All posts tagged roadster
Tesla to close research centre in Michigan
Unfortunately the rumours have proved true, as the Californian company Tesla, noted for its ambitious electric Roadster, is in serious difficulty. After word was out that the company had laid off 100 workers and general manager Ze’ev Drori resigned, it has been confirmed that Tesla will be closing its research centre in Michigan, laying off a further 30 workers.
The Rochester Hills centre, opened in January 2007, was seen as a resource and incentive for the city of Detroit, currently in dire straits over the tenuous situation of the pillars of the American automobile industry.
The company has not released a closure date yet, but has said it will be limiting its business to a single series of the roadster and the production of electric engines to supply to other manufacturers.
Source | LeftLane
Sydney 2008: Elfin Type 5 Clubman
In occasion of the Sydney Motor Show, the Australian company Elfin, who came to light with its MS8 Streamliner, has presented its Type 5 Clubman. This roadster is uncompromising and inspired (at a distance) by the Lotus Super Seven. It has a 2.0 Ecotec Turbo engine from Opel, at 260hp and 350Nm of torque. Given its weight of only 750 kg, the Type 5 can reach 100 km/hr in just 3.7 seconds and can stop dead at 240 km/hr.
Chrysler to sell Viper legend
As Bob Nardelli revealed at the end of August, production lines of the Dodge Viper won’t be on the agenda of strategic plans for the American group. Jim Press has also reinforced this, saying however, that there’s plenty of interest from other groups who may want to take on the model - and the names dropped leave hope for the future of this supercar.
At the front of the queue is apparently Roush and Saleen, the latter being involved in the current Viper production on the finishing stages of the paint work. To complete the closure, by 2011, Chrysler has also contacted Lazard Ltd. as financial advisor. Estimates should see the company receive around 50 million dollars from the operation.
Jim Press has also revealed that the hand-built takes efforts away from more profitable, low-cost productions though it will be a shame to see such an incredible coupè and roadster disappear.
Source | CarAndDriver
Summer and it's roadster time: Volkswagen to reveal central engine at Los Angeles show
While we still know very little about this little job, a simple rumour is enough to get the heart going. We can now say that the future roadster developed by Lotus and Abarth will have a new competitor: at the next Los Angeles show, Volkswagon will present a sports concept with central engine and rear wheel drive.
And, according to the first reports, production will be put in the hands of an independent workshop, probably Karmann, to make the group’s offerings more flexible. Audi and Porsche will be able to develop the R4 and a 914 re-edition, maintaining costs without giving up alluminium chassis and refined technical solutions. In the photo is a similar prototype, the Volkswagon Ecoracer from 2005.
Via | Motorauthority (Thanks to Bugatti&91)
Abarth low cost roadster: speculation returns
The market has been waiting for a signal for some time from Abarth, and now the brand’s re-birth has really taken off and hit an incredible speed. The biggest challenge will happen over the next couple of years, though, when a completely new project will be launched rather than an elaboration on an existing Fiat.
We have already heard about a possible collaboration between Abarth and Lotus for a chassis and the use of the 1.4, 135 hp Tjet on the Abarth 500, but Worldcarfans provides further speculation. It has been suggested that we could see the heir to the Fiat X1/9, but also a possible alternative to the defunct Smart Roadster, all of which could see a price of less than 20,000 euros.
Continue reading: Abarth low cost roadster: speculation returns
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
Mercedes-Benz officialy announces its SLR McLaren Roadster. With its V8 AMG V8 supercharged engine and 626 ps, it boasts the same performance figures as the coupè version (332 km/h top speed, 3.8 seconds from 0-100 km/h). The sot-top is semi-automatic and completely retractable in less than 10 seconds.
It can be ordered starting from July for 493.850 €.
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