The new Golf GTI - New design, new engine, new fascination

The new Golf GTI is on its way, powered by a 200 horsepower turbo engine and set for delivery in Europe in Q4. First unveiled in 1976, the new Volkswagen Golf GTI will be the fifth generation of a vehicle with an extraordinary brand recognition - 93.2% of all Europeans equate the GTI letters with the high performance Volkswagen Golf and the standard Golf is Europe's top-selling car.

 

To power the Golf GTI, Volkswagen is using a newly developed 2.0 litre FSI turbo engine. The 147 kW direct injection petrol unit powers the GTI to 235 kmh, a remarkable increase from the original (then regarded as firebreathing) GTI's 81 kW and 182 kmh top speed.

 

At the time of the first release, the GTI was seen as a limited production vehicle with a short production run of 5000 planned. The car captured public imagination, spawned a new class of vehicle, and over four generations the original 5 000 vehicles has become over 1.5 million Golf GTIs.

Volkswagen's 1 litre car project

Bringing new meaning to the phrase 'running on the smell of an oily rag', Volkswagen's '1-litre' vehicle is capable of covering 100 km on less than one litre of fuel. The top secret project was first demonstrated during April 2002 when Volkswagen's Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr Ferdinand Piech, drove the prototype 230 km from Wolfsburg to Hamburg at an average speed of 75 km/h using only 2.1 litres of diesel fuel - that's 0.89 litre per 100 km.

 

Volkswagen engineers designed the '1 litre' car to be ultra-lightweight, even forgoing a coat of paint in constructing the 1.25 x 3.65m frame from magnesium and composite carbon-fibre material encased in a reinforced plastic outer skin. Developed using a wind tunnel, the low-profile 'teardrop' shaped concept vehicle stands just over 1 metre high with its two seats arranged one behind the other - thus reducing the area at the front to minimise wind-resistance - and employs a mid-engine configuration, single cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of only 0.3 litre that develops maximum power of 6.3 kW at 4000 rpm. To further optimise fuel efficiency, aluminium is used for the construction of the crankcase and cylinder head and the suspension is made from lightweight alloy components, and incredibly, the '1 litre' car can still achieve speeds of up to 120 km/h. In addition to the unparalleled fuel efficiency, Volkswagen have also emphasised safety, incorporating an anti-lock braking system and a drivers' airbag into the design.

 

To put this achievement in perspective, you could jump in the '1 litre' concept vehicle and make it from Melbourne to Sydney with less than $10 worth of fuel in the tank - add this to the rapid developments in hybrid engines and alternative energy sources such as fuel cells, and you have a formula for a cheaper, cleaner and far more efficient future for automotive transport.

Heavy metal concept bike with green cred

Jordan Meadows is best known for his automotive work such as the Award-winning Kaan, Mazda Kiyora and Mazda Furai, but his portfolio includes some remarkable work such as the Hellfighter VTOL aircraft and Hydroplane Racer concepts. His latest concept is the Metalback cafe racer motorcycle, fashioned to exist where substance and sustainability meet speed and style. The engine is a V4 diesel running on environmentally-friendly bio diesel fuel, while the frame and skin are crafted from recycled aluminum.

"Currently, the Motorcycle market is devoid of product which has been designed for sustainability while still offering style and uniqueness for the enthusiast," says Jordan.

 

"The concept is powered by a v4 engine running on bio diesel. This increases the range and MPG well above conventional gasoline bikes while running on a fuel which is more environmentally-friendly. Its frame and skin are crafted from recycled aluminum.

"This has the advantage of saving weight to enhance performance while reclaiming pre-used material. In the manufacturing process, the alloy is treated to patina and age naturally without expensive and harmful paint applications.

 

"The net effect is a raw natural surface which suits the classic cafe racer and recalls the romance and power of vintage WW2 fighter planes."

Mazda Kiyora urban compact concept car Paris debut

September 4, 2008 Mazda will unveil the next vehicle in its long-term technology development vision, "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" concept car series at the 2008 Paris International Motor Show next week – the Mazda Kiyora is a lightweight, next generation, urban compact concept car. Kiyora's aerodynamic Nagare design and next-generation four-cylinder direct-injection engine contribute to excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions.

Mazda Kiyora (meaning 'clean and pure' in Japanese) represents the harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features aspired to in Mazda's

The concept of "Kiyora" helped the designers to imagine a city car cutting cleanly through an urban landscape, with water as the design theme.

The new Mazda Kiyora concept car is based on an all-new platform designed to minimise weight and maximise safety and driving pleasure. It also features an interior design and new functions that support a youthful lifestyle.

 

Joining the Mazda Kiyora concept car on Mazda's stand at the Paris show, the Mazda MX-5 facelift will make its world debut together with the Mazda6 equipped with Mazda's newly developed MZR-CD 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine, and the Mazda2 powered by a MZ-CD 1.6-liter diesel

New high-performance Mazda3 MPS unveiled

February 14, 2006 Mazda premiere a new high-performance Mazda3 MPS at the 76th annual Geneva International Motor Show on February 28. The flagship of the Mazda3 range, the all-new Mazda3 MPS, will give sports-minded customers outstanding performance coupled with a stylishly sophisticated design and everyday practicality and comfort the Mazda3 line up is known for. Mazda3 MPS is the second model in the Mazda Performance Series, following the Mazda6 MPS launched in the UK in January. The car will be called Mazdaspeed Axela in Japan, Mazdaspeed3 in North America and, in other key regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Mazda3 MPS.

 

Mazda looked to embody three distinct attributes with the new vehicle: driving fun, ownership delight and everyday convenience. With its compact, lightweight body and substantial power generated by its 2.3-litre MZR DISI turbo petrol engine, Mazda3 MPS is one of the most powerful high-performance sports compacts with front-wheel drive (FWD) on the road today.

The car’s styling pursues a look of strength and solidity in a design that conveys its unmatched dynamic performance at a glance. Mazda3 MPS reflects Mazda’s intention to continue delivering Zoom-Zoom in all its products.

Joining them on the Mazda stand will be a Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid concept vehicle powered by a RENESIS rotary dual-fuel engine – that can use hydrogen or gasoline – and an electric motor, for both outstanding eco-friendliness and high levels of driving pleasure. The up will be revealed at the Geneva Show as well.

 

Mazda will also showcase the new, upgraded Mazda3 line and the European debut of the Kabura concept vehicle in Geneva.

Mazda to debut Sports Concept, Hydrogen Rotary Engine

Mazda will debut two new concepts at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show including the two-seat Ibuki concept - an open-top, lightweight sports car that hints at a possible design direction of a future Mazda Roadster - and a hydrogen version of the RENESIS rotary engine.

Ibuki concept

The Mazda Ibuki concept (the name comes from a Japanese word that refers to "breathing new energy into" and "adding vigor") reaches back to its 1989 origins, maintaining the simple and clean design that could emerge in future Roadster/MX-5 models.

The Ibuki is powered by a MZR 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine and has a "super front-midship layout" (as also found in the Mazda RX-8) that places all major components within the wheelbase. Compared with the layout in the current Mazda Roadster/MX-5, the engine is positioned approximately 400mm further to the rear, while the air

conditioner unit is located behind the seats.

Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE (Prototype)

This concept vehicle powered by the Mazda RENESIS hydrogen rotary engine is now undergoing running tests.

The hydrogen version of RENESIS aims to satisfy the demand for both environment-friendliness and high-performance on the road by utilising unique rotary-engine

Technologies. The RX-8 Hydrogen RE powerplant has direct hydrogen injection into

the intake chambers via two electronically-controlled injectors per rotor as well as a dual-fuel system that allows one-touch switching between hydrogen and gasoline.

Mazda is also presenting a hybrid system with electric torque assist and start-stop technology, a turbocharger with electric motor assistance at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show which begins on October 25.

The 37th Tokyo Motor Show will be held at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba City and open to the public from Saturday, October 25th to Wednesday November 5th, 2003.

Mazda MX-5 Superlight without a windscreen

It might seem like only yesterday that the Mazda MX5 hit the market, but the iconic roadster actually celebrated its 20th birthday on the U.S. Market last month (March in Japan). In order to commemorate two decades of the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world, Mazda has released a special edition in Japan, but the prospect of something even more special looms at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show where an MX-5 Superlight version will be unveiled with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield.

The MX5 is currently sold in approximately 60 countries. The Roadster (MX5 in non-Japanese markets) was certified as the world’s most produced two-seat, open-top sports cars by Guinness World Records when production reached 800,000 units. Total production of the Mazda Roadster now stands in excess of 860,000 units.

Based on the RS soft-top model with a six-speed manual transmission, the Roadster 20th Anniversary went on sale last week in Japan with the option to include Mazda's VS Power Retractable Hard Top (RHT) hard-top foran extra USD$2650. Special equipment includes unique red and black RECARO bucket sport seats, exclusive ‘20th Anniversary’ badges, five-temperature heated seats, and clear front fog lights. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (including sales tax) is 2,860,000 yen (USD$30,000) for the soft-top version and 3,110,000 yen (USD$32,650) for the RHT model.

All 20th Anniversary models come in Crystal White Pearl Mica (a color used for the first time on the Mazda Roadster).

The coming Frankfurt show car is the one with the most appeal though, as Mazda seeks to test public opinion on what the next take on its affordable roadster might look like.

The Mazda MX-5 Superlight version was designed at Mazda’s studio in Frankfurt, Germany. A pure show car, it takes the lightweight technology that Mazda is famous for to a new level, “improving driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions” according to the scant information Mazda has provided so far. This is combined with a radical exterior design requiring no windshield, and sporty chassis settings for pure roadster driving fun.

If the car is ever produced, it will be interesting to see just what kerb weight Mazda can achieve. The original MX5 weighed in at 940 kg, adding 50 kilograms in its second generation version, and growing to the current 1095 kilograms of the third generation.

The new Mazda MX-5 Superlight version will be unveiled on September15 at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show.