Lexus registers LFA trademark with USPTO

Speculation that the Lexus LF-A supercar project had been axed several months ago was refuted to some degree by ongoing testing of the car at the Nurburgring. Now a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has breathed new life into the car's possible production, though the company still hasn''t officially confirmed the car.

The trademark filing, first dug up by AutoSpies, was made December 1, 2008. While information contained in the official document is understandably sparse, the name is registered for use as the name of 'automobiles and structural parts thereof'. Also of note is the absence of the hyphen previously found in the car's name, changing the name from LF-A to LFA.

Test versions of the car spotted in testing are believed to house a 5.0L V10 engine rated at 500hp (373kW). A company executive speaking earlier this year revealed that the car's price, if it did head to production, would "begin with a two." That puts the LFA in league with the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and similar exotics.

A roadster version could also be in the works, previewed by a concept version at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.

British team completes first shake-down test for record breaking steam car

After eight years of development, the British Steam Car Team are now just months away from attempting to break the world speed record for a steam-powered car – a record that has stood since 1906. The speed to beat is 127.659mph (205km/h) and organizers are comfortable of reaching a new top speed of 200mph (322km/h).

The team rolled out the car for the first time last week, completing several low-speed runs before attempting one high-speed attempt. Organizers now hope to make their first record attempt early next year and are in talks with officials at Edwards Air Force Base in California to use a local dry lake bed. Of given the go-ahead, the Southern California Timing Association will be on hand to marshal the event.

The layout of the steam car shares many characteristics with regular production vehicles. It’s a rear wheel powered, rear engine vehicle that has a traditional rack and pinion front wheel steering system. The braking system consists of four wheel discs (parachute assisted) and there is double wishbone independent suspension at all four corners.

Power comes from a two stage steam turbine fed by a boiler running on LPG and developing a peal of 360hp (268kW). The 13in diameter turbine drives an epicyclical gear train with a 4:1 ratio for a wheel speed of 3,000rpm at 200mph. The boiler section is in the center of the car directly behind the single seat cockpit. For space reasons, there are actually four separate boilers each capable of being run independently.

StudioTorino converts Mercedes SL into Coupetorino concept

What do you get when you combine German engineering with Italian design? One example is the stunning Coupetorino, a re-design project by Alfredo Stola of StudioTorino. Based around the Mercedes SL, the Coupetorino takes a solid platform and turns it into a work of art.

Submitted as a proposal to the 2008 Turin World Design Capital competition, the Coupetorino is, as yet, only a computer rendering and a 1/4 scale model. Converting a native-born convertible into a true coupe is no small task, but the StudioTorino team has full confidence in the computer design of the project coming to life. The end goal was to create a stunning coach-built car with the reliability and comfort of a modern production car.

Mercedes has of course already turned the SL into a coupe for its SL65 AMG Black Series supercar, but its high price, massive power, carbon-fiber dominant construction and sheer rarity put it well beyond the reach of most people, not to mention out of the realm of the production car.

The car, revealed today at the Turin Gallery's premiere, will be on display as part of an exhibit entitled 'Bespoke Coachwork'. To see more of StudioTorino's handiwork, check out the Maserati Cinqueporte concept, or the Porsche Cayman RK.

700hp Lightning GT EV on track for 2010 launch

Following its debut at the London Motor Show earlier this year, Britain's answer to the Tesla Roadster, the Lightning GT electric sports car, is expected to move to the next stage of development in 2009. The team behind the Lightning GT has announced that they will be producing two prototypes by the second quarter of 2009, with a view to start the first customer deliveries in early 2010.

Information at this point is scarce, and currently the car's exact specifications have not yet been finalized. Meanwhile, the company behind the project is still seeking capital from investors and an exact location for production is also still uncertain, which all means that the promised delivery date may need to be pushed back.

Some of the details we know about include a 700hp (522kW) electric powertrain featuring nano-titanate battery technology, which is enough to propel the car from 0-60mph in a flat four seconds and take it a top speed of about 130mph.

The electric drive system, dubbed Hi-Pa Drive, packs four permanent magnet brushless motors with one in each wheel. The system also allows for full traction control and regenerative braking on all four wheels independently. Due to power being developed separately in each wheel, there are no gearboxes, differentials, axles, drive shafts or propshafts in the Lightning sports car.

One of the key benefits of electric vehicles is that they have maximum available power at the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. Officials claim charging the batteries for just ten minutes will provide up to 250 miles of driving, and at current prices driving one mile will cost just 2.5 cents.

To save weight, the car’s body is made from carbon fibre and Kevlar, and even with the full array of batteries on board the GT has a near ideal weight distribution of 48/52 front to rear. The car is also available with luxury items such as air-conditioning, satnav, and full leather trim.

Second official image of production Aston Martin Rapide leaks

Late last month Aston Martin released the first official image of its upcoming Rapide four-door coupe, and like the previously revealed One-77 supercar the first image was a computer generated teaser that only revealed a few details. The second image, leaked today, is essentially the same, but shows the car from the rear, with a clear shot at the glass roof.

The first picture showed that the production version will lose the tiny side air intakes on the front bumper that were first shown on the concept version, while the sides pick up a new shunt line that runs almost the entire length of the body. Originating with the 4WheelsNews site, the second picture reveals the rear of the car features what appear to be LED tail lights, dual exhaust tips and a boat-tail type rear decklid spoiler.

According to CAR, where the first image was sourced, the rear of the production Rapide also sports a slightly different bumper and bootlid to the original concept, as well as some unique chrome detailing.

Inside, the Rapide will be almost identical to the DB9 but will differ thanks to more generous rear seats, headrest mounted LCD monitors, and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Under the hood will likely be a 500hp (373kW) V12 engine in a range-topping model and a less powerful V8 unit in a base version. RWD and a six-speed automatic are likely to be the only drivetrain options.

Unfortunately for purists, the Rapide will not be built at Aston's traditional Gaydon plant in England - production of the four-door has been contracted to Magna Steyr who will build the vehicle at its Austrian plant.

Production is expected to start in 2009 for the Rapide, giving it ample time to get into the market against the upcoming Panamera, although rivals like the CLS and Maserati Quattroporte already have a big head start over the new four-door Porsche and Aston Martin.

Rinspeed unveils iChange Concept

Best known for its construction of oddball but impressive concepts like the sQuba, a James Bond-esque underwater Lotus, Rinspeed is now delving into the design of electric vehicles with its svelte iChange design concept.

The iChange, powered by a 174hp (130kW) electric motor, features a '1-2-3 seater' layout. What does that mean? The body structure is adaptive via an 'electronic trick-tail', which adjusts the car's dimensions based on the passenger load required. With only the driver on board, the car adopts a streamlined tear-drop shape, and as more passengers join, the car's rear section rises to make room.

Frank M. Rinderknecht, the proprietor of Rinspeed, said, "“Thinking about variability and the constantly changing energy demand, we have created an extremely flexible vehicle.” The goal was to optimize weight and aerodynamic drag to get the most out of the electronic vehicle's performance and range. The car, though still just a concept, bears the seed of future development, thinks Rinderknecht, and represents an avenue for real change.

“If we want to preserve our individual mobility in the future, we have to re-think our conception of cars - above all we need to accommodate the ecological aspects,” he said.

Aston Martin offers performance upgrades for previous 4.3L V8 Vantage

Following the launch of the updated Aston Martin 4.7L V8 Vantage earlier this year, owners of the original 4.3L model are now afforded the choice of a retro-fitted power upgrade plus a special ‘Sports Pack’ option previously limited to the updated model. With the addition of the power upgrade, peak power is raised by 20hp (15kW) to 400hp (300kW) and torque is increased by 7.3lb-ft (10Nm) to 310lb-ft (420Nm), increasing top speed to 177mph and delivering a slight improvement in the 0-60mph time.

Developed by the Aston Martin engineering team, the power upgrade is realized through a revised induction system using technology previously introduced on the DBS supercar. The induction system has a pair of switching airbox-valves that open at 5,500rpm allowing additional air into the engine producing more power in a controlled manner. The engine’s control unit has also been reprogrammed with new software to optimize ignition timing. In addition, the new calibration allows the engine to recognize higher octane fuels, further maximizing performance.

Meanwhile, the Sports Pack is comprised of uprated springs and Bilstein dampers, which contributes to a superior dynamic response. Lightweight forged aluminum five-spoke wheels help to reduce the unsprung mass further augmenting the precision handling of the V8 Vantage.

The new upgrades are now available at Aston Martin dealers worldwide.