World's first Hydrogen Car

The first hydrogen-powered race car will take to the track this weekend in the worldwide Formula Student category, and if the notion of green car racing catches on, we can look forward to watching the ingenuity of the racing community making some significant contributions to the development of emission-free consumer cars in the near future.

A £5,000 grant from the Royal Society of Chemistry has made it possible for John Goddard and James Waters, two PhD students in the University of Hertfordshire’s new Sustainable Energy Technologies Centre to convert a Formula Student racing car into a hydrogen-powered vehicle. Formula Student is a worldwide challenge for engineering students to design and build small, single-seat racing cars. It forms part of their academic studies and culminates in a competition to be held this weekend where teams from all over the world test the strength of their designs in the racing arena.

This is the first time that a hydrogen-powered racing car has been developed anywhere in the world. It will produce zero CO2 emissions, run on ‘green’ hydrogen produced from farm waste and is expected to be equally as fast as a petrol-fueled car.

The engineers are very optimistic about the car’s chances in the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Formula Student Race when it races on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 July at Silverstone. This particular car, before the hydrogen conversion, won the Best UK Car category in the competition in 2005.

“Usually if a car is run on hydrogen, we would expect it to lose performance,” said John. “But, in this case, we have found a way to get optimum performance from the engine.”

“We have had to work with the IMechE to develop a whole new set of rules and guidelines for hydrogen cars because this has never been done before,” James added.

The University set up the Sustainable Energies Technology Centre in December 2006 to develop research into sustainable technologies and other uses of hydrogen.

Sexiest car in the world ???

UK magazine Top Gear has just named the Fiat 500 the sexiest car in the world. Nope, that's not a misprint; according to Clarkson and co, the Fiat Cinquecento is the sexiest piece of motoring metal ever.

Here's Top Gear's top ten:
1. Fiat 500
2. Aston Martin DBS
3. Maserati Quattroporte
4. Chevrolet Camaro
5. Citroen C6
6. Lincoln Continental
7. Bentley Continental S1 Fastback
8. BMW M1
9. Rolls-Royce Phantom
10. Sally the Porsche 911 Carrera (from the Pixar film Cars)

Lincoln Continental? Maserati Quattroporte? BMW M1? I'd rather look down a dunny at a Vindaloo convention...

And how could anyone but a half-blind Brit love the look of the Rolls Royce Phantom? I'd get more turned on by a house brick.

Bloody joke, innit! For starters where's the 2001 Holden Monaro? That timeless design – without nostrils - lovingly sculpted by Mike Simcoe and his genius team at Holden.

So, let's get vocal Australia!

What do you reckon is the sexiest car in the world?

Super car Wallpapers

Reviewing freebies like wallpapers and screensavers is a very fun thing to do as almost everyone (whether or not a computer geek) likes to style his/her desktop in their own way and by providing them good resources of wallpapers and screensavers you merely attract more readers to your blog. Especially when you get lucky enough to write a second review for the same advertiser and get paid for it then you are Evil and so am I.

Supercar wallpapers and Screensavers

VCars Funzone has yet again to offer you one of the most sexiest and most stylish Supercar wallpapers for your computer desktop. This is obviously the best choice for stylish car lovers as well as the best choice for those people too who want to decorate their desktop with fancy high-resolution graphics. VCars Funzone being the best online repository of high resolution car wallpapers and screensavers brings you the exclusive free wallpapers of Supercars.

Best Screensaver and wallpaper Quality

Definitely there are hundreds and hundreds of wallpapers and screensavers websites online but when you go on searching for good quality ones you will hardly find any and thats where VCars keeps its quality promise. You will find one of the best quality and finest 10 Supercar wallpapers and screensavers over at VCars.

Not to mention that the screensavers are dynamic which means the screensaver shows you a calender and clock too (this really makes them even more cooler). You can email wallpapers and screensavers to your friends and family in an instant using the online form at the website. Here is a fun preview of one of the screensavers hosted on YouTube (check it out).

More From VCars

Please don’t forget to checkout the Used Cars and Motoring News where find used cars in your area and get all the latest cars and motor news respectively.

World's 5 Most Sexiest Cars

I really don’t have any serious interest in cars and vehicles but a lot of my readers enjoyed the 10 most sexiest and stylish cars post that was guest blogged by Hamad from TechnoInc some days ago. But when it comes to Sports Cars my heart really feels the attraction towards them because of their unmatchable speed and style. Inhabitat has recently shared a list of the Top 5 Sexiest Sports Cars and I will take the liberty to re share it with all of my readers.

1. Saab Aero-X

I really like the cool aero dynamic shape of this car and the white color seems a perfect blend to its beauty. It is said to take you from from 0 to 100kph/60mph in 4.2 seconds and has no doors rather the entire top canopy section of the car opens.

2. Venture Fetish

This is one of the only in production electric sports car with a production rate of 25 models per year. I really love the blue chrome look of this car. It can take you from 0-100kph/60mph in about 5 seconds.

3. Citroen C-Metisse

This diesel hybrid car has got a mixed mode engine i.e it can operate in a diesel mode as well as on a zero emission (all-electric) mode. This was unveiled at the Paris show last year.

4. Toyota FT-HS

This car is perhaps my favorite one in this list because of its stylish shape and eye-freshening color. The car can take you from 0 to 100kph/60mph in an astonishing four seconds flat and is set to go in production in 2009.

5. Tesla Roadster

The Tesla Roadster does seemingly look cool because of its black luster but didn’t quite attract me that well. This car is fully electrically powered sports car with an acceleration of 0-100kph/60mph in a little over 4 seconds.

so which one are you buying ?

World's 10 Stylish and Sexiest Cars

1. Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the baby aston, its been released very recently and is creating huge ripples among consumers for its awesome engine and its brain rattling sound!

2. Audi TT Roadster

The new Audi TT Roadster, this is the most sold Audi in the world and now they have come up with a new one. This particular one is from Abt, an Audi tuner, the 3.2 liter version produces 355 bhp and catapults the car from 0~100 km/h in 5 secs.

3. Bentley Continental GT

New Bentley Continental GT Speed, this is the first Bentley ever to top 200 mph and also the first to have the biggest engine ever produced by Bentley a W12 which produces 600 bhp. A W12 is made by merging two V6’s.

4. Mercielago LP 640

The most furious Lambo ever, The Mercielago LP 640, this car has a 6.5 liter V12, which produces 633 bhp and has a 0~100 km/h time of 3.5 secs! And a top speed of 340 km/h.

5. BMW M5

The BMW M5, this particular black beauty is the world’s only M5 with two turbo chargers and inter cooler. With a top speed of 240 mph, this car is truely out of this world.

6. Koenigsegg CCX

Koenigsegg CCX, the only car ever to parallel the Bugati Veyron, with a top speed of 250 mph and an all around carbon fibre body, this car is a master piece.

7. Porsche 911 GT2

Porsche 911 GT2 is equipped with two turbo chargers which gives a max of 530 hp. Porsche have been known to have the best balanced chasis ever made which gives it the best handling you can get from a car.

8. Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport, this is a particular gangster’s choice car, with its 20 inch alloy wheels, turbo charger and sport exhaust system, this car is truely amazing.

9. Vauxhall Monaro

Vauxhall Monaro, an Australian based sports coupe which has all the powerand looks, this car has been said to be the best car ever to drift because of its amazing handling.

10. The Mercedes Benz CLK

The Mercedes Benz CLK DTM, a genuine track car with its base of a trueluxury sedan, this car has awesome power and looks that are out of this world.

Toyota's World's smallest four-seater car

The world's smallest four-seater micro-car was unveiled by Toyota at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The 'IQ' prototype is just 9ft 9 inches long - about three inches shorter than the original Mini - and is expected in showrooms within two years priced between £9,000 and £10,000.

It has enough room for three adults and a small child, but a sliding seat arrangement means it can be driven as a two seater with added boot space.

MINI MARVEL: Toyota's world's snallest four-seater car

A Toyota spokesman said:'It's the world's smallest four seater car.'

It was one of a series of small and 'green' cars on display at the show where manufacturers were anxious to display their environmental technology.

Britain's new Mini Clubman started production at BMW's Oxford plant as the car was shown simultaneously for the first time in public at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

MINI MARVEL: Toyota's world's snallest four-seater car

Originally in production from 1969 to 1980, the Clubman will go on sale in the UK on November 11.

Its arrival will help BMW to produce a record 200,000-plus Minis in 2007, with production eventually expected to reach 240,000 annually.

BMW's Oxford plant managing director Oliver Zipse said: "The new Mini Clubman is another milestone in the Mini success story.

"Our 6,800 highly-committed associates in the Mini production triangle plants in the UK (Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall near Birmingham) have so far produced more than one million Minis since it was launched in 2001.

"With the launch of the Clubman, the third Mini derivative, we are expecting new production and sales records for Mini, which is great news for the UK automotive industry."

Slightly bigger than the standard Mini, the Clubman comes in three versions, the £14,235 Cooper, the £15,400 Cooper D and the £17,210 Cooper S.

The new car is inspired not only by the original Clubman but by the Morris Mini Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman, which were a feature of motoring in the 1960s.

Competitiveness Minister Stephen Timms, who was at Oxford for the start of production, said: "Today's launch is a shining example of modern British manufacturing. I am sure the new Clubman will be a great hit.'

Also at Frankfurt, Korea's Kia showed a new small £20,000 sports car called the Kee, created by the Peter Schreyer, the man who designed the iconic Audi TT.

Powered by a 2.7 litre V6 engine, it has a top speed of 140mph and can sprint from rest to 62mph in about eight seconds.

It signals the car companies ambitions to rise from being a budget car-maker like Skoda to an more up-market brand.

By contrast, looking like a cross between a Batmobile and a stealth bomber, Lamborghini launched its gas-guzzling £600,000 Reventon supercar which has a top speed of 211mph and can sprint from rest to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds.

Only 20 will be built for rich clients specialist collectors.

Former F1 world champion Michael Schumacher launched the new Ferrari 430 Scuderia which can sprint from rest to 62mph in under 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 198mph.

Design of World's Smallest Car

Using the parts inside a single molecule, scientists have constructed the world's smallest car. It has a chassis, axles and a pivoting suspension. The wheels are buckyballs, spheres of pure carbon containing 60 atoms apiece.

It'd be a real squeeze to take it for a spin, however.

The whole car is no more than 4 nanometers across. That's slightly wider than a strand of DNA. A human hair is about 80,000 nanometers thick.

Other groups have made car-shaped nanoscale objects. But this is the first one that rolls "on four wheels in a direction perpendicular to its axles," the researchers reported Thursday.

What's the point? Nanotrucks, of course.

Eventually the researchers want to build tiny trucks that could carry atoms and molecules around in miniature factories.

"We'd eventually like to move objects and do work in a controlled fashion on the molecular scale, and these vehicles are great test beds for that," said James Tour, a Rice University research who co-led the work. "They're helping us learn the ground rules."

The setup will be detailed in an upcoming issue of the journal Nano Letters.

The scientists had to use "scanning tunneling microscopy" to see the thing and prove that it rolls like a car.

"It's fairly easy to build nanoscale objects that slide around on a surface," said Tour's colleague Kevin Kelly. "Proving that we were rolling – not slipping and sliding – was one of the most difficult parts of this project."

So just how do you make a nanocar go?

At room temperature, strong electrical bonds hold the buckyball wheels tightly against the gold, but heating to about 200 degrees Celsius frees them to roll.

Worlds Fastes car

The fastest road sports car in the world, one of the most ambitious projects in automobile history, entered the production phase after ages of development time. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4, built mainly by hand, finally reached its original goal, packing 1001 hp under its hood, or 987 hp in SAE numbers.

The sports car, capable of more than 250 mph, is driven by a 16-cylinder mid-engine, that at 710 mm long is no larger than a conventional V12 unit, and due to its lightweight construction weighs only about 400 kilos. Its compact dimensions are due to the unique arrangement of its cylinder banks in a W configuration. Two VR8 blocks, each with a fifteen degree bank angle, are joined in the crankcase to form one engine. Both eight cylinders are set at an angle of ninety degrees to each other and are aspirated by a total of four exhaust gas turbochargers. The engine delivers 987 hp at 6000 r.p.m. and provides a maximum torque of 923 lb-ft at between 2200 and 5500 r.p.m.

To apply the power of the 64-valve unit to achieve satisfactory driving dynamics both in everyday traffic and on the racetrack, the Bugatti development team of Dr. Franz-Joseph Paefgen and Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber has realized a propulsion unit that is without parallel in its complexity. If the extreme engine power is a master stroke of genius, its conversion for road use is an equally tough challenge. As Dr. Schreiber says “For 1000 hp propulsion power, the system demands approximately 2000 hp to be additionally generated as heat energy during combustion. Half in each case is dissipated in the exhaust gas and cooling water”. To do this, the Bugatti engine has two water circuits. The larger of the two with 40 liters of cooling water has three coolers in the front section of the car, to keep the engine at operating temperature. The second circuit, called the low-temperature system, has a separate water pump and contains 15 liters of cooling water. These are used to cool, by up to 130 degrees, the charged air, heated during compression in the turbochargers, in two heat exchangers mounted on the engine. The cooled, charged air then passes through two “air manifolds” into the combustion chamber, which it then leaves as exhaust gas at approximately 1,000 degrees. It then passes through the turbines of the exhaust gas turbochargers. This causes the exhaust gas to expand, so that it is cooled by up to about 150 degrees, is then cleaned in the catalyzer and exhausted.

In addition to its unique compactness, the high performance of the power unit is the centrepoint of the development. Lightweight materials are used that not only result in a low power-to-weight ratio but also particularly provide the spontaneous response of the moving engine-internal masses. In addition to piston rods of titanium, the so called “easy runners”, the eight-stage oil pump integrated into the crankcase for dry sump lubrication has light aluminum gears. Because the arrangement of the 16 cylinders ensures extremely quiet running, only a small flywheel is needed. The use of motor sport technology is evident not only from the plasma-coated running faces of the cylinders but also by the use of high-strength steel for the shafts and gears in the aluminum crankcase.

Fastest street legal car race

Worlds 10 Fastest cars

10. Lamborghini Gallardo 13.65 secs

In the 0-100-0 mph race Lamborghini Gallardo is faster than its bigger and stronger brother by three hundredths of a second, primarily because of its lower weight. Gallardo is powered by 5.0 liter V10 engine which provides 520 hp, which scorches it from 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds.

9. Porsche 911 Turbo 12.5 secs

Thanks to its sophisticated integral drive which limits wheel sliding, new ‘turbo’ successfully transfers its 480 hp to the ground and proves that power is not the most important.

8. Caterham CSR260 11.95 secs

British Caterham has always been known as one of the fastest cars in the world (0-60 mph in 3 seconds). It is not surprising since its mass and power ratio wouldn't put super sports motorcycle to shame. CSR 260 is powered by a 2.3 liter engine which provides 250 hp and weighs 555 kilograms which is approximately 0.5 hp per kilogram.

7. Pagani Zonda 11.8 secs

An Italian with a German heart is one of the most extravagant supercars of a mass production. Its Mercedes AMG 7.3 liter V12 engine provides 555 hp, sufficient to accelerate from standing start to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and develop maximum speed of 220 mph.

6. Porshe Carrera GT 11.6 secs

The strongest mass production Porsche of all times with the centrally positioned 5.7 liter V10 engine is one of the technologically most advanced GT cars ever made. The car is almost completely made out of carbon fibers and composite materials, and after 1,270 cars were soled recently it became one of the most successful super cars of all times.

5. McLaren F1 LM 11.5 secs

A car created for only one reason – to be the fastest one. The uncompromising creation process provided it such title for ten years during which it remained unbeatable by the competition. Its BMW gold-plated V12 engine (for better cooling) provides 627 horsepower. The maximum measured speed is 240 mph.

4. Ferrari Enzo 10.9 secs

The fastest Ferrari of all times was named after the founder of a legendary Italian manufacturer. Until recently the fastest car in the world was first beaten by the legendary McLaren F1 in all categories from acceleration to maximum speed. Only 399 Ferrari Enzos were produced.

3. Ariel Atom 10.88 secs

For the price of one Carrera GT you can buy a dozen of this auto brand. Atom is manufactured by a small British company from Somerset with only about ten employees. Its Honda engine, taken over from Civic Type-R, is supplemented by mechanical supercharger which provides 300 hp. Having in mind that Atom weighs only 456 kilograms, its acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds is not surprising.

2. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 9.9 secs

A car which redefined the terms used to describe supercars. While its competitors have narrow, noisy and too heated interiors, Veyron provides comfort and enjoyment to two passengers, characteristic of the most luxurious limousines. Veyron weighs almost two tons, which makes it the heaviest car on the 10 fastest cars list. Still, its weight does not prevent it from giving 0-100-0 mph a time of less than 10 seconds with the maximum speed of 253 mph, which is why until recently it was the fastest car in the world. It is all because of its sophisticated integral drive and unique W16 engine which provides 1001 horsepower.

1. Ultima GTR 9.4 secs

Less than a two months ago a small British car company represented its version of ultimate race car for the road drive based on Chevrolet V8 engine which provides 730 hp and entered the Guinness Book of World Records beating the Veyron’s time by five hundredths of a second. 720 GTR scorches from 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, from 0 to 100 mph in 5.3 seconds, and brakes to 0 in 3.6 seconds (not including drivers reaction time). No traction control devices or ABS braking aids were used.

Barabus TKR takes over as world's fastest car?

The Bugatti Veyron may no longer be the world's fastest car. Today — following a number of teasers and leaks — Barabus officially unveiled the TKR: a new 1005 horsepower supercar the automaker says is capable of doing zero to 60 mph in 1.67 seconds. What's more, the car reportedly has a top speed of 270 mph — nearly 20 more than the Veyron. Power comes from a 6.0 liter V8 twin-turbocharged with dual intercoolers. The car has a full carbon fibre body and chassis. Further details remain sparse, but the automaker says it will sell the car for £360,000, which should translate to around $500,000, using typical automotive market conversion rates.

It's worth noting that Barabus sometimes refers to the car as being able to hit 60 mph in "under 2 seconds," rather than the stated 1.67. Even so, there is still some doubt among enthusiasts if such a figure is even possible. Nonetheless, the car is on display at the 2006 British International Motor Show, and we expect to get more details in the near future. The TKR is said to have been in development for the last 10 years. The car is to be made in Italy and the power plant is built in the United Kingdom. Worldwide volume is projected to be 300-400 cars over the estimated three-year production run.

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10

Now that a Chevy Corvette Z06 comes with 505 hp, where’s the Viper’s cachet? Looks alone can’t sell a car in a segment where speed matters this much. Dodge is fighting back now, and throwing a hell of a haymaker. How does 600 horsepower grab you? Kind of like an Andre the Giant bear-hug, that’s how. We expect to see 0-60 times sneak a little deeper into the mid-threes (the last Viper we tested did the deed in 3.8 seconds), with the quarter-mile dropping consistently in under twelve seconds, whereas past Vipers have all danced around the low twelve-second range.

Dodge achieves this nearly 20-percent increase in power by cramming about 20 percent more air into the engine through an enlarged intake nostril at the leading edge of the hood that feeds new dual throttle bodies. On the exhaust side, variable valve timing helps to expel more hot air. Lest anyone think that VVT on the Viper is diluting the nature of the beast, there’s also a slight displacement increase to 8.4 liters, so that the Viper’s V-10 remains the undisputed king of the primal American “bigger is better” sledgehammer approach to power. But, as the Spiderman himself, Peter Parker, learned from Uncle Ben, with great power comes great responsibility. Responsibility not to grenade your transmission; responsibility not to wad yourself up against a utility pole or an oncoming Freightliner.

The extra power is funneled through a new dual-disc clutch that Dodge says offers an 18-percent reduction in rotational inertia, and hopefully lower clutch-pedal effort to go with it. The transmission is upgraded as well, with stronger gears and upgraded synchros to improve shift quality. And there’s a new, quicker-acting limited-slip differential to better put down the snake's power. But it doesn’t really matter; the Viper will still be delightfully brutal with all that delicious, face-melting power.

To keep the Viper’s long hood from melting as well, what with 8.4 liters and 600 horsepower lurking below, Dodge has gouged six gaping cooling vents into it. That hood, along with five new colors—including a wild lime green—and three wheel choices wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber, are the only other changes accompanying the 90-hp boost. Now, what about all those Blue Devil rumors, Chevy?

Spied: 2008 Aston Martin DBS - Car News

Casino Royale star promises 500+ horsepower
With its completely exposed powder blue paint shimmering in the sun, the 2008 Aston Martin DBS has been caught while testing both on public roads and the track. While its official debut is set for the Geneva auto show in March, the concept’s lack of disguise previews not just the car we’ll get here late next year, but also the look of the new James Bond hero car seen in Casino Royale starting mid-November. Interestingly, the DBS is the first James Bond Aston to be seen in one of the James Bond movies before it has officially been launched. Not surprisingly, Aston Martin officials were relatively mum on specific modifications to the DB9-based supercoupe other than what we can all see by looking at it—specifically, a deeper air dam, larger side vents, larger wheels and aerodynamic modifications all around—but they did confirm a significant increase in the V-12’s power output and a commensurate increase in overall performance capability. Just to mess with us, it seems, Aston Martin slapped the prototypes caught by photographers with “DBRS9” badges, leading many editorial outlets to mislabel the vehicle as the DBRS9, the name of a DB9-based racer that is not, and never will be, street legal. This vehicle, however, is in fact going to be called DBS. With the Vanquish discontinued after 2006, the DBS becomes the performance flagship of the Aston Martin line. A convertible DBS is “doubtful,” Aston Martin says.