REVAi will start selling its cars in Brazil in January

In Septembre 2008, CAM Br, a company connected to the Spanish group Endesa, officially announced it would be the representative in South America for REVA products. REVA, for the ones that do not know it, is an Indian company dedicated exclusively to electric cars. What was not very clear was who would sell the cars, nor in which city, a mistery that has been solved today. REVA car, known as REVAi, will be sold by ElecTrip in Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city and one of the most problematic in what relates to traffic and gas emissions.



"I have the intention of opening a dealership in Sao Paulo, but it will largely depend on demand, as well as some government incentives in what relates to taxes. They are still very high in Brazil, even for electric vehicles", said Victor Levy, from ElecTrip, to MotorTips.

Levy has bought two vehicles from CAM Br, both Standard. One of them is silver and the other one is blue. They will be the first electric cars sold in Brazil, by January, the estimated month for their arrival. They will cost R$ 56.385 each, or about US$ 23,900. For the Deluxe versions, which come with air conditioning and MP3 sound system, prices will be at R$ 75.075, or approximately US$ 31,800.

According to ElecTrip's website, www.electrip.com.br, clients willing to take their REVAi units to their homes will have to make a 25% deposit as soon as they formally state they want the car. The rest of the price must be paid when the car arrives in Brazil. Cars take about five months to arrive in Brazil, counting from the request.

REVAi is a 2.64 m long, 1.32 m wide, 1.51 m tall hatchback with a wheelbase of 1.71 m. Although it weights 665 kg, it is said to accelerate very fast. It is also small, but is treated as a 2+2, or else, it carries two adults in its front seats and two children at the back, just like it can be seen on the photo below, unfortunately too small:



Recharge time takes from 2 hours to 8 hours in a regular outlet. With special rechargers, it is possible to recover 50% of the batteries charge in ten minutes. With that, it is possible to run about 40 km. Full charge allows REVAi to run 80 km. Top speed is 80 km/h. Both mileage and speed are compatible to big cities traffic, but they are not the most adequate to hit the roads.







If REVA cars are successful in Brazil, the next generation of the vehicles will possibly also be sold in South America. Presented as a concept car, it uses lithium ion batteries, cleaner and more effient than REVAi's current batteries, made of lead.

There are still many questions to answer. As soon as we have all responses we'll get back to you. Stay tuned!





Source: ElecTrip

Morgan starts its centenary celebrations with SuperSports Junior

Most adults that love cars would love to drive or to own a Morgan. Any Morgan. If children have ever felt left behind and have eagered to grow up fast in order to drive their own Morgan, they don't have to want to speed time anymore. Morgan has started its centenary celebrations with the presentation of SuperSports Junior, a pedal car that will be built in limited numbers (only 500) for its fans from 6 to 13 years old.



SuperSports Junior resembles the first Morgan vehicles ever built, three-wheelers which were powered by V2 motorcycle engines that powered their front wheels. It will also be built alongside regular Morgan automobiles in 2/3 scale. As the centenary company states, SuperSports Junior will follow Morgan's tradition and offer high power-to-weight ratio.

Let's just hope there are no waiting lines for this little car. Otherwise, 13 year old fans may only be able to drive their SuperSports Junior when they are 17, or else, they will, once again, want time to run as fast as possible.




Source: Morgan

Christmas Message from MotorTips

Dear readers,

This is the first Christmas MotorTips spends with you. Unfortunately, it is in the middle of a serious moment for automobiles. Not only because of the financial crisis that has affected the whole world, but also because vehicles are in a turning point. As I have already said on the post "Why I am against World Car Free Day", cars are being threatened even in what comes to be its most elementary function: being a means of transportation.

Some say cars are pollutant, car use too much space, cars are harmful to peoples' health and so on. It has suddenly become the vilain of all modern day problems. These people have only forgotten to say horse powered vehicles were much more pollutant (and pollution was solid, a big pile of it once in a while, not to forget horses also produce gas), coachs were as big or bigger than modern vehicles (and carried a lot less weight and people) and, most of all, were too expensive for everyone to have one.

When some criticise automobiles, what you can see is generally a critic to what it best about cars: being accessible. Most people in developed countries can buy a car at very low prices (not very good ones, but still cars). Criticism is therefore social, against the right of poor people to have their own personal transportation. And transportation is always personal, even if you are on a train with a lot of people that goes to the same place. More than traffic or pollution, what really seems to bother it the crowd, as if streets had become a big popular market.

I don't deny it is ridiculous to see a 5-m long vehicle powered by a V12 engine with only one person inside it in a traffic jam. What a waste of space it is. Anyone who likes cars also hates traffic jams. Even so, the solution for this problem is not to end cars up and turn streets into gardens and parks, nor to see carmakers proposing hitchhiking programs just to pretend they are concerned, something that is unbelievably happening in some countries of the world.

If a carmaker really wants to solve traffic problems, it should build smaller and more efficient vehicles, such as Mercedes-Benz, which has created smart fortwo. Or like Gordon Murray, the father of the best car ever, McLaren F1, which is now on the edge of presenting its T.25. Vehicles for one person or two may be the future for cars in big cities. Or we may start thinking about having smaller cities, and holding down the ones that want to get too big when they still can be held down.

There is a worse and more immediate threat to cars: the financial crisis. Not only because it is really massive, but also because the press insists so much in highlighting the problem it seems to get bigger every time. Things were fine for automakers apart from North American companies, which seem to be controlled by people that aim to make money more than to make cars, but this was not the cause of the problem (it only made it worse). The real problem is the lack of money to fund new car sales, something that has affected even very solid companies, such as Toyota and BMW.

Michael Moore has once spoken about this fear that the press seems to be eagering to feed. It is time all means of communication start to pay attention to the role they have on showing the bright side of things as well. When you only see the bad aspects of something, hope becomes a rare good in the store.

If Santa Claus could grant MotorTips three wishes, they would be: 1 - discussion on cars to be made only by people who really understand the problems and that can offer real solutions instead of searching for a scape goat; 2 - press to realise the important role it has on turning things up, on improving situations, instead of worsening them by giving them an importance they do not have (nor should have); 3 - men of good faith and that really love cars to help explain and clarify things in order for the ones that do not know so much about it to help changes happen in a smoother way.

Since Santa does not have so much time for us, I assure to all readers of MotorTips it will do exactly what it asks. Not only due to coherence matters, but also because I believe 2009 can be a better year than 2008 ever was. If nobody gets on the way and mess things up again.

For all our readers, please take with you our best wishes for a fantastic Christmas. For those that do not celebrate it, please seize the good energy that arises with it to recharge your batteries, no matter what you believe. After all, the Guy whose birthday we celebrate today wished the best to everyone. No exceptions.

All the best, and Merry, Merry Christmas,

Gustavo

Faralli & Mazzanti changes plans and creates the Vulca S

Back in March 2008, the carrozzieri Faralli & Mazzanti has announced a new vehicle, the Vulca V12, a fantastic car that would be powered by a 7.5-litre V12 able to produce 600 bhp. Well, it seems plans have changed and a V12 will no longer fit the car. Now Vulca will have the same engine that can be found under the hood of BMW M5, but a little bigger. Instead of a 5-litre V10 pumping out 507 bhp, the Italian supercar will have a 5.8-litre V10 producing 630 bhp and 630 Nm. Even the name of the car has changed. Ladies and gentlemen, please meet the Vulca S.



With such an engine, Vulca S will be able to reach a top speed of 335 km/h and to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 s. The car is 4.83 m long, 2 m wide, 1.35 m tall and has a wheelbase of 2.78 m. Both its structure and body are made of aluminium, what will ensure a low weight, still not disclosed. Front wheels use 255/30 ZR21 tyres, while rear ones use 295/25 ZR21. As an option, buyers can choose to have smaller wheels and 245/35 ZR20 tyres in front and 275/30 ZR20 tyres in the back.

There are still no picture of the car's front end because the prototype may need to be changed during development. The final version of Vulca S will be presented in March 2009, possibly at Geneva Motor Show.

When we say buyers, it its important to point out there won't be many of them. In fact, Faralli & Mazzanti do not intend to produce more than ten Vulca S at all. As every vehicle that is produced in such low figures, cars will be more expensive after they are used than when they were brand new. An immediate classic.










Source: Faralli & Mazzanti

Renault Symbol is officially presented in Argentina

We have mentioned many times a project from Renault called L35. This project has become what now is known as Renault Symbol/Thalia. Built over the same base used for Clio II, more specifically the one used by the sedan version of this car, it features more harmonic lines than the car it replaces. It had exactly the same names of the new car in some countries and, in other, it was named Clio Sedan. We have also mentioned it would be produced in Argentina, an information Renault has confirmed yesterday, with the official presentation of the car.



Although its prices have already been disclosed, the new sedan, to be called Symbol, in Argentina, will only be sold there from February 2009 on. It will have three engines options. The cheapest ones, petrol-powered, are a 1.6-litre 8V that produces 90 bhp at 5,500 rpm and a 1.6-litre 16V that pumps out 106 bhp at 5,750 rpm. The third one, turbodiesel, is a 1.5-litre that generates 65 bhp at 4,000 rpm.

There will be also three trim levels: Pack, the cheapest one, Confort and Luxe, the most complete. Pack will be offered both for the 1.6-litre 8V engine (48,060 pesos, or US$ 15,403) and for the 1.5-litre dCi (56,240 pesos, or US$ 18,025) engine. Confort will be part of the 1.6-litre 16V engine (52,770 pesos, or US$ 16,913) and the diesel engine (59,980 pesos, or US$ 19,224), while the Luxe trim level will be only available for the 1.6-litre 16V petrol engine (57,850 pesos, or US$ 18,541).

Symbol is 4.26 m long, 1.44 m tall, 1.93 m wide and has a wheelbase of 2.47 m. Although it is basically a Clio Sedan in its underpins, it seems to be much better looking than the previous model. Let's see how buyers react to the new design and if it will help Renault sell more in key markets, such as Brazil, where it will be presented at the beginning of 2009.












Source: Renault

G-Power Hurricane RS becomes the world's fastest sedan with 367.4 km/h

When Brabus Rocket broke the world speed record for sedans, with 365.7 km/h, back in Novembre 2006, it was a matter of time until some other supersedan challenged it in order to claim the title of "world's fastest sedan". That oponent could be no different than a BMW M5, heavily modified by G-Power. This is how Hurricane RS was born, and how it has reached 367.4 km/h in Papenburg race track.



The 507 bhp V10 has received a G-Power Evo II kit, which consists of two highly efficient superchargers, one for each bank of cylindres, in order to reach 750 bhp. The engine still likes to go up to revs as high as 8,200 rpm. Other changes have also been performed, especially in what relates to brakes and suspension, to keep the car safe at these top speeds.

In Europe, it is possible to buy a G-Power Hurricane for 240,000 euros. Considering the price of other supercars, this one is a real bargain.





Source: G-Power

Peugeot 308 Sedan appears with the help of Jorge L. Fernández

Peugeot 308's production has been confirmed for Argentina in 2009, but the first body to emerge will not be hatchback. It will be a sedan, as it has already happened with Citroën C4. In an effort to show us how the car will be, our friend Jorge L. Fernandez has made the following rendering:



As Jorge has said, if we take the latest hatchback based sedans from Peugeot, the real car will be diffent from his. It was a nice way to say they will be ugly as hell, with a boot compartment that does not seem to be part of the car, as it already happens with 307 Sedan. We hope to be very wrong on this and that the real car is better looking than the car it will replace. Cross your fingers!

Source: Area75