Toyota Vitz or known as the Yaris in the country is getting closer to the day of its release in Japan. The signs shown by the appearance of a mini web site that was prepared specifically for the presence of this small hatchback.
This Japanese-language site showing the presence of certainty Vitz in December this year with some photos detail changes to the exterior and interior. In addition, there are other clues about the Smart Stop technology that will be offered at one of the variants.
The photos detail that is on the site match the leaked brochure pictures circulating on the internet a few days. As Kompas.com had preached before, the pictures give the appearance Vitz / Yaris a more aggressive, with sharper angles and a larger dimension.
Vitz on the brochure has a dimension of 100 mm in length increases, lower 20 mm, and the wheel axis distance was 50 mm. With this change, the means increasing Yaris roomy cabin. In Japan also will attend 17 exterior color options and multiple color variations in the interior. Some body kit options are also offered in this country of the Rising Sun.
The modern car - mechanically complex device, stuffed with various electronics, and at first glance, to be thrust under the hood with a wrench himself - hopeless task. However, not all so sad. There are a number of works that are able to run any car owner who can distinguish the spanners from carob and understanding in what direction to unscrew the nut. All the car break down can be divided into two main groups - failures caused due to problems with electronic filling your car and damage associated with mechanical malfunction of components and assemblies. In the first case without the services of a qualified person can not do - repair of automotive electronics is simply impossible without computer troubleshooting. But in the latter case, much can be done independently. If a fault occurs in the first place you need to determine which of the units of the automobile is out of order. Then, after an accurate diagnosis, there are two ways to repair - give the car for a hundred or remove the faulty unit and give yourself a repair is not the whole machine, namely, the faulty node that will be significantly cheaper. What is the benefit? After all, for the work of removing and posleremontnoy install any unit in the workshop with you take the money, and often the cost of mounting and dismounting, such as CPR will be comparable to the cost of repair of the CAT! Why pay money for something that you are able to do and independently? In order to remove the broken node from the car, you'll need the room (garage, shed) from the observation well, a set of tools and a little patience. Very harmless for this to get a good technical description of your car (you can download and in the internet). Now let's go step by step: 1. Before removing the unit is not too lazy to carefully examine the upcoming scope of work, identify all the locking compound. Note the number and placement of threaded connections on your machine and in the manual may be small differences! 2. Unplug all members of the shooting site electrical connectors, hoses and cables. It should be done slowly, carefully remembering that where joined, pads for connector is colored tape mark or special colored markers to the assembly not confuse that to join. 3. Before you unscrew the unit to drain fluid from his technical (from PPC - oil, from the steering rack dekstron it.d.) 4. Unscrewing the retaining assembly bolts and nuts, do not be lazy neatly folded out of prefabricated containers, not throwing bolts in the garage! It often happens that the fastening bolt replaced if lost analog is not easy, but in case of repair of vehicles produced in the United States simply can not (the Americans are not metric and inch thread) 5. Filmed unit should be cleaned from oil, soot and dirt - perhaps you yourself will be able, after a careful examination to understand the cause and fix it without any problems. 6. If the problem on its own did not work, you need to decide where to sit in the repair of a broken node. Typically, specialized repair shops, say, starter / generator is enough in any city and you need to choose a phone shop, ready to undertake repairs on the conditions it would suit you. 7.
Over time, even the best quality paint cars lose their color quality: fade, crack, slazit, deteriorated by corrosion. That makes car owners to address the issue of painting his car. With self-painting cars need to be prepared for the fact that about 90 percent of the entire process will have on the preliminary work, and only 10 percent on the very painting and further drying of the body parts. Before painting the car need to be washed thoroughly - on a clean surface is much easier to see defects in paintwork. Careful examination of the entire vehicle will determine the order that requires a car body paint or a complete enough to implement a local painting. Recommended prior to painting to inspect the bottom, legs and other body parts - if in the near future will need to repair, then painting is better to wait. Convinced of the need to paint the car, you can start preparing the body for this process. It is desirable to paint the body, and then it dried, in parts - separate doors, fenders, hood, what they should be removed. Previously with the body of the car removed all the items that will hinder the implementation of the painting. These elements include gaskets, moldings, locks, and decorative inserts. If we were to paint without removing such elements, the places that paint does not need to be borne by the stencil, paper, cardboard and attached them with masking tape. Protection of such parts from the paint can also serve as petroleum jelly or a special paste (a mixture of glycerin, dextrin, chalk and water). Place a body with flaws in the paint and rust are opened and completely cleaned of rust, then covered with primer. Old paint from the surface of the body is removed by mechanical or chemical means. Mechanical method is the simplest but most time-consuming - peeled off the surface with brushes, skins, scrapers. Not all places at the same time manage to clean off. When chemical method prepares a special solution in which the wetted body parts and paint coming off. After removing the paint, the entire surface of the body a second time cleared of traces of rust and corrosion (mechanical or chemical means) and degreased with white spirit. Quality degreasing should be very high, since not treated field is new in some time lag behind the surface. If necessary, the surface of the body is aligned with putty, but its use is desirable to reduce to a minimum. Zashpatlevannye place after drying, are aligned, degreased and processed by the primer. After doing all these works can proceed to paint. It is best to make a special spray paint. Painted body surface should be done in several stages. The first phase - a verification, in which a thin layer of paint to identify flaws and quality control zashpatlevannyh parts of the body. After eliminating defects through 20 minutes after the first stage, we can apply the main coat. Drying painted parts of the body in any case can not be produced in the sun - it is in the garage or anywhere else indoors for 2-3 days. Perhaps, after painting and drying on the surface of the body will be visible before unnoticed flaws.
2012 Ferrari Challenge Stradle Cars Preview with cars wallpaper gallery The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale was unveiled at the 2003 Geneva Motorshow. It joined the Ferrari 360 Modena and the Ferrari 360 Spider in the Ferrari 8 cylinder range of road cars.
One day my muscle car parked at the curb, then there is someone who hit from the front and corner side when we got out of the parking lot. It was a sad morning, I saw the whole side of my muscle car that hit me and I was devastated. Then someone ran into me asking me not not report the case to the police, because recently he has twice the accident and he was afraid he insurance costs are higher because several times in an accident.
Muscle Car Crash Photo for Insurance Proof
I do not know whether our law requires you to report this case to the police or does it need?, And Is if we often have an accident because of our mistakes, then our insurance costs will go up? Does this affect the insurance claim process? Please your opinion.
Insurance for Shelby Cobra Muscle Car
1. comments 1: I think personally, you should call the police, after the police handled the case, then policies will give a real report about the incident to the insurance company, if it is up to the insurance data will be processed and most likely you will get a claim for your losses, it means You do not need to spend money for damage that occurs in your muscle car. But remember, take an accurate picture at the time of the incident, time and place specific. This will simplify the claims process.
Insurance Claims of Superbird
2 comments 2: I think it all depends on the policy from the insurance company. The insurance company what it is used by someone who hit you?, Then the insurance company muscle car which you use to protect your muscle car?. We recommend that both of his claim in accordance with their respective provisions in force at the company. Probably you and the party that hit you do not need to pay to repair the muscle car.
Accident of Muscle Car
3 comments 3: Although often have an accident, I think the muscle car insurance costs will not rise as feared by the person who hit you, because such cases have been anticipated by the insurance company. Of course, to refer to the Terms and Conditions of the agreement between you and the insurance company muscle car at the time you make a covenant to accept their offerings.
Burning Car for Insurance Claim Evidence Photo
The case above are some examples of automobile insurance claims processing muscle that often occurs around us, may be among you ever experienced similar things or maybe a much different experience. If you have trouble on your vehicle insurance cases, you can share it on several web sites that you use as a recommendation, please try one of the insurance company links on this website, thank you.
Subaru has made its place in the automotive world the past 35 years or so by being the Japanese SAAB. Quirky, yet loveable...attracting a small but devoted following.
Attempting to go mainstream is part of what very nearly killed SAAB, so theres precedent for concern every time Subaru gets a bit more normal.
Except that Subarus managed it quite well...first with the Outback, then the Forester, and now with the Legacy.
The Legacy is stepping up in size and refinement, becoming for the first time a logical and direct alternative to Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
And to show just how good the basic product is, Subaru sent us a no-frills Legacy 2.5i. Not a single option (but with 17-inch alloy wheels, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, an auxilary audio jack, XM/Sirius capability, a multifunction trip computer, an outside temperature gauge, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and mirrors, a remote keyless entry system, and map and courtesy lights all standard, its a complete package without any options).
Even though the Legacy is bigger now, its lighter than the competition...handles better...and dont forget...its a Subaru, so all-wheel drive is part of the deal.
And the power from the 2.5 liter engine (170 horsepower), teamed with a smooth 6-speed manual, is more than adequate.
That six-speed is a help for the fuel economy...the EPA says 19 city, 27 highway.
And the price?
Well, the price had me reminding myself to think Subaru for my next family sedan: $19,995.
Remember the deal about no options? Thats right...apart from $695 delivery charge, $19,995 is the base and the bottom line. Theres a Camry a few hundred bucks cheaper, but not as satisfying, and the least-expensive Accord is $21,055. Thats compelling math for a car that no longer has to be explained. The Legacy has arrived.
Japanese TV viewers got this commerical, with Robert DeNiro at the wheel of the new Legacy:
UPDATE: I chose to repeat the above review because the base Subaru Legacy is just so darn good. But recently, I had a week in the top-of-the-line 2011 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited. And it, too was a revelation...just for different reasons.
Regular TireKicker readers know that I believe you can too easily goop up a good car with add-ons and lose the basic flavor. But Subaru swings for the bleachers with the 3.6R Limited and hits a home run.
First of all, the engine....the 170 horses of the base car jumps to 256 in all three flavors of the R (R, R Premium and R Limited)...which puts the performance of the Legacy into another league entirely. The six-speed manual gets swapped for a five-speed automatic, but the extra power, the lack of a clutch and one fewer gear end up extracting the smallest penalty...18 city, 25 highway (as opposed to 19/27 for the base model).
And then, the creature comforts: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a 440-watt Harmon Kardon 9-speaker audio system, leather-trimmed seats (including a 10-way power adjustable drivers seat and a 4-way power adjustable one for the front passenger)....all standard. In fact, the only option on our car was a power moonroof ($995)...running the base price of $28,295 to an as-tested (with $725 delivery charge) $30,015.
There are absolute bargains. The 2.5i is that. Theres no other way to describe that much car for under $20,000.
And then there are bargains based on the comparison of content and price. And thats where, for a shade more than 8 grand more, the 3.6 R Limited earns its bargain status. Subaru has built a car that can run with a significantly pricier pack..and, as with the 2.5i, if it were my money...it would be an immediate contender.
1. Open the hood and secure it with the safety latch. 2. Remove the T25 Torx screws located at the top of the headlight using a T25 Torx screwdriver. 3. Remove the T25 Torx screws located on each side of the headlight. An extension can be used with the T25 Torx screwdriver to get a better reach. 4. Pull the headlight out and press the metal clip located behind the assembly to detach the headlight from the wire connector. 5. Pull the turn signal bulbs out. The bulbs are located on the side of the headlight assembly. 6. Remove the headlight back cover and press the metal clip behind the bulb to unplug the wiring. 7. Slide the xenon and high beam bulbs out of the headlight. 8. Insert the new xenon and high beam bulbs into the headlight. Wear disposable gloves to prevent oils from making contact with the bulbs. 9. Insert the metal clip to reattach the bulb to the wiring. Replace the headlight back cover. 10. Insert the signal bulb into the side of the headlight assembly. 11. Insert the metal clip to reattach the headlight to the wiring. 12. Replace the T25 Torx screws located on each side of the headlight. 13. Replace the T25 Torx screw located at the top of the headlight. 14. Test the headlight. Turn on the headlights to ensure proper installation.
Holden River GM Holden is taking the covers off its presently to be released, new feathery trade container, the Holden River. The new puissant phosphorescent cart promises to verbalise steep levels of action and laden carrying potentiality, all with the car-like surface pleasure and reckon for money that Holden is renowned for. A terzetto tonne braked towing susceptibleness on Turbo Technologist 4x4 variants adds to the Holden Rivers toughened name. The Holden River give transport an extensive LCV grasp to the industry, offering consumers a inaccurate quality of embody styles, powertrains and specifications to correspond all activity and unpaid applications, catering for both fleet and secluded customers. With muscular revolve arches, effective line end and assertive indorse saliency, the Holden Colorados outdoor styling reflects its diligent credentials. A new sports taxon, the LT-R, leave combine a signaling of sports features to create the toughest Holden Colorado yet. Obtainable in 4x2 or 4x4 variants, featuring sports bars, compressible tonneau tog, choose steps, frontmost fog lamps, 16 inch impurity wheels and sports national ornament. The LT-R 4x4 also adds Bluetooth capableness for harmonious phones and Raise Parkland Activity. With a dominating rase of description, including utility and passenger airbags on the intact reach and ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce System) classical on LT-R and all LX 4x4 variants, the Holden River line-up offers an spectacular raiment of features.
Ternion engines are open, including a 3.0 litre four-cylinder lowborn denounce turbo ice, which delivers visor torque of 360Nm at 1800rpm and eyeshade powerfulness of 120kW at 3600rpm (practice gear). Also forthcoming is a 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 petrol engine and a yeasty 2.4 litre four-cylinder petrol engine. GM Holden Marketing Trainer, Teresa Basile, said the Holden Colorado is a violent new content into the LCV activity, with the permanence, powerfulness and features to protection dual purposes of work and recreation. The Holden Colorado is collective unchewable with up to triplet tonnes of towing capability. With over 30 combinations of pattern, powertrain, cabin, journey stage and embody name, theres a River to confront any job. "Holden River is also healed panoplied, with utility and passenger airbags authoritative crossways the capableness, and ABS with EBD fitted to LT-R and all LX 4x4 variants. "The Holden Colorado LT-R is the heron of the new limit with a elongate slant of features, including sports exerciser, easy tonneau, indorse steps and sports domestic clipping, to attractiveness to customers hunt for the human motortruck for work and activity."
Tesla has released a new video that shows the Model S in action.
The North American company has divided its vehicle testing stage into two phases, Alpha and Beta, and this next video shows the Tesla Model S, which as you can notice, features a slightly modified front fascia, during the Alpha phase which began in 2010. The 2012 Model S is rear drive. The compact electric motor and transmission assembly — much smaller than a conventional internal combustion engine and gearbox — is mounted behind the rear axle line and under the trunk floor. More than 7,000 lithium ion battery cells are packaged in a reinforced structure that helps comprise the vehicles floorpan. Cargo volume exceeds 30 cubic feet thanks to functional front and rear luggage areas.
As we have previously reported, the Model S is motivated by an electric motor that is powered by a 42 kWh lithium-ion battery. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, hit a top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h), and travel up to 300 miles (483 km) on a single charge.
1. Pry open the three plugs in the bumper cover that conceal the screws that hold the bumper cover on. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws. 2. Remove the safety cable for the rear mud flaps if your ML has mud flaps. Pull the bumper cover off by carefully sliding it straight back and set it somewhere where it won’t get scratched or damaged. 3. Install the guide bushings that came with the bumper hitch into the guide holes in the ML’s frame. The frame already has holes for the bushings. Install the trailer hitch braces by inserting the supplied bolts through the brace and the guide bushings. Tighten the nut onto the bolt with a ratchet. 4. Bolt the supplied spacers to the bumper. There is one spacer for each side of the trailer hitch and the holes are predrilled from the factory. 5. Pry open the plastic cover on the driver’s side of the ML located at the inside rear of the car to access the wiring harnesses for the rear end. The wiring harness plug should be visible once the cover is removed. 6. Locate and remove the rubber plug on the inside of the bodywork that covers the hole for the trailer hitch wiring harness. Guide the supplied wiring harness through the hole. Install the supplied rubber plug in the hole along with the wiring harness. 7. Disconnect the ML’s main wiring harness, turn signal indicator and brake module and plug them into the plugs that are on the new wiring harness. Replace the plastic cover that conceals the wiring. 8. Install the trailer hitch onto the bumper, using the predrilled holes in the bumper and the supplied hardware that comes with the hitch. Use a torque wrench to tighten the trailer hitch bolts to 118 ft. lbs. 9. Install the wiring harness bracket onto the predrilled holes in the bumper. These are small and may appear to be covered in paint but are there. Install the wiring harness onto the bracket. Install a 25-amp fuse into the slot numbered “F18” on your fuse box. 10. Use an X-Acto knife to cut a hole for the trailer hitch in the plastic bumper cover. The hitch will come with dimensions and directions for the proper hole size. Reattach bumper cover by sliding it over the guides and then installing the screws that hold it on. Reinstall the rubber caps that conceal the screws.
1. Park your Audi so that it is 25 feet away from the garage and facing a closed garage door. 2. Turn on the headlights and open the hood. 3. Turn the adjustment screws on the top of the headlight-housing assembly until the center of the headlight beam is positioned at the bottom of the garage door where the door meets the ground and until both of the headlight beams overlap each other by 50 percent.
The First Muscle Car of original Plymouth Barracuda was built on the chassis body, which was also common to several other popular vehicles manufactured by Dodge Dart, including the Chrysler. It was directly spun off from existing Valiant series to appeal for a sportier market, and is also considered the pony car in the first place, because before the Ford Mustang came to market by two weeks.
Plymouth Barracuda Picture
In 1967, the Barracuda cars body remained an A, but has been completely redesigned. To complement the fastback model, the vehicle now offered notchback and convertible options, replacing the 1966 versions. This second generation Barracuda would last three years, from 1967 to 1969. An interesting way to visually tell the difference in all three years were the side marker lights: the 1967 Barracuda HAD-side marker lights at all, the 1968 model had small circular ones and the 1969 model much larger rectangular HAD.
1970 Plymouth Cuda Yellow-Open Engine
In 1970, another reform was for the Barracuda. This new design looked a little different than previous models. One reason is that now was built on a new version, slightly shorter and more joyful Chrysler B-body platform in place, the E-body.
1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Orange-Front Angle
The New Baracuda eliminated the fastback, but kept the two-door coupe and convertible versions. He also had a twin brother known as the Dodge Challenger, not however, an exterior body panel exchanged between two cars. They were bulky, but aggressively and a clean style, although they were clearly influenced by the first generation of the Chevrolet Camaro. After moving to E-body platform, which featured a larger engine bay than the previous A-body Chrysler famous 426 in ³ (7.0L) Hemi would now be available from the factory in the Cuda. "
69 Hemi Cuda fastback-Tom Hunsakers
No big changes for 1971 Barracuda: just a new grille and taillights. This would be the only year the Barracuda That would have four headlights, and also the only year of the optional fender "gills". In 1971 Barracuda engine options would remain the same as that of 70 years, except that now you could not ask for a 440-4bbl in his Cuda.
1972 Plymouth Barracuda
In 1972, the Barracuda would keep the same general appearance of the ITS until 1974, with dual headlights and four circular lamps. But like other pony cars of the time, the great These Years showed a decrease in the Barracudas power due to stricter emissions laws. The largest engine available in 1972 was the 340 4bbl, 360 was available in 1974. New rules also security force vehicle in front to have great guards and rear bumper in 1973 and 1974.
1972 Plymouth Barracuda
The Barracuda hanging until 1974, after he was stopped in the middle of the oil crisis of 1973. Production ended 10 years (one day) after it started. Although today they are sought after collector cars, the third generation was a market failure and never successfully competed with rival offerings from Ford and General Motors. The rarity of specific models and combinations today is primarily the result of low interest rates to the original purchaser and production.
The 2011 Toyota Tacoma handles some the assonant as the 2010 simulate did. Edmunds.com compliments the Toyota City, saying that the foursome wheel track representation features a respectable, frizzy touching, along with offering a fit poised caliber couple.The new Tacomas low the felon specifications are formidable
Audi traces its origins back to 1899 and August Horch. When Horch was forced out of the company he had founded, he started a new company in 1909 called Audi which was a Latin translation of Horch (in German: Listen). From the start, the companys policy was to build cars mainly for the luxury category.
Since 1932 the Audi emblem has been the four rings, which represent its amalgamation with DKW, Horch and Wanderer to form Auto Union AG in Chemnitz, Germany. Audi supplied a wide range of passenger vehicles during the 1930s - from motorcycles to luxury saloon cars. Volkswagen bought the company in 1964. In the 1980s, Audi dominated world rally with the Audi Quattro, and has had huge success in the Le Mans 24 Hour with its R10 prototype racer.
Audis progressive designs and groundbreaking technology combine to make cars which are innovative yet stylish. The current crop of production vehicles from the Audi A3 to the Audi R8 supercar has propelled Audi to record sales during the 21st century.
Audi have produced every kind of car imaginable: from executive cars such as the Audi A4 and Audi A6 to sports cars such as the Audi TT - from the Audi Q7 full size SUV to the Audi A2 super-mini and they show no signs of slowing down.
DID YOU KNOW?
In March 1980, the introduction of the Audi Quattro four-wheel drive sports coupe caused a sensation on the Audi stand at the Geneva Motor Show. The Quattro was the first high-performance vehicle with four-wheel drive, and is regarded as the first successful application of four-wheel drive on a road car. In the late 1980s, a report by the U.S. TV show, "60 Minutes" rigged an Audi to perform in an uncontrolled manner. The report impacted Audi sales badly causing the company to rename the 5000 model the 100/200 in 1989 In 1994, the launch of the first Audi A8 with an all-aluminium body was a world first for a passenger car. Audis legendary slogan, Vorsprung durch Technik means Advancement through Technology
AUDI FACTS
Type: Public (Xetra: NSU)
Founded: 1910, Zwickau, Germany
Headquarters: Ingolstadt, Germany
Key People: Rupert Stadler, Chairman
Industry: Automotive
Products: Automobiles, Engines
Subsidiaries: Quattro GmbH, Lamborghini S.p.A., SEAT, S.A., Cosworth Technology
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When the first production version of the BMW i3 rolls off the assembly line in Leipzig in late 2013, it will mark the provisional culmination of 40 years of development work at BMW. It all began at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where the BMW starting line-up included two electrically powered test vehicles. The converted BMW 1602 models served as a means of transport for the members of the organizing committee, and were also deployed as support and camera cars in various long-distance events. However, there could be no questioning that lead batteries weighing 350 kilograms and with a range of around 60 kilometres (37 miles) were hardly ideal for a production car. BMW therefore launched a series of research and development projects with the aim of bringing an improved and, above all, more efficient technology for electric drive systems onto the road. Read More
Press Release
40 years of electric mobility at the BMW Group. From the BMW 1602 to the BMW i3.
When the first production version of the BMW i3 rolls off the assembly line in Leipzig in late 2013, it will mark the provisional culmination of 40 years of development work at BMW. It all began at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where the BMW starting line-up included two electrically powered test vehicles. The converted BMW 1602 models served as a means of transport for the members of the organising committee, and were also deployed as support and camera cars in various long-distance events. However, there could be no questioning that lead batteries weighing 350 kilograms and with a range of around 60 kilometres (37 miles) were hardly ideal for a production car. BMW therefore launched a series of research and development projects with the aim of bringing an improved and, above all, more efficient technology for electric drive systems onto the road.
From late 1975, an experimental vehicle built on the platform of the BMW LS and fitted with new batteries and a new electric motor started to deliver the first findings. Then, in the 1980s, a research project was launched entitled “Electric car with high-energy battery”, which provided valuable experience in the use of sodium-sulphur energy storage devices. BMW furthermore constructed a special test rig for electric drives with a built-in output calculator. Besides the batteries, testing here focused primarily on the drive system and drive control. To trial the concept, eight vehicles based on the BMW 325iX were converted and subsequently proved their merit in inner-city use, for example as delivery vehicles for the German postal service.
The promising results of the research project prompted BMW to start work on designing a pure electric vehicle. Whereas previous experimental vehicles had been merely converted versions of standard production models, providing little scope for tailoring them to the specific requirements of an electric drive, this was all about to change. BMW’s work was underpinned by the realisation that the limited range of electric cars made them of interest for city use first and foremost. The first purpose-built solution was unveiled at the 1991 Frankfurt Motor Show: the BMW E1, an electrically propelled “citymobile” for use in cities and conurbations. Even back then, this prototype stood out for its low weight and high safety levels thanks to its consistent lightweight design and high-strength bodyshell.
Its performance capabilities also made impressive reading: with an output of 32 kW, a peak torque of 150 Nm (111 lb-ft) and a range of around 160 kilometres (100 miles) its attractive key figures made it a viable possibility for day-to-day use, too.
In addition to the five E1 prototype vehicles, the project also featured 25 converted production models based on the BMW 3 Series. Between 1992 and 1996, eight BMW 325 models were in service on the island of Rügen off Germany’s Baltic coast to test out various motors, transmissions and batteries under everyday conditions. The field trial produced large quantities of detailed data, which provided valuable insights for the further development of electric mobility. The project came to a conclusion with the BMW electric in 1997.
In 2008, a fleet of around 600 all-electric MINI E models designed for private, everyday use took to the roads. The findings gleaned by the BMW Group from its pilot project were channelled straight into the development process for a production car. The potential of lithium-ion batteries in particular was taken to new heights in the MINI E. Just one year later, the world premiere of the BMW Concept ActiveE in early 2010 saw the BMW Group push even further ahead with its research and development activities. Practical trials of over 1,000 units of this model got under way in 2011. As with the MINI E, the overriding objective was the creation of a Megacity Vehicle (MCV), which is now on the verge of being launched as the BMW i3. The electric drive system in the BMW i3 Concept is a perfect example of what ongoing, systematic development can achieve: it takes up around 40 per cent less space than the drive in the MINI E while generating the same output.
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