Rumours of a new BMW supercar have been reignited after the German car maker revealed a concept car to mark the 30th anniversary of its first and only mid-engined car, the M1.

BMW used last weekend’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este exhibition in Italy to unveil the M1 Homage, a modern interpretation of the supercar it launched in 1978 for racing homologation purposes.

The company describes the M1 Homage as a design study only that pays tribute to its first ever M car, although it also adds to speculation that BMW is planning a V10-powered rival for the likes of the Audi R8.

“For BMW, heritage is always also a living heritage,” says the BMW Group’s board member, development, Dr Klaus Draeger. “Drawing inspiration from your own past and thereby reinventing yourself – that is exactly what the BMW M1 Homage demonstrates in impressive style.”

BMW’s current (and controversial) ‘flame surfacing’ design language dominates the concept car’s sheetmetal, though the M1 Homage features obvious styling cues from the original supercar that was designed by Giugiaro’s Ital Design and based heavily on the 1972 ‘gullwinged’ BMW Turbo concept.

The squinting front end, louvred rear windscreen, salad-spinner wheels, and twin BMW roundels on the rear flanks are all classic M1 cues.

BMW says the M1 Homage also mimics the original’s pop-up headlights with recessed lamps that are visible only when they are switched on.

The concept’s Liquid Orange metallic paintwork is also a nod to the classic M1 colour.

The M1 Homage’s dimensions are similar to the 4.3m-long original, although BMW says a longer wheelbase creates more cabin space.

BMW hasn’t revealed the concept’s engine details, but says cooling is provided by a number of small flaps and openings integrated into the bodywork – including the signature twin kidney grille at the front.

The M1 was powered by a 207kW 3.5-litre inline six-cylinder that propelled the 1300kg supercar to a top speed approaching 260km/h.

Only 450 M1s were ever built, for the purpose of homologating the supercar for BMW’s racing ambitions.

Rules for the Group 5 Silhouette formula in which the M1 intended to race stipulated that 400 production versions had to be built over two years.

When BMW launched the M1 in 1978, however, the rules had changed to 400 having to be sold to the public before a car could be sanctioned for racing. As a result, the M1’s homologation wasn’t completed until 1981 – the last year it was officially sold.

Lamborghini was initially involved in developing and building the M1 before the Italian supercar maker ran into financial difficulties and BMW regained full control of the project.

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A model poses with the Mitsubishi Concept cX , during the 2008 International Auto Show, from 24th of April to 04 of May, held in FIL - Nations Park, in Lisbon, 24 April 2008. EPA/MIGUEL A. LOPES

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MORE THAN JUST A SHOW CAR: Lexus has entered its LF-A concept in a 24-hour race at the Nuerburgring in Germany.

The Lexus LF-A concept car will participate in the Nuerburgring 24-hour race on May 24–25, 2008 as part of ongoing development.

Lexus engineers say testing the car on the famous circuit for 24 hours under gruelling race conditions will provide them with a unique opportunity to acquire knowledge that can be used to develop it for the road.

The LF-A is not a dedicated race car and will only be equipped with the safety equipment (roll cage, fuel tank, etc.) necessary to meet racing regulations.

It will be driven by a team of experienced Japanese drivers who’ll be briefed to provide feedback to the Lexus development team rather than crash or break the car trying to win the race

The LF-A concept has a V10 engine producing more than 370kW

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Lexus will assign a team of young mechanics as pit crew as part of the company’s commitment to the development of personal and technical skills.

The LF-A concept is powered by a front mid-mounted, high-revving V10 engine producing more than 370kW, with rear-mounted transmission and radiators to improve weight distribution and handling.

Lexus says its power and refined aerodynamics make a top speed of 320km/h not only possible, but probable.

The LF-A concept was originally shown in 2005 to express a new direction in Lexus styling; the goal for the LF-A racing programme, says the company, is “to build a supercar with world class performance that is uniquely Lexus.”

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Peugeot has announced today that RC Z concept car will go into full production. Jean Collin, director general of Automobiles Peugeot, made the statement at the Lisbon motor show, saying it was part of the GAP 2010 project and an acceleration of the marque’s product offer.

The final production model will be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, two years after the concept car was first presented to the public. It will then go on sale in the spring of 2010.

This car is one of the first to emerge from the CAP 2010 competitive premium strategy. It will feature a distinctive style, devised by designers working the Peugeot style centre.

By deciding to put the RC Z into production, Peugeot has shown a willingness to move on from the traditional look of its coupes. The vehicle has been received enthusiastically by critics and public alike.

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Fifty-three years ago, the LaSalle II Roadster and the Chevrolet Biscayne were among the concept cars that showcased General Motors’ vision of the future in its travelling Motorama. After their debut, these cars were not only discarded but destroyed.

Joe Bortz, who was a young boy when he saw these “dream cars” at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show, found their remains decades later in a Detroit-area junkyard and worked laboriously to resurrect them. Now Bortz will bring these rescued vehicles to the Aug. 17 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of GM.

The Chevrolet Biscayne was considered “one of the most desirable and beautiful concept cars of all-time,” said Bortz, who’s restoring all aspects of the Biscayne in collaboration with Kerry Hopperstadt and Fran Roxas. “It was called the ‘Miracle Car’ inside General Motors because it drew the largest crowds of any of the concepts shown in Motorama.

Lines from the 1955 LaSalle II Roadster can be found in such icons as the ‘56 and ‘57 Corvette, while lines from the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne are visible in the 1960 Corvair.

The Motorama cars that will be appearing at Pebble Beach will be joined by a rare assortment of GM Woodies, Cadillac V-16s and GM-powered sports cars. Other featured marques for 2008 include Lancia and Lamborghini.

First conducted in 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has grown to become the world’s premier displays of classic automobiles.

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First Look: Buick Invicta concept

 

After a long striptease, General Motors has finally unveiled the first renderings and details surrounding its Buick Invicta concept — a vision of Buick’s future and another in-the-sheetmetal manifestation of the growing international synergy between GM’s Buick teams in Shanghai, China, and Warren, Michigan.

Invicta — the star of GM’s stand at the 2008 AutoChina show in Beijing — is also widely believed to be what the 2010 Buick LaCrosse that’s been spied testing will become when it makes its appearance on Buick showroom floors in both China and the U.S. The LaCrosse is a nameplate sold both here and in China, but the cars are substantially different. That will change with the next LaCrosse, which will be underpinned by GM’s global Epsilon II architecture. The Epsilon II is front-drive based but all-wheel drive capable. Powering the Invicta concept is a version of GM’s 2.0-liter, direct-injection turbo four cylinder with an estimated 250 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Buick rummaged through the badge bin to find Invicta (Latin for invincible) — last affixed to a Buick in the late 1950s. But there’s nothing old school about how the Invicta’s design language was developed. According to GM’s global design head Ed Welburn, the Buick design teams in both the U.S. and China put their brain power together, using the company’s virtual design design centers to help meld the best ideas from both teams. Much the same was done with the Riviera concept that debuted at last year’s Shanghai show.

Invicta carries multiple design cues from previous Buick concept efforts, including the Riveria and the Velite that’s been kicking around the auto show circuit since 2004. Buick’s waterfall grille grins brightly out front with the badge prominently affixed in the center, flanked by cat-eye headlights. The signature port holes have moved from the fenders to the top of a hood that’s been sharply-creased at the edges.

 

From the side, the designers have gone with a coupe-like greenhouse that’s become all the rage in automotive design. They also went to the Buick history books as inspiration for the car’s ’sweepspear’ cue that runs from the headlights across the beltline, makes a Charger-esque sweep over the rear wheels and ends at the tail lights. The Invicta’s overall stance is wide and low, with short front and rear overhangs and wheels pushed out to the corners. Invicta wouldn’t be a concept without 20-inch, look-at-me rims and low profile rubber, and it doesn’t disappoint in that area.

Inside the cabin, the GM press-speak boasts of large car size in a midsize package, especially for rear passengers. A glass roof helps to open up the greenhouse, and premium touches in the cabin include seam stitching on the instrument soft-touch feel panel pad, steering wheel and door panels. Buttons, switches and pulls are also designed to upscale tactile standards, and LED accent lighting adds to the experience. Looking at the renderings, the center stack and console appear well-organized and executed.

While it’s far too early to tell what exactly how much of Invicta’s look will carry over to the new LaCrosse when it hits U.S. showrooms, probably late in 2009. But at least so far, it seems like the type of car that could help Buick build on the momentum generated from its well-received Enclave crossover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The spy photo of the 2010 Ford Taurus which were so fleetingly displayed today (and which will live on in RSS readers everywhere) got the old gears turning back to memories of 1996. Ford made huge waves at the Detroit Auto Show that year with the Synergy 2010, a peek at the future of automobiles. It was “equipped” with a 1.0-liter diesel engine, advanced communication systems, super lightweight materials and state-of-the-art aerodynamics. The car was a design concept exploring ways to carry four passengers safely while returning an astonishing 80 MPG in the year 2010.

All of this begs to question — where did the Synergy go? At the time, Ford partnered with GM and Chrysler in a program called “The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicle.” The threesome’s aim was to deliver an 80 MPG four-passenger car. The program was funded and coordinated through the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), beginning its quest for the next big thing in 1993. During the course of the project, running cars were created by each automaker; the Ford Prodigy, the GM Precept, and the Chrysler ESX-3, all of which had astonishing fuel economy and the safety features necessary to maintain road worthiness

As early as 2000, the automakers began lobbying for the end of the program, after seeing substantial improvements in the areas of low friction material, powertrain hybridization, and fuel cells. In 2001 the program was canceled and the assets were shifted to the “FreedomCAR” program, which while still in existence, has much more nebulous goals and equally unclear time lines.
Considering the 2010 Ford Taurus we may or may not have seen earlier falls into the targeted range of model years for the PNGV program and it probably rests on some level of taxpayer funded research, we wonder if it will indeed safely seat four passengers and return 80 MPG. We’re not holding our breath.

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