Motorward

---

• Video: Journalist Crashes Ferrari FF
• Video: BMW Plant Zero Research Center
• Kia Developing Two-Seater Roadster
• Porsche Developing New Mid-Engine Supercar
• Mobaido Aston Martin Concept Phone
• Porsche Reflects On Practicality In New Ad Campaign
• Maserati Damiani Masterpiece Collection
• Mercedes E Cabrio Tuning by MEC Design
• Project Kahn Audi A5 Coupe
• Ferrari FF Review Video
• Must See: Mercedes GP Formula 1 TV Spot

Video: Journalist Crashes Ferrari FF Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:37 AM PDT Oh man! That’s bad. I can tell how excited he was being chosen as one of the few journalists from the world’s best known automotive media to go and drive the new Ferrari FF in its first press event. And it was going all peachy, the sun was out, the road was clear, and the Fezza was astonishing… right up to the moment that Mr. journalist crashes it. You see, Ferrari FF is four-wheel-drive but it’s not exactly a SUV. You should be careful with it. The rest from there is lots of f-bombs, predictably.

Video: BMW Plant Zero Research Center Posted: 25 Mar 2011 09:25 AM PDT BMW’s Plant Zero is kinda like Area 51, only smaller and less scary. And they don’t deny its existence. No only that, they even made a video tour of the plant which is located deep in the firm’s Munich compound. In Plant Zero they don’t make aircrafts. What they do there is make secret prototypes that are the base for future models. In fact, every new BMW you see out in the world has started life here as a hand-made prototype machined from a block of aluminum. We usually don’t like engineering and technical stuff cuz they’re boring, but I have to say this one’s really fascinating. The German way of doing things is not that bad after all!

Kia Developing Two-Seater Roadster Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:47 AM PDT Hot on the heels of exporting their 10millionth vehicle, Kia Motors is now thinking of a new brand image that is more appealing to younger customers. For that, they are mulling a new two-seater roadster to rival Mazda MX-5. They actually call this car Kia’s MX-5 and want it to be a dynamic, sporty and nimble roadster which will also be affordable enough for the young generation. Think of this car as a roadster version of the Kia Forte (Cerato) Koup. With the Koup, Kia enjoyed an enormous success in a segment that they were a complete stranger to. If the roadster has the same sort of brave design and great features of the Koup, it’ll be an instant hit. The sporty roadster will help Kia put on a new, more exciting face thus set the brand apart from sister company Hyundai. Kia officials have also confirmed there are big plans for the Soul. For example it’s going to get four-wheel-drive system and move upmarket to the crossover segment. via: AutoExpress

Porsche Developing New Mid-Engine Supercar Posted: 25 Mar 2011 08:31 AM PDT No, it’s not the 918! The 918 is now being prepared for production. This new model is apparently Porsche’s answer to cars like McLaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458 Italia. So it slots between the 911 and the 918 and will be mid-engined. It can also get a roadster variant. It will also share lots of its parts, up to 60 percent of them, with other cars in Porsche’s growing range to save costs. That’s because Porsche wants it to be a more regular model than a limited edition, high-end hyper car. All that is still a wet dream in Porsche officials’ head. But if Volkswagen’s managers give it a green light, they can quickly get around making it as the project is now far beyond early sketches and calculations. Porsche is looking to expand its lineup even further. There’s has been rumors about an entry-level roadster which is yet to be introduced, a small SUV which we know is coming in 2013 named Cajun, and a smaller version of the Panamera allegedly called the Pajun, destined for 2014 launch. So the new supercar could be the fourth new addition to the lineup of German sportscar maker. And it’s so good they finally turned attention to making sportscars agian. We're looking to extend the range," Porsche boss Mathias Muller revealed in a recent interview. "We've got an idea to do another mid-engined model. We're thinking above the 911 but below the 918 Spyder."Muller suggests that the new supercar has already progressed beyond the initial drawing board stage. "We have ideas on styling and design, which we will continue to develop in the coming months," he revealed. "We'll also evaluate the economic side and then decide [whether to push ahead]." More details: Autocar

Mobaido Aston Martin Concept Phone Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:56 AM PDT These days everybody is after a smartphone with the better OS and apps. That kinda caused the luxury phone market to come to a complete halt. Now Mobaido is presenting a vision of an excessively luxurious smartphone in partnership with Aston Martin. Aston Martin has tried luxury mobile phone market once before with the Nokia 8800 Aston Martin Edition, but this thing is something else. The Mobaido CPT002 concept, presented at at BaselWorld, the world watch and jewelry show in Switzerland, features a solid sapphire crystal, see-through capacitive touch screen for a simple modern look while maintaining a luxurious appearance. That is just fantastic, if they can make such a thing! The sides of the phone are crafted from platinum and incorporate the battery, electronics and the SIM slot. Again, not sure how they’re going to squeeze everything in there, but that’s a great idea nonetheless. Aesthetics aside, The CTP is also a very very smart phone! The best feature of it is of course the fact that it’s the key to your Aston Martin vehicle. Just have to point out with this level of luxury and technology, the phone will probably cost more than the Aston itself! The CPT002 software combines with the vehicle GPS providing a new level of social network experience: FourSquare will show your current location as well as the location of your friends and nearby venues all integrated on a GPS map of the Aston Martin car display, to help you plan your night and organize parking locations. Cameras integrated into the vehicle can be set to periodically update FaceBook and Twitter with pictures, video, and information of passing cities/landmarks during road trips, or can update your social sites in real time with your progress during race track days. At the time of an accident, the vehicle Airbag will receive accelerometer information from the CPT002 in the driver's pocket. These readings will give the car information of the driver's acceleration movement from within the car seat, allowing for more responsive control over safety deployments such as airbag sequence, timing, and seatbelt stiffening. Mobaido says concept ideas of this phone will be used for future production designs. The thing is, Mobaido phones are more like collectibles and stupidly expensive, we would be very happy if a new Nokia 8800 comes around! http://mobiado.com/

Porsche Reflects On Practicality In New Ad Campaign Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:32 AM PDT Porsche fans always tell Ferrari fans how their beloved 911 is more usable as an everyday car and how the performance is more accessible for more of the time. That’s what Porsche is using in their new approach to promoting sportscar. This new advertising campaign is called “Engineered for Magic. Everyday” and that kinda tells the whole story. Using a Porsche as a daily driver might be the fact that all sportscar shoppers were ignoring all this years! A Ferrari is of course prettier and, theoretically, faster. But in the real world the 911 is more usable and given all the potholes and speedhumps, it might even be faster. And next to ordinary cars, it looks good too. What’s more it can take your children to school and its boot is much bigger than what Fezza offer. So you get all the joys of driving a sportscar without having to give up on all amenities that make life easier. The new ad campaign will definitely work in 911′s benefit, because it’s just logic! “The magic of Porsche is how thoroughly the cars transform your everyday, routine driving,” said David Pryor, vice president of marketing, Porsche Cars North America. “It’s not only about the weekend joyride. It’s the only car in the world that combines true sports car exhilaration and the drivability for daily use. This campaign brings this fact to life, painting a bigger picture of the real Porsche value proposition, in some cases through the words and images of owners themselves.” Spanning TV, print, online, mobile, direct mail and a cinema promotion, the campaign drives home the engineering genius that allows these coveted sports cars to be everyday drivers. “When most people think of Porsche, they think ‘magic’ — and the cars certainly are,” said Marshall Ross, chief creative officer, Cramer-Krasselt. “What is markedly different about this campaign is we’re not selling the dream-car mystique of Porsche — that’s already a given. The creative challenge here was to tell the truth of the drivability of the car and still make it feel as special as it really is.” Debuting in selected markets tonight during the NCAA Tournament, the TV spot features vignettes of Porsche sports car owners in a number of seemingly everyday scenes: a parent picking up kids at school, a man running a home-improvement-store errand and a mom clearing away snow from the windshield each with titles re-characterizing the car as “school bus,” “pickup truck” and “snowmobile.”  In another vignette, as a man fires up the engine after a long day at the office, we see how the car’s incredible, mood-shifting virtues — as his “getaway car” — complement the everyday ones. The closing voiceover says: “Engineered for Magic. Everyday.” At the hub of the integrated campaign is a consumer-generated website — PorscheEveryday.com — here owners can share their own everyday stories. With a combination of professionally produced videos and images along with owner-submitted content, the site builds a mosaic showcasing the many ways a Porsche is engineered for everyday magic. For this effort, Porsche has once again reached out to its passionate and active loyalists and enthusiasts to participate and contribute to the story. Last month, to start things off, Porsche sent 200 Flip video cameras to select owners asking them to contribute videos. The brand has also invited input from all its owners, the Porsche Club of America, dealers and their customers, and the million-plus Facebook fans for everyday stories, photos and videos. In partnership with the Reelz channel, Porsche will also invite amateur film-makers to submit films that demonstrate “daily magic.” Ten filmmakers will be selected to experience daily magic in a Porsche and then make a film about the experience. The winning submission will be shown in cinemas across the country — a first for Porsche — and on the Reelz channel. TV will run on national cable and print will appear in April issues of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Fast Company and Conde Nast Traveler with headlines such as “Turns small errands into short adventures”  and “Passion should never take a snow day” — all ending with “Engineered for Magic. Everyday.”

Maserati Damiani Masterpiece Collection Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:49 AM PDT Maserati and Italian jewelry company Damiani launched new Masterpiece key-ring and the Circle collection. The collection has been unveiled at the Basel world Watches and Jewellery exhibition. The two Italian icons has have been working together since 2009 to present designer jewelry and accessories with Maserati branding. They are in essence normal Damiani stuff that come at much higher price because of the Maserati logo! That’s how this brand merchandising works. Still, we think its embarrassing to wear a necklace with Maserati logo on it. A keyring ys, that’s fine even if you don’t have a Masser, but a necklace? What people will think of you! You might say aha, I’ll explain to them that its a Damiani, but things that you have to explain them are never cool. THE MASTERPIECE KEY-RING A jewel born from the craftsmanship of Damiani goldsmiths artisans: a beautiful key-ring in white 18kt gold with diamonds and sapphires pavé that will be produced in a limited edition of only eight pieces, the number of cylinders of Maserati V8 engines. The key-ring design features the Maserati logo: the unmistakable Trident in white gold stands out on the pavé composed by 232 blue sapphires and 66 conflict-free diamonds. On the back of the key-ring, the engraved Maserati 'signature' in a tribute to real lovers of Made in Italy luxury. THE CIRCLE COLLECTION The Circle collection, first of a series of product lines created by Damiani for Maserati, proposes a range of accessories in silver entirely dedicated to men. Cufflinks, key-rings and necklaces are characterised by an essential and elegant design playing with the circular shape and with the Maserati Trident logo engraved on the front. THE MASTERPIECE KEY-RING A jewel born from the craftsmanship of Damiani goldsmiths artisans: a beautiful key-ring in white 18kt gold with diamonds and sapphires pavé that will be produced in a limited edition of only eight pieces, the number of cylinders of Maserati V8 engines. The key-ring design features the Maserati logo: the unmistakable Trident in white gold stands out on the pavé composed by 232 blue sapphires and 66 conflict-free diamonds. On the back of the key-ring, the engraved Maserati 'signature' in a tribute to real lovers of Made in Italy luxury. THE CIRCLE COLLECTION The Circle collection, first of a series of product lines created by Damiani for Maserati, proposes a range of accessories in silver entirely dedicated to men. Cufflinks, key-rings and necklaces are characterised by an essential and elegant design playing with the circular shape and with the Maserati Trident logo engraved on the front.

Mercedes E Cabrio Tuning by MEC Design Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:32 AM PDT Mercedes Benz E Class Cabriolet is one of the most elegant four-seater drop-tops you can buy today. But if you want to add some sportiness to the package as well, this MEC Design kit might be what you’re after. This is a no-fuss kinda tuning, old school if you will. They’ve just lowered the car, bolted on some new wheels, and installed some new exhausts. There’s your lot. simple but fun! For the wheels, MEC provides you with mecxtremeIII 20-inch rims, 9×20 at front and 10.5×20 at the back, in either Satin White or satin Black finish. You may also order the special full matte black finish for extra charge. As for the tires you get 235.30 at front and 185.25 at the back. As mentioned the car’s also lowered, by 35 mm thanks to some 300 euro springs. Based on the E 350 CDI, the car’s 230 hp V6 turbodiesel can now breath more easily and therefore sound much nicer than the standard thanks to the sports exhausts system. Since the car is equipped with AMG sport back body kit the mufflers of this system fit like a dream give the car a meaner appearance.

Project Kahn Audi A5 Coupe Posted: 25 Mar 2011 06:12 AM PDT Recently Project Kahn has been trying out different segments, tuning cars of lower class than they usually do. Here’s their take on Audi A5. The body kit on this car, including a front and rear bumper unit with side blades, rear boot spoiler and a pair of new twin tailpipes belonging to the car’s stainless steel exhausts system, Kinda reminds us of the Audi Quattro Concept, but one would look at that rear-end and immediately think of Audi R8. Othre touches include pearl silver door mirrors, pearl front and rear diffuser, a 35mm lowered suspension, and 21-inch RSL lightweight wheels with black and red stripes. For the interior the car benefits from red dials in matt finish, stainless steel kick plates and billet aluminum pedals. The revamped looks of the A5 Coupe is a real head-turner but is it also pretty? Not sure if Kahn also offers performance upgrades for the car or not, but given the fact that it’s based on the A5 3.0 and riced from £31,875.00 chances are they don’t.

Ferrari FF Review Video Posted: 25 Mar 2011 05:55 AM PDT A while back Ferrari used CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters to transport a couple of new FFs up the Plan De Corones in in the Dolomites so the world’s journalists could try the car’s new features in tricky conditions. Now the outcomes of those tests are emerging one after another, and here’s Autocar’s take on the car. Although one’s perceptions about the car’s appearance might affect how they judge the whole product, but as a car Ferrari FF is more than brilliant. You get a 650 bhp four-seater GT car which just happened to have a big boot and 4WD system. I mean what’s not to like! But then, aesthetics for most people are far more important than technicalities.

Must See: Mercedes GP Formula 1 TV Spot Posted: 25 Mar 2011 05:43 AM PDT Mercedes Benz TV just released the new TV commercial they’ve made for the Mercedes GP Formula 1 team for the 2011 season. Titled ‘ Compliments’ this ad is really fantastic. Mercedes is actually sending a message to its won team with this spot, telling them not to get distracted by the sidelines or they may be surprised. It features Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. This time Hakkinen schools big Schu! It is a genuinely good ad this, don’t miss it.

You are subscribed to email updates from Motorward To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610