Tuesday, November 29, 2011

NISSAN 370Z NISMO

NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
NISSAN 370Z NISMO
If you are a gaming, racecar or even a frequent visitor of Carscoop, then you already know about Nismo. For the rest, it’s an abbreviation of Nissan Motorsports, the Japanese carmaker’s in-house performance division established in 1984.

Yet its activities have been restricted mainly in motorsports, where it has been involved with great success in events like the FIA GT1 World Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and of course, numerous racing series in Japan .

Its road car presence has been limited to tuning parts and a very small number of special edition models such as the 370Z NISMO (Fairlady Z in Japan). But this will soon change as Nissan announced today the initiation of a major expansion program for its performance arm which will use its race and tuning expertise to spice up the company’s road cars.

"Nismo has carved out an enviable reputation in motor racing", said Carlos Ghosn, Nissan President and CEO. “In fact, in 2011, Nismo cars and engines won in every category they competed in - the first time we have achieved this milestone."

"The time is now right to let ordinary drivers experience what our racing drivers enjoy every time they head out onto the track. We aim to bring Nismo's passion and focus on driving excitement to mainstream models, and the Juke Nismo Concept shows what we can do”, he added.

Ghosn’s intention to compete with other carmakers’ performance divisions, like BMW’s M and Mercedes-Benz’ AMG, is more than evident in the building of an all-new global Nismo headquarters in Tsurumi, Yokohama, in the beginning of 2013.

Looks like the Juke Nismo Concept is just the warning shot in the war Ghosn is planning to wage against rivals in the performance segment.
source : http://carscoop.blogspot.com/

Honda CR-Z iCF

Honda CR-Z iCF
Honda CR-Z iCF
As we rightfully suspected when Honda revealed the Mugen CR-Z RR Study at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011 earlier in the summer, the Japanese carmaker confirmed a production version of its hotted-up hybrid sport hatch that will go on sale in Britain next spring.

And for those of you wondering, unfortunately, Honda has no plans to offer the car in other markets – at least for the time being.

The production model is named CR-Z iCF and it has

been developed in partnership with Mugen's European arm. At the heart of the car lies a modified version of the CR-Z's 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain that gains a supercharger, a new induction system and a reprogrammed ECU.

As a result of these upgrades, the CR-Z iCF has almost 50 per cent more power than the standard car at 175PS (equal to 173HP and 177bhp) and can sprint from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in just 6.1 seconds or 3 seconds quicker than the regular 124PS CR-Z.

In addition to the power boost, Mugen will also retune the chassis and modify the appearance of the CR-Z inside and out.

Martin Moll, Head of Honda UK's marketing division commented: "MUGEN Euro magic has created a super responsive yet eco-conscious model building on our sporting credentials and giving us the ability to compete in the "hot hatch" marketplace as we move into 2012."

Honda said that it is still working on the pricing but it expects the CR-Z iCF to start from around £24,000 (approx. US$37,300 or €27,990). More details are to be released closer to the launch date.
source : http://carscoop.blogspot.com/

Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC

Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
With the upcoming Astra OPC, Opel and its sister company Vauxhall have pretty much covered the needs of the go-fast crowd, but for those that already have a regular GTC model and would like some modest upgrades, Steinmetz revealed a new tuning program at the Essen Motor Show that runs from November 26 to December 4.

The German firm's offerings include a styling kit that comprises of new black upper and lower front grilles, a fron apron, roof and boot spoilers and new exhaust tail pipes, plus side stripes in silver and anthracite, and door handle covers and mirror caps set in polished stainless steel.

The sporty-looking three-door hatchback also gets a new 19-inch wheels with 245/40 R19 high performance tires from either Continental or Michelin, while a new sports suspension ehnaces its stance and promises to improve handling by dropping the ride height by 30mm (1.2-inches).

The interior modifications include the Steinmetz electronic speed indicator, new floor mats with embroidered logo and polished stainless steel sill plates and a bumper protection for the trunk.
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPC
Steinmetz Opel Astra OPCsource : http://carscoop.blogspot.com/