Hennessey Performance Promises to Turn McLaren MP4-12C into an 800HP Beast

If there's one thing the stock McLaren MP4-12C has in abundance it's power from the mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine which is rated at 600PS (592HP) and 600Nm (442.5 lb-ft). However, Texas-based tuning firm Hennessey Performance begs to differ as it believes the MP4-12C could do with some additional horses under the hood – 200 of them, to be precise.
The company's new HPE800 Twin Turbo package makes several changes to the eight-cylinder engine including, but not limited to, a titanium exhaust system and upgraded intercooler and air-intake systems that lift output to 800-horsepower.
The transmission also receives some engineering love while the MP4-12C HPE800 will ride on new alloys wrapped in Michelin rubber.
Hennessey pointed out that it won't touch the suspension and the brakes. "HPE does not plan to offer any kind of a suspension or brake system upgrade as the factory systems will be difficult to improve upon," the company said in a statement.
Finally, the package will include a CarbonAero ground effects kit that incorporates a new, center-positioned frontal air inlet with hood extractor, and available custom parts for the interior.

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New Stratos Project Dead

The automotive history is full of people who tried to make their dreams come true but failed, some due to their limited ability or resources, some because of bad timing and others because the big fish swimming in their pond were, well, too big to handle. Automotive industry entrepreneur, collector and historic car driver Michael Stoschek has just joined their ranks after attempting to build a 21st century version of one of rallying’s iconic cars: the Lancia Stratos.
Earlier this week, Stoschek announced that he will not be able to fulfill the 50 orders he had already received: “The reason lies in the attitude of Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa, who opposes the production of other vehicles by companies that work with Ferrari," he wrote on his website.
His “mistake” was that he chose to use Pininfarina for the design of the chassis and bodywork, and a Ferrari 360 or F430 as a donor car for the powertrain of the New Stratos.
Although Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo himself drove it and made very positive remarks about the car, Maranello had a change of heart and announced that it would not allow Pininfarina or any other of its suppliers to be connected with the New Stratos project.
Stoschek said that, despite having the chassis and bodywork data in CAD, the search for another company to take over from Pininfarina and continue the project failed since “many of the details are only in the minds of some highly skilled people employed by Pininfarina”.
Nevertheless, he said that the New Stratos will not be confined in a garage but will instead be presented at various public events – and he added that he is already building a black Lancia Stratos Stradale, "so that the many similarities between the old and the new Stratos are more obvious".

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Dodge Bids Farewell to Caliber Crossover and Nitro SUV

The end of 2011 brings about the death of two much-criticized Dodge models, the Caliber crossover and the Nitro SUV, both of which were conceived and developed during the time Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler reigned over the Chrysler Group. The last examples of the Caliber and Nitro models rolled off Chrysler's Belvidere, Illinois and Toledo North assembly plants respectively this month.
Introduced in 2006, the Caliber was designed to replace the Neon in the same fashion that Nissan tried to win the European C-segment (think VW Golf) with the Qashqai crossover, but without the same success.
The Caliber left a lot to be desired, especially in the powertrain/drivetrain department and its rent-a-car like interior.
Monthly sales of the compact five-door model peaked in May 2008 with 12,856 units, dropping to a pitiful 412 units in November 2009, with Dodge delivering 1,202 Calibers last month.
The Caliber's replacement will be introduce in a couple of weeks at the 2012 Detroit Motor Show with the new 2013 Dodge Dart, which is a compact-sized sedan model based on the platform architecture of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
The Nitro SUV made its debut in 2006 as a more masculine and sportier Dodge derivative of the second generation Jeep Liberty with which it shared its platform but not the latter's more hardcore all-wheel drive hardware. It too suffered from a cheap interior while it's on-road dynamics were poor.
The best sales month of the Nitro was in March 2007 with 7,532 deliveries, while the worst was in July 2009 with 1,115 units, with Dodge selling 1,661 units in November 2012.
In a recent interview, Fiat-Chrysler Group CEO, Sergio Marchionne, said that "This car should never have been built” referring to the Nitro.
Story References: Automotive News

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New BMW 3-Series/4-Series Coupe Digitally Imagined

Last month, spy photographers captured the first pictures of the car that will eventually replace the current BMW 3-Series Coupe, and which may or may not carry a new 4-Series Coupe moniker, while testing in Germany. Naturally, as with any early prototype, the coupe was slathered in the usual psychedelic swirl favored by the likes of BMW and other German carmakers.
Using these first scoop pictures as well as some basic styling elements from the recently revealed F30 3-Series sedan as a guide, F30Post forum member Wildspeed crafted a rendering of the next-generation Coupe model, which he then produced in numerous colors for our viewing pleasure.
Regardless of the name and the styling specifics, the 3-Series Coupe's replacement will borrow its basic platform architecture and engine lineup straight from the F30 saloon.
Among other available powerplants, the coupe model will be offered with a selection of turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engines including a 1.6-liter unit for Europe and a global 2.0-liter with up to 240HP at launch and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 300HP (306HP in the EU). Most markets will also get 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter inline-six turbo diesels.
And like the F30 sedan, once production is underway, BMW will offer the coupe with its xDrive all-wheel drive system and of course, in M3/M4 trim.
Story References: F30Post/Wildspeed

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NHTSA Probes Chevrolet Volt after Battery Catches Fire

 

Federal safety regulators are looking into the safety of lithium-ion batteries after a Chevrolet Volt went up in flames at a parking lot at the National Highway Traffic Administration testing center in Wisconsin. An agency official said that the incident took place three weeks after the Chevrolet Volt went through a side-impact crash test on May 12.
The Volt incident has forced authorities to ask automakers that sell cars equipped with lithium-ion batteries in the U.S., including GM, Nissan and Ford, about the potential fire risks, according to agency officials familiar with the matter.
Lithium-ion batteries, such as the ones powering the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, are considered more efficient than nickel-metal units used in other vehicles like Toyota’s Prius hybrid.
Even Toyota is making the move to lithium-ion technology for its Prius plug-in hybrid model and RAV-4 EV that will soon launch in the U.S.
GM and NHTSA tried but failed to replicate the May event by crashing a Volt in June. GM spokesperson Greg Martin told Blooomberg in a phone interview that the company has safety procedures for handling the Volt and its battery after an accident, adding, "had those been followed, there wouldn’t have been a fire."
Today, Jim Federico, General Motors chief engineer for electric vehicles, made the following statement:
“First and foremost, I want to make this very clear: the Volt is a safe car. We are working cooperatively with NHTSA as it completes its investigation. However, NHTSA has stated that based on available data, there’s no greater risk of fire with a Volt than a traditional gasoline-powered car.

Safety protocols for electric vehicles are clearly an industry concern. At GM, we have safety protocols to depower the battery of an electric vehicle after a significant crash.

We are working with other vehicle manufacturers, first responders, tow truck operators, and salvage associations with the goal of implementing industry-wide protocols.”

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