F-350, and in 2009, the first Ford F-450 Harley-Davidson edition truck. The 2010 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 is the first Harley-Davidson edition vehicle built off the award-winning new 2009 Ford F-150.
"This truck builds on the legacy of toughness that's been the hallmark of the Ford F-Series brand," said Matt O'Leary, chief engineer. "Now we're giving customers more of everything they love with the best F-150 and the boldest Harley-Davidson F-150 ever - featuring a fully differentiated design, all-wheel-drive capability, 22-inch wheels and a knock-out interior."
The exterior of the 2010 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 offers a bold front fascia and six-bar shaped billet style grille and boasts specialized forged aluminum and Harley-Davidson® chrome badging. The truck will have a lowered appearance because of a fully integrated deployable running board.
Also standard are 22-inch low-profile performance tires - the largest in the F-Series lineup - and Euroflange forged wheels with a polished and painted center wheel cap. The paint selection is classic Harley-Davidson - Tuxedo Black and the first Ford application of Lava, a deep maroon with three-color metal flake.
The interior is customized to appeal to the truck buyer who appreciates the attention to detail for which both Ford and Harley-Davidson are renowned.
"There's a real tie-in between the truck's interior and exterior designs," said Patrick Schiavone, Design director. "It's very much like how some customized Harley-Davidson motorcycles have a prominent theme that runs through them. That's how we tie it in with custom bikes."
Also impressive are the seats and console lid, which features hand-made cloisonné badges; the console has a limited-edition serialization plate.
"These handmade badges continue our theme of premium Harley-Davidson offerings," said Schiavone. "Probably the only place that most people have seen hand-made cloisonné is on premium Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It's really high craftsmanship, and people will recognize it as another connection between the two brands."
Linkage is apparent even in the smallest details, such as adornments on the seats.
"The theme of the seat was designed to resemble a Harley® biker jacket," Schiavone said. "We even used authentic materials you'd find on Harley-Davidson MotorClothes® brand apparel."
The seat backs feature ribbed leather treatments, engraved Harley-Davidson button snaps and even zippered map pockets featuring zippers from Harley jackets.
It is important to the Ford Design team that the truck remain genuine to enthusiasts of Harley-Davidson, customers who traditionally are as loyal to their motorcycles as F-150 owners are to their trucks.
That's why the team meets regularly with Harley-Davidson designers and travels to motorcycle events throughout the year - including Daytona Bike Week, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Harley-Davidson dealer meetings - to talk to current and potential customers. The team wants to be sure that when Harley-Davidson owners or enthusiasts need a truck, this is the truck they choose.
"We talk to everyone we can; we find out what the customer values," O'Leary said. "We look at what they like, what they want, and what they wish they had, and we go from there."
"No one understands their customers better than Harley-Davidson and Ford," said Joanne Bischmann, vice president - Licensing, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. "We're proud to share the spirit of Harley-Davidson authenticity in a unique interpretation of America's favorite truck, the F-Series."

Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S (2009)
















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Few will claim that Vauxhall VXR8 super-saloon is lacking in the power stakes, but just in case there were any doubters, the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S Edition will put them straight.
Thanks to the addition of a Walkinshaw Performance 122 Supercharger, the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S dispenses 560 V8 horsepower, compared with the standard car's 431 horsepower, and produces searing acceleration throughout the rev-range and a spine-tingling, banshee wail when you hit the loud pedal.
The Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S Edition joins the normally aspirated Bathurst Edition at the top of the Vauxhall family tree, with both cars receiving a raft of technical and cosmetic upgrades over the standard VXR8. Only a limited number of Bathurst Editions will be sold through selected Vauxhall retailers.
To exploit the Bathurst's greater power potential, six-pot front and four-pot rear callipers are now standard on both models, along with stiffer, height-adjustable springs and Walkinshaw-developed coil-over dampers. The bespoke damper units have 15 separate valve settings with independent corner adjustment for the owner's preferred setup.
Dynamically, both Bathursts retain the VXR8's much praised ride quality, but body control is enhanced and the handling made more exploitable for the enthusiastic driver.
At the heart of the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S is Walkinshaw's 122 Supercharger, which not only boosts power by 30 per cent, but escalates torque from an eye-catching 550Nm to an eye-watering 715Nm. Such is the strength of the LS3 V8 engine that extracting bigger figures would have been possible, but retaining the VXR8's driveability and durability was Walkinshaw's priority.
In fact, the 122 Supercharger is so much more than just a bolt-on blower. The comprehensively engineered package also includes a large capacity intercooler, high-flow fuel injectors, a separate cold air intake and Walkinshaw-developed ECU map, while the standard manual gearbox is upgraded with a high-torque capacity clutch.
As with most supercharged cars, the S's power delivery is exceptionally linear, with a huge slug of torque available from very low down in the rev range; but push the engine towards its redline and there's no let up in the car's performance, just a seamless stream of power.
Outside, both Bathursts are instantly recognisable by their distinctive graphic packs, front fog light covers and 'Bathurst' badges (only the addition of a discreet 'S' badge reveals the supercharged model's extra 129PS), while inside a console-mounted badge showing the car's build number complements the 'Walkinshaw Performance' tread plates found inside each door opening.
Putting icing on the cake for serious drivers is the option of the new Bi-Modal Exhaust, which is available on both Bathurst models. Raising power by up to 10PS, the ingenious system allows drivers to select one of two noise settings: 'Street', with an upper limit of 92dbA, or 'Optimum', which releases the LS3 V8's full 102dbA. The two-and-a-half inch diameter system is manufactured from stainless steel with unique chrome tail-pipe finishers and costs £1600.
Both Bathurst models retain the VXR8's standard colour palette, and can also be specified with optional 20" alloy rims at £1500. List price for the Bathurst Edition is £37,995 - just £2757 above the standard VXR8 - while the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst S costs £44,995.

Pagani Zonda R (2009)
















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Pagani Zonda is never shy of a drive at the racetrack, a fact that was proven numerous times in the past with records for production vehicles at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. With the input of its avid track focused customers, the Pagani team has created the Pagani Zonda R using bespoke engineering solutions to meet the performance demands for a trackday version of the highly popular Pagani Zonda F.
The central monocoque is made of a Carbon-Titanium composite, increasing rigidity while reducing significantly the weight. Bolted directly to the chassis is the Mercedes AMG 6.0 litre race derived V12 engine, with 750 hp and 710 Nm of torque. A direct throttle actuation via mechanical cable ensures immediate throttle response.
The Xtrac Magnesium cased dog ring gearbox combined with tha Automac Engineering AMT system performs gearshifts in 20ms, triggered by the drivers input on the paddles behind the steering wheel. A 12-way Bosch Motorsport traction control and ABS system allows the driver to fully adjust the settings while driving the Pagani Zonda R.
At the pits, each driver will be able to find a suitable setup thanks to a fully adjustable suspension and wing configuration. The effectiveness of the rear is matched by a complex new front bonnet, a masterpiece realised with the help of models by Ennegi, as well as the closed underbody and rear diffusor. Aerodynamic setups rage from a high downforce setting of 1.500kg to a 350kmh top speed setting.
Aspa forged AvionAl suspension components as well as machined structural ErgAl parts holding the engine and gearbox have been designed to reduce the weight of the overall car, Poggipolini Titanium screws are used on the whole car. These measures lead to a dry weight of 1.070 kg.
The interior has been designed to offer a perfect environment for the driver. The controls are limited to the indispensable, but the quality finish reflects the usual demanding Pagani standards. The bespoke Toora seats are FIA homologated and comply to latest HANS standards, five-point safety belts and a CrMo roll-cage assure the occupants' safety.
The lucky owners of the Pagani Zonda R will experience a level of performance on the track, that is simply not possible on the road. A power-to-weight ratio of 701 hp-per-ton will catapult them from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2,7 seconds, the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes ensure the car comes to a standstill even quicker.
The Pagani Zonda R is built in a limited production run and sold at a price of 1.460.000 Euro plus taxes, a performance machine, a track toy, a collectors item, a masterpiece signed by Horacio Pagani.
Technical DataEngine Type: Mercedes-Benz AMG - M120 - 12 cylinder V 60°, 48 valves; displacement 5987 ccm, dry sumpMax. Power: 750 hp (551 kW) @ 7.500 rpmMax. Torque: 710Nm @ 5.700 rpmStroke: 80,20 mmBore: 89,00 mmTraction control: 12 Stage - Bosch Motorsport traction control systemIntake: Single throttle bodies, mechanically operatedExhaust system: Hydroformed Inconel, ceramic coatedTransmission: Longitudinal mid engine; rear wheel drive with self-locking differentialGearbox: XTRAC 672 bespoke magnesium casing gearbox, 6 speed sequential dog gearchange with Automac Engineering AMT systemCarbon-ceramic brakes: 4 ventilated Brembo disks, hydraulic power brake 12 Stage - Bosch Motorsport Race ABSDiscs Front: 380x34 mm 6 piston caliperRear 380x34 mm 4 piston caliperWheels: Forged alloy APP wheels; 19" front, 20" rearTyres: Pirelli P Zero Zonda R: ant. 255/35/19; post. 335/30/20Suspensions: 4 independent wheels with double A-arm; Forged Avional suspension arms; pull rod helical springs and Öhlins adjustable shock absorbersStructure: Central carbon-Titanium chassis, Engine is a stressed member; front and rear Cr Mo space frames; bodywork carbon fiber MD SystemDimensions Length: 4886 mmWidth: 2014 mmHeight: 1141 mmWheelbase: 2785 mmDry weight: 1070 kgSafety: Roll cage in Cr Mo steel; carbon fibre seats HANS compatible; five point harness0-100 km/h: 2,7 secTop speed: > 350 km/hWeight-to-Power ratio: 1,43 kg/hp

Aston Martin V12 Vantage (2010)





































Aston Martin V12 Vantage, the most potent production sports car in the marque's 95-year history, will debut at the 2009 Geneva motor show on 3 March. Based on the hugely successful Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the V12 Vantage will feature a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS), and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque with a top speed of 190 mph (305 km/h) and 0-62 mph (0-100 kp/h) time of 4.2 seconds.
The latest incarnation of the Vantage family has been designed to provide a unique character, appealing to different driver tastes and complementing the other models in the current Aston Martin line-up.
The original Aston Martin V12 Vantage concept was unveiled to guests at the opening of the Aston Martin Design Studio in December 2007. Continuing the marque's impressive record of bringing concepts through to production, Aston Martin engineers have brought the Aston Martin V12 Vantage to market in an incredible 12 months.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: "This is the ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range, combining our most agile model with our most powerful engine. It represents the definitive driving package; providing spectacular performance to ensure a dynamically thrilling and everyday useable driving experience.
"The Aston Martin V12 Vantage has a unique character, one unlike our other cars. This will appeal to different people with different tastes, allowing more people to enjoy the Aston Martin experience.
"This also illustrates one of Aston Martin's key strengths - the ability to act quickly and turn concepts and ideas into reality."
Designed for the focused driver, every component of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has been honed with pure driving enjoyment in mind. Benefitting from race-developed materials and components, and featuring lightweight carbon fibre; performance and agility have been tuned to perfection.
Visually enticing, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage expresses its performance potential through its purposeful stance created by enhanced aerodynamic and cooling aids optically widening the car, while retaining traditional understated Aston Martin design. Equally inviting, the cosseting interior permits the driver to extract maximum performance ability from the car while also enjoying customary levels of Aston Martin comfort on longer journeys. High levels of power and torque are available at all engine speeds making the Aston Martin V12 Vantage responsive and tractable in any driving situation.
The V12 Vantage will be built at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire joining the DBS, DB9 and V8 Vantage model lines which are built in the state-of-the-art production facility combining hi-tech manufacturing processes with traditional hand-craftsmanship. Production will be limited up to 1,000 examples over the life span of the car, making the Aston Martin V12 Vantage a truly exclusive driver's car.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage: Performance
Agility and outright performance formed the basis of design for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage to produce the most exciting incarnation of the Vantage model line-up to date. Aston Martin's most powerful engine is fused with its most agile model to produce a truly exhilarating sports car.
The V12 power plant has been intelligently packaged into the Vantage's compact form preserving its perfect proportions. While the external dimensions of the V8 Vantage remain unchanged, the internal front structure has been extensively revised forward of the suspension towers to house the larger engine, brake cooling system, and twin air intake system.
The engine was designed at Aston Martin's headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, and is hand-built at the company's dedicated engine facility in Cologne, Germany. To achieve the power output, the engine features a number of enhancements over the standard 6.0-litre V12 found in the DB9. These include a 'by-pass' engine air intake port that opens up at 5500 rpm, a revised induction system and re-profiled air inlet ports that further improve airflow into the combustion chamber to improve performance.
The naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 hand-built engine produces 510 bhp (380 kW / 517 PS) at 6500 rpm and 570 Nm (420 lb ft) of torque giving the driver access to high levels of power and torque at all engine speeds. Unique to the Aston Martin V12 Vantage is a 'Sport' button which allows the driver to choose between two powertrain modes.
The default 'normal' provides a more progressive, throttle response, suited to more everyday situations, such as driving in urban areas, heavy traffic, or in challenging weather conditions. Selecting 'Sport' mode delivers a sharper throttle response together with a sportier exhaust note. This mode is designed for use in more dynamic driving situations where sharper responses are required, extracting the maximum performance from the car.
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage benefits from Aston Martin's class leading all-alloy VH (Vertical Horizontal) architecture: a lightweight bonded platform that provides outstanding strength, rigidity and weight benefits.
Although the V12 engine weighs 100 kg more than the standard car's engine, intelligent use of lightweight materials and components including carbon ceramic brakes, lighter forged aluminium wheels, lightweight inner rear quarter panels and optional lightweight seats have resulted in the overall kerb weight being only 50 kg heavier than its V8 sibling. The ensuing weight distribution provides for balance that is near perfect (51:49).
Exclusively available with a six-speed manual transmission, the gearbox uses a transaxle configuration to aid weight distribution. The Aston Martin V12 Vantage's final drive ratio has also been modified from 3.909:1 to 3.71:1. This allows the Vantage to take full benefit of the high torque levels delivered by the engine to provide both flexibility at lower engine speeds as well as a high top speed of 190 mph.
For a car possessing such racing pedigree, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage surprises with its day to day usability. Featuring a luggage capacity of 300 litres and a traditional tailgate, coupled with ample stowage space to the rear of the seats, touring and trips away are made easy. Gear changes are light and precise requiring minimum effort from the driver and a longer final drive ratio extracts the most from the power and torque available to improve driveability. The communicative chassis provides comfort on long journeys and thrilling feedback with energetic driving.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage: Control
Aston Martin is the only sports car manufacturer to offer a race car for every GT category. The DBR9 has enjoyed year-on-year success all over the world in the GT1 category including class wins at Le Mans two consecutive years running. Customer teams are consistently achieving podium finishes with the DBRS9 in GT3 while 2008 was a test and development year for the newly-launched Vantage GT2. The Vantage N24 achieved GT4 class wins all over Europe since its launch in 2006. Common to both road and race cars is the VH architecture platform upon which the Aston Martin V12 Vantage is based. Consisting of extruded, pressed and cast aluminium alloy, bonded together with aerospace-grade adhesive, the backbone of the car works collaboratively with the powertrain and suspension to create an exceptionally responsive driving experience.
Near-perfect weight distribution is achieved with a transaxle-mounted gearbox which sees 85% of the car's weight lying between the front and rear axles. Aston Martin engineers have positioned the engine as far back and as low as possible in the car to contribute to the 51:49 weight distribution. Containing the weight within the Aston Martin V12 Vantage's wheelbase results in a low polar moment of inertia, creating a car which has a natural agility.
Superb handling characteristics are at the heart of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage; the rear suspension has been modified, with a more compact dual-rate spring design, in order to accommodate a wider wheel and tyre combination, improving grip and traction. The ride height of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has also been lowered by 15 mm, while the spring rates have been stiffened by 45% and the anti-roll bars are 15% (front) and 75% (rear) stiffer than the standard car. These measures serve to lower the car's centre of gravity and reduce the amount of roll experienced during cornering, further increasing the Aston Martin V12 Vantage's dynamic capabilities.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage's diamond-turned 19" alloy wheels are manufactured using a forging process, saving a total of 5 kg, which reduces the overall weight of the car, as well as enhancing both ride and handling characteristics.
The new 10 spoke wheels are clad with wider Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres which have been specifically designed for the Aston Martin V12 Vantage enabling it to generate the highest cornering forces of any Aston Martin; up to a peak of 1.3g is possible.
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage comes as standard with Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, providing immense stopping power. Benefitting from carbon fibre's inherent properties, CCM brakes are not only tougher than conventional cast iron discs but also dissipate heat more rapidly resulting in less fade during sustained dynamic driving.
Air ducts positioned within the lower front grille feed air directly onto the discs to aid cooling and optimise braking performance.
The Aston Martin V12 Vantage's CCM discs are 398 mm in diameter at the front and 360 mm at the rear while the brake callipers feature six pistons at the front, four at the rear and have a larger brake pad area compared to the V8 Vantage. The CCM brakes are some 12.5 kg lighter than conventional brakes reducing not only the overall weight of the car but also the unsprung mass specifically. This benefits ride and handling and lower rotational mass helps improve acceleration.
In line with the character of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, a revised Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system permits the driver, through three modes of operation, to manage how the system intervenes during more challenging driving situations.
In default operation, the DSC is automatically switched on. Depressing the DSC button for two seconds selects 'track mode' which raises the manner and threshold at which the system intervenes allowing the driver to explore the limits of the car's considerable handling capabilities. Depressing the button for four seconds will switch off DSC completely.
Aston Martin V12 Vantage: Design
Based on the stunning V8 Vantage originally launched in 2005, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage subtly hints at its sporting intent with its controlled aggression and lower, purposeful stance. It is manufactured at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire where all Aston Martins benefit from class leading levels of craftsmanship fused with cutting-edge technology.
Avoiding purely cosmetic changes, each modified panel on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage has been altered to enhance the vehicle's dynamics. Knowledge gained from the N24 race car programme has led to body revisions designed to improve downforce while not increasing the drag coefficient of the car. Each form follows its functional requirements, while also contributing to stunning design - a revised front splitter channels cooling air to the brakes and to the radiator while also producing increased down force. Bonnet louvres remove heat from the engine bay and help increase front-end down force by limiting the built up air pressure under the bonnet. New side sills derived from the N24 race car channel air towards the rear of the car rather than under it, reducing rear-end lift. A more pronounced boot 'flip' and the new rear carbon fibre diffuser work in harmony with a redesigned rear under floor to channel air through the new high-capacity oil cooler and maintain an area of low pressure under the rear of the car producing increased down force and aiding grip.
Complementing the taught exterior, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage's interior hints at the car's dynamic capabilities. The optional carbon fibre and Kevlar® composite seats cosset the driver providing support during spirited driving while remaining comfortable on long journeys. Saving 17 kg per car, the seats which are manufactured by a supplier to the motorsport and aviation industries are hand-trimmed by craftsmen at the Gaydon production facility.
The interior of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage provides the ideal environment for the focused driver to extract the very best from every element of the car. The extensive use of high quality materials with exceptional attention to detail placed throughout the cabin results in an unparalleled level of finish. The instrument cluster has been revised with even clearer dials to allow the driver to completely focus on the information being relayed from the car. The door pulls are made from beautifully-prepared carbon fibre where even the carbon weave has been meticulously aligned - a sign of exceptional craftsmanship. Additional light weight materials in the form of Alcantara are used to save valuable weight throughout the cabin. The unique ambience of the Aston Martin V12 Vantage interior beautifully marries the functional requirements of a driver-focussed sports car with the comfort of an everyday practical car.

Aston Martin Rapide (2010)











Aston Martin has released first official pictures of the of the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide saloon. The car bares strong resemblance to the Aston Martin Rapide Concept first shown in 2006 and is designed to compete with cars like the Porsche Panamera and the production version of the recently previewed Lamborghini Estoque Concept.

Ford Focus RS (2009)
















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The Ford Focus RS engine shares its fundamental structure with that of Focus ST, but there the similarities end. Powertrain manager Len Urwin knew from the beginning that simply adjusting the engine management system for more power would be insufficient for a true RS.
He explains: "There was never an intention to try to 'chip' the ST engine. We evaluated several approaches using the ST engine and none gave us the combination of power delivery, character and durability that we wanted, so we opted to create an RS Duratec, using the ST unit as our base."
The objective was increasing power and torque without affecting durability. To meet that, multiple detail changes were made to the powertrain including a revised cylinder head gasket, ultra-durable metal sprayed cylinder bores, revised pistons and a bespoke camshaft profile and connecting rods, allowing bigger small end bearings.
However, the most obvious changes are the new intake system, exhaust manifold and turbocharger. The larger Borg Warner K16 turbo fitted to Ford Focus RS offers a maximum steady state boost pressure of 1.4 bar - double that of Focus ST's 0.7 bar - to generate the car's 35 per cent power increase.
Committed to maintaining responsiveness of the engine, Urwin's team focused on three areas:Integrating the turbo with the exhaust manifold, to allow subtle manifold tuning and strategically locating the turbo in the engine bay, to optimise crash performance and minimise revision to the exhaust system and associated oil and water pipes;Carefully sizing the required larger turbo, to closely match the 'bottom end' engine responsiveness of Focus ST; Reducing the induction system and exhaust losses.
Ford Focus RS needed its own, more aggressive performance character so engineers also modified the torque 'ramp-up', to enhance performance feel when on boost.
"While we wanted to be equal on low-end responsiveness and minimise the common off-boost inertia of larger turbos, we didn't want RS to have the same character as ST," explains Urwin. "We wanted a stronger feel of increasing boost; we wanted you to really feel the surge of the turbo."
With the turbo spinning, power arrives quickly. The 305PS peak is reached at 6,500 rpm and holds until the 7,050 rpm redline, to allow full use of the top of the power band. After three seconds at this redline, the engine management system recognises no gear shift and then limits revs to the car's maximum continuous running rpm of 6,500.
"Turbo engines with flat torque curves can often feel like they run out of steam at the top-end, but we wanted to reward drivers who took Ford Focus RS to the red line," states Urwin. "We're really proud of the result - strong mid-range transient response and a free revving top-end."
Straight Torque
However, Urwin believes that the power is unlikely to be the first thing drivers will notice, as to get to that redline they will have travelled along Ford Focus RS' 440Nm torque curve.
Offering more torque than any Ford RS production car before it, Focus RS' torque curve has a steady state peak beginning at 2,300 rpm and running to 4,500 rpm, meaning torque can be appreciated in any gear and at most road speeds. The 440Nm peak torque is a 38 per cent increase over Focus ST.
Says Urwin: "Matching low-end responsiveness with a larger turbo and a peak of 440Nm is a real achievement. That's a figure you would only have seen in so-called 'supercars' just a few years ago. It gives Ford Focus RS a gutsy, strong pull at the lower end of the rev range - great for those wanting a powerful performance feel but also great for more relaxed everyday driving."

Bespoke Transmission
That combination of performance ability and cruising capacity is made practical by a specially-developed, six-speed Ford RS transmission. It shares its gear ratios with the Focus ST gearbox on which it is based, with minor modifications to bearings and clutch housing and a revised, stronger differential.
Overall, gearing is one per cent longer than ST due to the larger rolling circumference of Focus RS' specially developed tyres - further evidence of the team's attention to every detail.
This allows gearing long enough for Ford Focus RS to reach the all-important 100 km/h barrier in second gear.

Differential Difference
Putting the torque on the road is aided by a Quaife helical limited slip differential. The Quaife differential was first developed for the original, five-speed Ford Focus RS in 2002, but revised and improved by Ford Team RS for the new, six-speed Focus RS. Today, it features a sixth planet gear and has been revised for increased strength and a more subtle intervention and torque transfer.
Computer-aided engineering drove the design of the differential, identifying the potential areas for increased strength. This was aided by measuring rig work and whole vehicle development, with particular attention to refining performance plots for the differential's torque bias function, to maximise dynamic performance.
Concludes Urwin: "We have tuned the differential for a progressive torque transfer. Our work was focused on creating an optimum drive for both road and track, in the dry and the wet. It was in finding this balance that our tuning efforts were directed."

Performance
Creating the power of a true Ford RS is one thing; managing that power into accessible yet exhilarating performance and assured traction is another. This challenge was met by Ford's renowned vehicle dynamics experts.
Under the guidance of Chief Programme Engineer, John Wheeler, the Dynamics team was led by Chief Engineer, Dirk Densing, whose relaxed demeanour belies his passion and pedigree in performance cars and motorsport.
This team has achieved a car capable of 0-100km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 263 km/h (163 mph).
Wheeler and Densing were determined to create a dynamic mechanical set-up that would provide a pure driving experience, rather than manage power with constant electronic interference or truncation systems.
The most obvious change is the car's wider track, but the team completed their solution with a suspension technology that was under development at Ford's Research & Advanced Engineering centre (R&AE) in Aachen, Germany. Called 'RevoKnuckle', this innovation was identified early on as offering significant benefit to a new front-wheel-drive RS.
The combination of wider track and RevoKnuckle front suspension is the reason Ford has been able to do what was thought impossible previously: develop a 305PS (300 bhp), front-wheel-drive car that is not only driveable every day, but faster in many situations than all-wheel-drive performance cars.
Exhaustive testing and refining in the hands of Team RS' dedicated vehicle dynamics expert, David Put, has also created a set-up for Ford Focus RS that forgives the bumps of every day roads, yet rewards on-track commitment.
"It sounds simple, but is a genuine challenge: make a potent performance machine as accessible and useable as any other Focus; able to transform instantly from everyday transport to track-day 'supercar'," explains Wheeler. "It's a combination of innovative technology and class-leading dynamics, finely honed through David's expertise and commitment that made this possible."

Torque Talk
The greatest engineering challenge was in managing the impact of the car's 440Nm torque. Torque steer - the impact of torque on steering in front-wheel-drive vehicles - is one of the key challenges in suspension development of front-wheel-drive cars.
In the real world, torque steer is most often experienced when hard acceleration, cornering or uneven surfaces are combined and its effects are apparent to the driver as a sudden or momentary disturbance on the steering wheel. This is not 'performance feel', but a transient 'error state' which detracts from steering precision and performance.
Wheeler explains the phenomenon: "Torque steer is experienced when an unequal traction forces exists between the left and right front driven wheels. On a good flat surface, driving straight ahead, the left and right driven wheels have equal driving torque and everything is balanced.
"When left and right torque is unequal then the trouble starts. In the design of front-wheel-drive suspension, two main aspects have to be considered to minimise torque steer: keeping the centre of the outer CV joint on the steering axis line, and minimising the offset from the wheel centre to the steering axis. This is most important in performance cars, where wider wheels create a greater offset to begin with," he continues.
In the physics behind this phenomenon, traction forces at the tyre's contact area with the road are translated in two ways: one force 'couple' transfers harmlessly through the driveshafts, but a second force component acts at the wheel centre. This element creates a turning force about the steering axis. The larger the offset between the wheel centre and the steering axis, the larger the turning torque.
In the design of the suspension geometry, therefore, the first priority is to keep the offset from the wheel centre to steering axis as small as possible.
Even this is not an exact science since, with wide tyres on uneven road, the tyre's contact area with the road can move from the middle to the inside or outside of the tyre.
These unbalanced forces can be exacerbated further by a limited slip differential, as some have a very unforgiving characteristic of locking and applying transfer torque too rapidly.
Considering wide tyres, a wide track and wheel offset and limited slip differential are all present in the front-wheel-drive Ford Focus RS, these areas were the first to be considered by the Dynamics team.

Stopping Power
With such performance capability on tap, it's no surprise to find Focus RS offers a vice-like braking performance. Large 336mm x 30mm, ventilated front discs are gripped by stiffer, single 60mm piston calipers, supported by 302mm x 11mm rear discs. Ford Focus RS also boasts unique high-friction brake material and a tandem brake booster, all combining to generate up to 1.2 g under braking and give Ford Focus RS a stopping distance of just 34.8 metres (114 feet) from 100km/h (62mph).
Anti-lock braking with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) is standard, as is Ford's Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), here tuned specifically for the car, to allow a high level of sporty driving before intervening.
"In some cars, ESP limits fun for the enthusiast, because it can be used to disguise chassis weaknesses," explains Densing. "In Focus RS, the ESP system is tuned for later and shorter interventions, so you don't feel engine intervention and only occasional brake intervention, even on race circuits, or in rain."
The ESP system can be deactivated for circuit driving. However, this may not always be necessary, as Densing highlights.
"Because it's so precisely tuned, our engineers have lapped the Nuerburgring just as quickly with ESP on, as with it off," he states.
Aerodynamics also played a part in the Dynamics team's work. Says Densing: "Aero is very important to any car, but usually concentrated on not creating lift front to rear. With its sophisticated aero package, Ford Focus RS generates genuine downforce at circuit speeds and we've covered thousands of kilometres refining computer simulations to find the right balance of downforce without too much drag."
The target for high speed stability of a performance car is to position the aerodynamic centre of pressure at a controlled point behind the centre of gravity.
In Ford Focus RS, the starting point was the standard Focus shape, crafted to generate moderate front end and rear end lift at higher speeds. The challenge was to transform this lift into downforce and bring the aerodynamic centre of pressure forward, without undue sacrifice to the drag coefficient and top speed.
Extensive wind-tunnel testing was conducted to refine aerodynamic performance, with a target of delivering about 40 points of downforce at the front and 10 points at the rear.
The resulting aerodynamic elements for Focus RS achieve these targets, creating 26 per cent more downforce than Focus ST, yet with a drag co-efficient (Cd) of 0.38.
The result of all this effort is a car that is not just fast in a straight line. It is the fastest ever car around the infamous handling circuit at Ford of Europe's Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium - known to the team as 'Route 7' - beating even the Ford GT and cementing its dynamic credentials.
In addition, Ford Focus RS has completed over 400 laps (over 8,000km) of Germany's fearsome Nuerburgring Nordschleife during its circuit performance development.
The purpose of all this work was to ensure Ford Focus RS continues and enhances Focus' reputation as a driver's car and stays true to its core philosophy of generating pure driving enjoyment by flattering the novice driver, while rewarding the expert.

Style
Ford Focus RS exudes its intent of being the ultimate Ford performance car of its generation and strikes a lasting impression with performance car enthusiasts.
"Kinetic design visualizes the dynamic qualities of a vehicle, transmitting a feeling of driving excitement, but true to the character of each vehicle," explains Ford of Europe's Executive Director of Design, Martin Smith. "In design terms, every member of the Ford of Europe family has its own personality. Mondeo is the most premium; Fiesta the most stylish; Ka the friendliest - RS is quite simply the meanest!"
In design as in concept, Ford Focus RS is inspired by Ford's World Rally Championship success and this is most obvious in its large, gloss-black front trapezoidal air intake, creating an immediate visual link to the Focus World Rally Car - design for the road, true to motor sport principles.
Heightened aerodynamic and cooling needs meant Focus RS required a specific design approach that integrated these requirements and differentiated it from mainstream Focus aerodynamic elements.
Rather than settle for grafting performance detailing onto a standard body shape, designers have revised almost every body panel on Ford Focus RS to create its bespoke shape.
The result is cohesive and dramatic; new front and rear bumpers and integrated side rocker mouldings give Ford Focus RS a lowered, meaner appearance, while a revised bodyside with wider wheel arches, rocker mouldings and vents give the vehicle a more purposeful stance. These are topped by possibly the most dramatic of Ford Focus RS exterior features, the imposing rear spoiler, inspired directly by the Focus World Rally Car.
Necessary aerodynamic elements are contrasted with the body colour of the car by a gloss-black finish and together they provide some of the vehicle's more distinctive styling cues.
Smaller, secondary cues provide visual differentiation to mainstream Focus models: Twin panels of louvres on the bonnet and small vents underneath the headlamps reinforce the car's performance intent and augment the recognised Ford Focus shape;RS badges throughout the car reinforce the car's RS pedigree: three dimensional RS badges are present on each front wing vent, the upper radiator aperture, tailgate and embossed on each wheel;19-inch, 15-spoke polished alloy wheels echo the look of their World Rally equivalents.
"Imagine a Focus WRC roaring through a stage in Monte Carlo - you know immediately what it is from front graphics, flared arches, and distinctive livery. Our intention is to make Focus RS equally and immediately recognisable." states Smith.

Performance Design, Aerodynamic Purpose
Ford Focus RS' major design features are all functional, as well as styled to create a lasting impression, with each doing an important job in managing the airflow over and into the car.
"A high performance car like Focus RS has very different and much more sophisticated cooling requirements than a standard car, so design works hand-in-hand with aerodynamics," explains Chief Exterior Designer, Stefan Lamm. "RS is also lower and wider, not only to give the right impression, but also to ensure more downforce and less uplift than Focus ST. This is fundamental for responsive high-speed handling on circuits."
From the outset, Team RS worked with Ford's design and aerodynamics specialists to ensure performance style met performance requirements. The prominent front air splitter, twin-blade rear spoiler and rear venturi all underwent significant aerodynamic testing to achieve the right cooling and aerodynamic targets.
For example, while echoing the standard Ford trapezoidal silhouette, the front splitter's intake area and structural cross bars have been precision honed to allow the required volume of air into the car's cooling system.
The gloss-black front splitter also has a role in controlling exterior airflow, working with the rear venturi in managing air movement under the car, to help develop the required downforce for circuit use. The venturi then channels the air bisected by the front splitter, directing it out from underneath the car and past the rear bumper.
Significant aerodynamic analysis went into the design and construction of the rear venturi tunnel and rear spoiler. Here, Ford's World Rally expertise came into its own to determine the precise height, ramp angle and position of the car's twin-blade spoiler, for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.
Explains Lamm: "Customers would expect an RS to have a rear spoiler, but on Ford Focus RS this has been designed very precisely. A large front splitter creates a large aerodynamic force at the front and could make the rear light and nervous in high speed handling. So, the rear spoiler and venturi have been developed painstakingly to balance the downforce between front and rear. In a true high-performance car like Ford Focus RS, this ability to collect, extract and manage airflow efficiently is critical to its design."

Distinctive Colour Options
To reinforce the bold, new, motorsport-inspired design, designers knew colour was as vital ingredient of the overall Ford Focus RS package.
The positive reception given to the signature 'Electric Orange' colour that became a highlight of the Focus ST launch encouraged the Design team to develop an equally exciting and unique 'hero' colour for the sportier Focus RS.
Their inspiration for the vibrant, new 'Ultimate Green' came from the livery of Focus World Rally Cars. The colour reflects the green signature colour of Ford's global partner and World Rally Championship sponsor, BP, and also stands as a modern interpretation of the 1970s Ford Escort RS Le Mans Green colour.
"Ford Focus RS is a car designed to grab your attention and the choice and use of colour is vital," says Stefan Lamm. "Colour can define a brand, as we saw with Focus ST and in this case we wanted something even more energetic and dazzling. Green is a critical colour that has to have the shade tuned perfectly and 'Ultimate Green' captures and communicates the spirit and energy of Focus RS."
Ford Focus RS will also be available in the classic RS choice of Frozen White or Ford Performance Blue, the colour of the original Focus RS.
In each case, body colour is used not just in contrast to the gloss-black exterior elements, but also extends to the car's interior.

High-Performance Interior
On the inside, Ford Focus RS boasts a unique and appropriately performance-oriented interior, designed to appeal to customer tastes and balance genuine sports performance with a strong sense of style and quality.
The cabin is dominated by bespoke Recaro high-performance sports seats, specially designed and trimmed in an authentic motorsport microfibre, a tactile material that also provides the grip and support necessary when driving enthusiastically. Each is colour-matched to the exterior, with ebony leather accents and 'RS' and 'Recaro' logos stitched into each backrest. Alternatively, optional Ebony black, partial-leather seats will be available with all exterior colours.
Elsewhere, colour builds on the sporty interior theme introduced in Focus ST, with even bolder performance styling, more use of colour matching to the exterior and wide use of metallised and carbon accents.
Rear seats are sculpted, featuring the same detailing and high side bolsters as the front sports seats, making Focus RS a genuine four-seat vehicle.
The centre console is finished in a stylish, carbon-look trim and metallised highlights include air vents, door grab handles, switchgear and gearshift surround and unique RS-branded scuff plates on the door sills. These highlights contrast with a black-trimmed roof lining, emphasising the sporty, cockpit feel.
The driver is also reminded this is no ordinary Focus at every touch, with each interaction refined to match Ford Focus RS' sporty character.
At the centre of this experience is a chunky, three-spoke steering wheel with RS signature and shorter-throw gear lever, with a slick, precise action and a six-speed gear shift graphic in RS blue. The performance driving environment is completed by aluminium foot pedals and three additional gauges, including turbo pressure, sitting atop the centre console and angled toward the driver.
Green or blue interior options are available, matched to the Ultimate Green or Performance Blue exterior options. Frozen White interior colour is blue.
Explains Martin Smith: "Just as the exterior must describe performance potential, so the interior must create a genuine sporting environment, in looks and performance. For example, the use of microfibre is tactile and grips occupants, while a branded Recaro seat communicates immediately an authentic motorsport capability."