Caterham and Renault teaming up to bring back the Alpine « Back to Article

The Alpine car brand is coming back. Renault and the Caterham Group have announced a new joint venture to build sports cars beginning in January 2013 at Renault’s Alpine plant in Dieppe, Normandy. The partnership between Renault and Caterham involves the latter holding a 50 percent stake in the new business called the Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham.

 

Building on their Formula 1 partnership, the companies hope that this venture will allow them to combine their expertise to build cars that are “distinctive, differentiated, and carry the respective DNA of Alpine and Caterham Cars.” This revival of Alpine by Renault and Caterham is particularly timely because this year is the 50th anniversary of the Alpine A110 sports car.

 

 

 

Renault's KWID Concept comes with its own Flying Companion quadcopter

Looking like a cross between a full-scale toy and a lunar buggy, Renault’s new KWID Concept features a twist that could either be a flight of fancy or a glimpse of the future – the world’s first built-in quadcopter.

 

Unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Show, the KWID Concept was tailored to meet the needs of Indian drivers, with room for five-passengers and an interior designed to work better in warmer climates. As part of Renault’s lifecycle-based design program, in this case the "Explore" petal, the KWID Concept is designed to be converted to full electric drive with ease. Conventional power comes in the form of a 1.2 liter turbocharged engine, mated up to a dual clutch transmission. Although the concept looks all-wheel-drive-capable, it is in fact only two-wheel drive.

 

The KWID Concept’s bird-nest interior is a mix of two-tone elastomer straps laid out over a solid white bench. The KWID's center-positioned driver’s seat insert, flanked by set-back passenger seats, comes off as an afterthought, but isn’t just an aesthetic decision; it also allows the KWID to play in both left and right side drive countries without reconfiguration. On the back of the driver’s seat are AC controls that provide air to passengers via concentric perforations around the system.

Series Convertible

Previously known as the 1 Series Coupe, the 2 Series has been put in the spotlight on various occasions - thanks to its dynamic-looking exterior. Practicality is improved over the predecessor, with more cabin room and a bigger boot. While the new 2 Series will come in a number of flavors, it is the M235i that will the makeits debut here in Singapore

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The new 4 Series Coupe is visibly larger, more striking and with a greater on-road presence than its forebearer - the 3 Series Coupe - and the convertible is all set to add more appeal. The drop-top variant of the 4 Series will still receive a three-piece folding hardtop that will be deployed in less than 20 seconds - at speeds of up to 18km / h.

Aston Martin

The V12 Vantage S is the most extreme road-going Aston Martin bred for the race track. The powerplant is uptuned to deliver 565bhp and 620Nm of torque in a chassis that weighs 15kg lesser. The result is nothing short of exhilarating, with a 0-100km / h sprint timing of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 330km / h, making it the fastest series production models by the British carmaker

The sexy Vanquish gets even more tantalizing with a convertible version, and the British automaker promises that this is the best ever Volante - a tall hat indeed for the drop top grand tourer. More than just a form, the car is the first Volante to have a full carbon fiber skin. The V12 underneath the hood unleashes 565 horses - enabling the Volante to dish out its century sprint in just 4.1 seconds, making it the quickest accelerating convertible Aston Thus far.

The McLaren 12C GT3 will return to competitive track action with the 2013 Australian GT champions VIP Petfoods at Bathurst 12 Hour race.

The McLaren 12C GT3 will return to competitive track action next weekend at one of the most challenging events on the motorsport calendar, as 2013 Australian GT champions VIP Petfoods contest the 2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour race. The track-focussed racer will make its debut in the famous Australian endurance race among a grid of more than 40 cars.

Having clinched the 2013 Australian GT Championship title, the VIP Petfoods team has now confirmed that the Bathurst race marks the start of the first full-season attack in Australia with the 12C GT3, and the race is also the first time a 12C GT3 has competed in the famous 12 hour race.

The race is one of the highlights in the endurance racing calendar, and takes place around the 6.2km Mount Panorama circuit, in New South Wales, Australia.

Father-and son duo Tony and Klark Quinn will share the driving seat with McLaren GT Managing Director, Andrew Kirkaldy. Although primarily focused on running McLaren GT, the Scotsman boasts an impressive driving resume with a successful history in GT racing.

He won the coveted McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, secured the British GT Championship title in 2005, and claimed a podium finish in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans the following year.

British carmaker McLaren is rumoured to be working on a new sportscar that will fit between the P1 flagship and the MP4-12C.

It seems that the British automaker McLaren is not resting on its laurels. The marque has just dilivered the first copy of its flagship P1 (above) a few months back, and there has been strong speculations that it plans to add a new 'entry-level'sport car to take on the likes of the Porsche 911. 

Codenamed the P15, the new car will slot between the MP4-12C and the P1. Its pricing points towards the same direction too - with a retail tag of £ 400,000 (approximately S $ 843.650) that sits between the P1 and the MP4-12C. 

Based on an interview by the British publication Autocar, McLaren Admitted that the project is still in its budding stage and discussions on its drivetrain (whether it will benefit from the P1's hybrid technologies) are still ongoing ..