Mazda MX-5 Miyako

Mazda must be very keen to commemorate the 20th birthday of its MX-5. Not satisfied with having just the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition that’s already on sale in the UK, the range is now being joined by the Miyako special edition which, according to Mazda, ‘continues’ to celebrate the occasion.



So what are the differences? Well, the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition is available only as a soft top, powered by the 124 bhp (92 kW / 126 PS) 1.8 litre engine. Costing £17,300 on the road, its specification includes unique finish 17" alloy wheels, front fog lights, a strut brace, individually numbered Limited Edition scuff plates, special floor mats, body-coloured dashboard decoration panel, aluminium pedals, manual air con, leather steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake lever. Paint choices are Aurora Blue, True Red and Crystal White Pearlescent.



Similarly, the Miyako special edition also features 17" alloy wheels, front fog lights, a strut brace, and special floor mats. Additionally, though, it gets unique Medici premium perforated black leather trim with a red underlay and stitching, climate control air con and the obligatory special badging.

Unsurprisingly, the extra equipment makes it a bit more expensive than the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition. Mazda is charging £18,385 for the 1.8i Miyako soft top, which comes in either Aluminium Silver Metallic or Velocity Red Mica.



For the first time, a special edition of the MX-5 is also available as a roadster coupe (the one with the folding powered roof). However, that version of the Miyako can only be had with the 157 bhp (117 kW / 160 PS) 2.0 litre engine, and it costs £20,885. Colour choice is restricted to just Aluminium Silver Metallic.



To put those prices into context, a standard 1.8i SE soft top with air con is £17,795, while the 2.0i SE roadster coupe would set you back £20,295. Given that leather trim and metallic paint alone come to £1,115 on the Mazda options list, the £590 premium being charged for the Miyako looks like good value.



The MX-5 Miyako special edition is on sale from the beginning of July, with 500 examples of each version being produced for the UK market. And, in case you were wondering, they are named after the Japanese holiday island of Miyako-jima.

2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept - Lamborghini Sports Car

This here is the Lamborghini Cnossus. The Lamborghini Cnossus Concept was designed by Russian student Victor Filipchenko with the help of his Portuguese colleague Nelson Simoes as part of their final thesis project at Italy’s Scuola Politecnica di Design.

2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept

Every Lambo needs a bull theme, and this supercar design study for a supercar concept named after the ancient Greek city of Cnossus (Knossus) on the island of Crete. The designers claim to have been inspired by the Lamborghini Countach, though it is evident that the edgy styling of the limited production Reventon special also played a role in the design of the Cnossus Concept.

 

Presenting a bold vision of what the firm’s future flagship could look like, the concept takes inspiration from Lamborghini models past and present, including the Countach and Reventón.

 

It boasts many classic cues such as telephone-dial wheels lifted from the Countach, scissor doors and gaping air intakes in front of the rear wheelarch. At the rear, the thin strip of LED lights with inverted arrows at the end is a clear nod towards the Reventón’s jet-fighter theme, while the diffuser looks more like something you’d find on a Le Mans prototype racer than a road car.

Mini gets mini revamp

Details of the 2011 Mini range have been announced. Visually, the changes aren’t that radical, the main alterations being revised bumpers, LED lights at the rear, five new colours and five new alloy wheel designs.

On the inside the centre console, steering wheel and air conditioning and audio controls have all been modified to improve the quality feel and work better ergonomically. Other changes include new upholstery and fascia trim choices. DAB radio is now standard on all models across the range, except for the entry-level Mini First.



The big news though is under the bonnet. Following the introduction of new petrol engines back in March, it’s now the turn of the diesels. Available as either a Cooper D with 110 bhp (82 kW / 112 PS) or One D with 88 bhp (66 kW / 90 PS), the new diesel engines feature light weight aluminium construction, common rail direct injection and turbochargers with variable turbine geometry.



Amazingly, both the Cooper D Hatch and One D Hatch both achieve 74.3 mpg (3.8 l/100km) on the combined cycle, while producing just 99 g/km of CO2. That means they’ll be eligible for the 100% Greener Vehicle Discount, if proposed changes to the London Congestion Charge are approved. Adding to their green credentials is the standard fitment of a diesel particulate filter and oxidation catalyst.



The 110 bhp unit will also feature in the Cooper D Convertible, the first time ever that a Mini soft top has been available with diesel power. Meanwhile, the Clubman line-up will include the One D and Cooper D. However, it’s worth noting that only the Hatch achieves sub-100 g/km CO2 emissions:

Mini	0-62 mph	Top Speed mph	Combined mpg	CO2 g/km
One D Hatch	11.4	115	74.3	99
Cooper D Hatch	9.7	123	74.3	99
One D Clubman	11.8	114	72.4	103
Cooper D Clubman	10.2	123	72.4	103
Cooper D Convertible	10.3	121	70.6	105

The 2011 Mini range will be go on sale this September, which also sees the launch of the new Mini Countryman. Prices have yet to be confirmed.

Shooting M3 e46

Shooting M3 e46, originally uploaded by XtamyR Photography.

BMW M3 e46 & Martin SuperSeven

Rolls-Royce Phantom

Rolls-Royce Phantom, originally uploaded by Willem Rodenburg.

Developers aircraft Stealth created a new design for Lamborghini

Adam Denning, an employee of aerospace company Lockheed Martin, known for its famous air-invisible F-117 "Stealth", took part in the creation of a conceptual design for a new Lamborghini.

The project has the working title of Navarra.

The designer had based the design of the company's line of supercars from the Miura Murcielago up to its stylistics sharp angles and aggressive and dismissed him with soft organic forms of classical sculptures of the Renaissance.



According to some information, the receiver Murcielago is undergoing road tests, but nevertheless, operating time of Adam Denning could easily be translated into reality when a new supercar Jota.

Among other concepts of the famous Italian brand note Lamborghini Madura, which experts predict a big future.

2011 Volkswagen Amarok Spy pictures and details

We drove the twin-cab Amarok here and found it to be a genuine pick-up star. But now, as these spy shots reveal, Volkswagen is working on a smaller, single-cab version due for release in 2011.

With no camouflage to cover up styling details on the newcomer, we can see a thick B-pillar which should free up some space in the cabin just behind the seats.

It won't just be the cabin that's spacious either. Reports suggest that the single-cab Amarok will have the largest pick-up bed for a single cab in this class.

Unlike the double-cab model, buyers will be offered a cheaper, rear-wheel drive only model. Permanent all-wheel drive and selectable all-wheel drive models will also be available.

The existing 2.0-litre biturbo diesel engine will be available, offering 163bhp and 400Nm of torque as well as a combined economy figure of 36.2mpg. New to the range however, will be Volkswagen's semi-automatic DSG gearbox which will debut on the single-cab model but will be availabe on the double-cab shortly after.

Expect to see the Amarok single-cab on sale in early 2011 for around £18,000.
via