World of Automobile: Prototype

Showing posts with label Prototype. Show all posts

Saturday, December 3, 2011

1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom 10EX prototype up for auction

RM AUCTIONS PRESENTS AN OUTSTANDING SERIES OF ENGLISH MOTOR CARS AT INAUGURAL SALON PRIVÉ SALE

- RM Auctions consigns a fine selection of 'quintessentially English' cars and motorcycles for its debut Salon Privé sale, 23 June, 2011
- Historic 1926 Rolls-Royce Experimental Phantom 1 '10 EX' headlines high-quality offering
- Unique ex-works 1939 Aston Martin 2-Litre Speed Model offered in fully restored condition leads exciting series of Aston Martins

LONDON (28 April, 2011) – RM Auctions, the world's largest collector car auction house for quality automobiles, is delighted to announce a selection of notable highlights for its forthcoming 'Quintessentially English' sale, at the Salon Privé luxury car show and Concours d'Elegance, 23rd June, 2011.

Held at the stunning Syon Park estate in West London, the recently-launched summer sale will lift the hammer on a host of great British marques, including Aston Martin, Jaguar and Rolls-Royce among others.

Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Europe says, "We have pulled together a collection of very interesting and significant collector cars and motorcycles which represent some of the finest and most significant vehicles produced in England during the pre- and post-war periods."

"This new annual sale is wonderful 'boutique' style auction, which both complements the nature of Salon Privé and sits very comfortably alongside our broader Automobiles of London event at Battersea in October. It is not to be missed by anyone wanting to secure a genuine piece of English automotive history," adds Girardo.

Unquestionably, one of the star consignments for the sale is the unique and historic 1926 Rolls Royce Experimental Phantom 1 Continental, '10 EX' (pictured). Commissioned by Mr. D. Claude Johnson, then Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Motors, 10 EX was the first prototype Phantom 1 Continental to be fitted with sports body 'torpedo' coachwork by Barker. Known as the 'CJ Sportscar', it was intended to gain top speed by a lighter body with a lower steering column, and became known as the first sports car to be produced by Rolls-Royce. Three subsequent cars were produced on this design, consecutively known as 15 EX, 16 EX and 17 EX, however, chassis 10 EX was the only experimental Phantom 1 Continental to be kept by Rolls-Royce Motors for six years and the only test car of the factory. During this time, this rakish sporting Rolls was reportedly loaned by the factory to Laurence of Arabia for continental touring. 10EX has an estimated value of £400,000-£800,000 and is one of seven Rolls-Royces to be presented during the 23 June sale.

Another significant car to be offered at RM's Salon Privé sale is a one-off, ex-works 1939 Aston Martin 2-Litre Speed Model, chassis number 727U, which was originally built by the factory for outer circuit racing at the historic Brooklands race circuit in England. Featuring a Speed Model chassis with a narrow track, 727U and was tested at Brooklands by Gordon Sutherland and Charles Brackenbury, a 'works' Aston driver, although sadly never actually raced by the factory due to the outbreak of war. The car remained in Aston Martin ownership until 1947. Since then, this well-known and highly desirable Aston Martin has been a regular on the historic racing scene. Its recent racing successes include a notable 2nd place at Goodwood in 2006 and an appearance at Laguna Seca in the USA, where it also appeared at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It is offered today in exceptional condition having been rebuilt and prepared by one the world's leading marque specialists. (Estimate: £320,000 - £380,000). For Aston Martin enthusiasts, 727U joins a series of no less than 13 Astons consigned to the auction.

Other notable entries include:

- a 1929 Bentley Speed Six "Le Mans" VDP Tourer, chassis number FA 2518, a faithful recreation of the 1930 No 3 Speed Six Le Mans team car (Estimate: £450,000 - £550,000);
- a beautiful 1937 Jaguar SS 100 2.5 Litre Roadster, chassis number 18116 (Estimate: £200,000-£230,000);
- a highly-desirable 1955 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback, (Estimate: £330,000-£380,000); and,
- an historically-interesting ex-Works Le Mans entrant 1961 Sunbeam Harrington Alpine Coupe, chassis number B 9102730/OD/HRO (Estimate: £58,000 - £70,000).

Joining the automobiles will be a select group of motorcycles, headlined by a wonderful 1939 Brough Superior 11.50, chassis number M8/2214, which is an excellent, late example of one of these highly desirable machines in superb, original condition (Estimate: £35,000 - £45,000).

For further information on RM's inaugural Salon Privé sale and a frequently updated lot list, please visit www.rmauctions.com or call RM's London office at +44 20 7851 7070. For further information on Salon Privé, please visit: www.salonprivelondon.com.

Event Details – RM at Salon Privé
Sale date:
23 June, 2011, Auction commences at 5:00pm GMT

Preview dates:
22 June, 2011, 11:00am – 9:00pm* GMT
23 June 2011, 9:00am – 5:00pm GMT

*Please note that on Wednesday, 22 June, the preview will be open to Salon Privé guests only until 4:30pm. The preview will then open for those with an official auction catalogue (plus one guest) until 9:00pm.

Location:
Syon House,
Syon Park, London TW8 8JF
United Kingdom

Admission:
Admission to this event requires the purchase of an official auction catalogue available for £50. The catalogue admits two to the auction and must be presented at the entrance of the sale to be granted entry. Please note that the purchase of an RM catalogue does not grant admission to the Salon Privé event.

For those unable to attend the event in person, Internet, absentee, telephone and iPhone bidding options are available. Visit www.rmauctions.com for further information.

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

2012 Lexus GS350 / GS F-Sport Prototype Drive: For Real, It’s a Sporty GS

2012 Lexus GS350 Prototype Drive – Review – Car and Driver #pallet {margin:0;}#echoice li.category {margin:0;}Car and DriverIntelligence. Independence. Irreverence. VehiclesReviewsNewsFeaturesBuyer's GuideFollow UsSubscribeSearch Car and DriverHome › Reviews › 2012 Lexus GS350 - Prototype Drive

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2012 Lexus GS350 - Prototype DriveLexus gets serious about sportiness.BY TONY QUIROGA
July 2011

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2012 Lexus GS350

Photos (50)Visit Our Buyer's Guide »Lexus GS› Overview› Specifications› Price with Options› Photos & 360° View› Get a Free QuoteNews & Reviews2012 Lexus GS Spy Photos - Future CarsLexus LF-Gh Hybrid Concept - Auto Shows2010 Lexus GS350 / GS460 / GS450h - Auto ShowsFive Axis Project Lexus GS - Auto Shows2008 Lexus GS460 - Short Take Road Test2007 Lexus GS350 - Rants and RavesLexus GS450h - Auto Shows2006 Lexus GS300 - First Drive ReviewLexus GS - Auto ShowsTop CompetitorsAudi A6 sedanBMW 5-series sedanInfiniti MMercedes-Benz E-class sedan

The GS is Lexus’s answer to the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-class, but it has never quite measured up to those two sedans in sales numbers. As the car enters its fourth generation, Lexus tells us the GS will be sportier and more focused on the driving experience.

That goes for the company, too. Content with more than 20 years of pursuing perfection, it will use the upcoming GS to lead a philosophical change, an outlook it describes as “joy and leading edge.” We’re told that means the brand is moving beyond the Spock-like purely rational and toward emotional connections with buyers. Driver enjoyment and engagement are vital to the new attitude. Aggression is in. Complete isolation is out. We’ve seen inklings of the shift in such cars as the IS-F and the LFA supercar, but the new GS is a volume product, not a limited-edition model. To give us a taste of its new way of thinking, Lexus invited us to drive two heavily camouflaged GS350 prototypes.

I Believe We’ve Met

Powering both prototypes is a warmed-over version of the GS350’s current 3.5-liter V-6. Lexus staffers wouldn’t get too specific about the changes to the engine, but they hinted at the possibility of a few more horsepower. We’ve never straight-line-tested a GS350, but we have no reason to doubt Lexus’s 0-to-60-mph estimate of 5.7 seconds. For those seeking more acceleration—as well as for fuel-conscious buyers—the GS hybrid will return. Running contrary to Lexus’s claims about newfound sportiness, the V-8–powered GS460 is dead.

Even with the cars covered in what look like garbage bags, it’s easy to tell this new GS is a break from those that have come before. From what we could see, the dashboard and the doors are wrapped in leather in a style that mimics the LFA’s interior. The Lexus “waterfall” center console is gone. In its place is a massive 12.3-inch screen that displays navigation and audio information, as well as a host of vehicle settings. Models without navigation will get a smaller screen. Sit down in the current GS, and it immediately feels stodgy and dated.

Our drive included two different GS models. One represented the mainstream GS350, and the other showed just how far the GS350 might take driver involvement. Standard on all upcoming GS sedans will be Lexus’s “drive mode select.” The drive-mode select knob allows the driver to put the car in eco, normal, sport S, or sport S+ modes. Eco dials back throttle response and upshifts the six-speed automatic transmission early to boost fuel economy. Switch to sport, and the transmission holds gears longer, downshifts under aggressive braking, and increases throttle sensitivity. Move the shifter into the manual gate and downshift with the shifter or the steering-wheel paddles, and the engine blips itself for rev-matched downshifts. Sport+ is only available on cars equipped with active shocks (as our two prototypes were). This setting stiffens the shocks and quickens the steering on models fitted with the variable-ratio system.

F That

The sportier of the two prototypes available for our drive will be known as the GS F-Sport when it goes on sale in early 2012. Higher spring rates, a thicker anti-roll bar, firmer adaptive shocks, larger two-piece front brake rotors, four-wheel steering, a variable-ratio rack, and 19-inch wheels with summer tires (235/40-19 in front and 265/35-19 in back) give the F-Sport quick responses and plenty of grip. The chassis can easily handle more power than the 3.5-liter V-6 can deliver. Switch to Sport+, and the steering becomes quick (we measured 2.2 turns lock-to-lock) and the weighting increases. Accurate and spirited, the quick steering makes the GS feel like a smaller car. One gripe: The steering effort doesn’t increase in response to front-tire stress. Switch the stability control completely off, and the F-Sport proves playful. It’s possible to coax the GS to power oversteer, but the big sticky rubber in back and the four-wheel steering bring the rear end back in line with ease.

Riding on 18-inch wheels with 235/45-18 summer tires, the second prototype on hand proved to be a less-extreme machine. Compared with the F-Sport, the mainstream GS is softer and has more body roll. After driving the F-Sport equipped with variable steering, the nonvariable rack-and-pinion feels slower. Then we drove the current GS and found it to be even less secure-feeling, with a heavily intrusive stability-control system.

Say No to Growing Pains

The new GS will not be any larger than the current car. Wheelbase is unchanged at 112.2 inches; overall length increases from 190.0 inches to 190.9. Interior space is up, thanks to a 0.8-inch increase in width and a roof that’s higher by 1.2 inches. The latter provides a boost to rear-seat headroom. Through the use of high-strength steel and more laser welding, Lexus claims its new platform is more rigid and yet lighter than before. Unfortunately, any weight loss will be canceled out by more standard and optional equipment, and the GS’s curb weight will remain roughly where it is today.

Lexus will debut the GS on August 18. After that, the GS hybrid will turn up at the Frankfurt auto show in September, a few weeks before the GS F-Sport breaks cover at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. Lexus wouldn’t reveal the exact on-sale date, but we were told it would be sometime in early 2012. Snow sufferers should see an all-wheel-drive GS350 by the middle of next year.

We’ve driven only prototypes, so it’s a bit early to determine how the GS will stack up against the competition, but a legitimate sports sedan from Lexus might give BMW and Audi buyers something to consider.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear and 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: GS350, $48,000; GS hybrid, $55,000; GS F-Sport, $55,000

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 211 cu in, 3456 cc
Power (SAE net): 305 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 274 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.2 in Length: 190.9 in
Width: 72.4 in Height: 57.3 in
Curb weight (C/D EST): 3850 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 5.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.2 sec
Top speed: 145 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway: 20/27 mpg

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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Infiniti Etherea Concept – Prototype Drive

May 18, 2011 at 6:31pm by Jens Meiners

Infiniti Etherea concept

We drive Infiniti’s one-of-a-kind Geneva concept and upcoming Audi A3 fighter.

It is extremely rare for automakers to invite journalists to drive their concepts, so we didn’t hesitate for a second when Infiniti Europe’s Wayne Bruce offered to let us take a spin behind the wheel of the compact Etherea. Launched in March at the Geneva auto show, the Etherea is, unlike many other concept cars, not just the next series-production car on slightly bigger wheels. While the Etherea points to a compact Infiniti that could be reality in as little as three years, we can safely assume that the production car won’t share much with the carbon-fiber skin of the concept.

Keep Reading: Infiniti Etherea Concept – Prototype Drive

Tags: concepts, Infiniti, Infiniti Etherea concept, Japanese |

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