Sonntag, 23. Januar 2011

The new Lambo !

The Lamborghini Reventón (Spanish pronunciation: is a mid-engine sports car that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show). It is the most expensive Lamborghini road car to date, costing one million euros (~US$1.31 million, or ~£840,000). It's top recorded speed was recorded in Los Angeles, California at 340 kilometres per hour (211.3 mph).

The official press release stated that only 20 vehicles would be released to the public, with one additional car (marked as 0/20) produced for the Lamborghini Museum. Although early rumors indicated the total number would actually be 100, each Reventón is clearly stamped with its number in the sequence of 20 between the driver's and passenger's seats.

Despite the exterior being new, almost all the mechanical elements (including the engine) are sourced directly from the Murciélago LP640. According to the official press release, the Reventón exterior styling was inspired by the "the fastest airplanes”.
To emphasize this, Lamborghini staged a race between a Reventón and a Panavia Tornado fighter plane.

The Reventón is named for a fighting bull, in line with Lamborghini tradition. The bull, raised by the Don Heriberto Rodríguez family, was best known for killing famed Mexican bullfighter Félix Guzmán in 1943. Reventón means "explosion" or "burst" in Spanish, when used as a noun. In the vernacular, it is also used to define a very large party or a night in town. In automotive terms, it means "blowout, flat tire" when used as a noun. When it was used as the name of a bull, however, it was intended to be interpreted as an adjective, a quality or property of that bull in particular. In this last sense, Reventón means "he who seems to be about to burst".


Samstag, 22. Januar 2011


cool

As family hatches go, miles cooler than the default Golf/Focus/Astra choices. But is it just a bit too sensible to be a truly cool Alfa Romeo? 
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta gets the usual array of Alfa/Fiat engines, including three petrols (120bhp 1.4TB, 170bhp 1.4TB MultiAir and a 235bhp 1.8), and two diesels (105bhp 1.6 JTDM and a 170bhp 2.0 JTDM). Objectively, the 1.4 MultiAir petrol is excellent. It'll do 0-62mph in under eight seconds. Feels a bit dead below 2,000rpm but it hardly feels like a tiny petrol engine with a fat turbo attached. It is soulless though, and doesn't fizz around the rev gauge with intent.
Far more spacious inside than the old 147, with much better isolation against road noise and wind. Right up there with the best in class.

Running costs

A car for the 21st century: even the 1.4 petrols return 49mpg and emit just 134g/km of CO2. The 1.6 JTDM is the winner though - 76.3mpg on the combined cycle.

The new Alfa-Romeo is here

Giuletta is here and this is it it`s new face-lift. *

*Probably you realize I did it with Photoshop ...