Chinese Version

Brand Finance has released its influential Global 500 report for 2018, which ranks the world’s top 500 most valuable brands.

For 2018, the most valuable automotive brand was Mercedes-Benz. This is a big deal for the German automaker, as Toyota has historically been the automotive leader in Brand Finance’s ranking. Toyota was ranked the second most valuable automaker for 2018, followed by BMW in third.

Brand Finance says Mercedes-Benz is the “most valuable brand in Europe,” with a worth of $43.9 billion. The research firm says the German automaker has received a boost over the past year from content-based marketing that puts a focus on people over product. It’s also using light-hearted and casual social-media based marketing strategies in order to appeal to younger car buyers. Brand Finance highlighted Mercedes’ next-generation of EQ electric vehicles in its overview of the automaker as well.

“Their success has been driven by the introduction of a new generation of vehicles led by their renewed foray into SUVs and smooth evolution of new technologies to move away from traditional internal combustion engines,” it said.

Completing the top 10 list of most valuable automakers were Volkswagen, Honda, Nissan, Porsche, Ford, Audi and Chevrolet. Ferrari was ranked as third on Brand Finance’s list of ‘Strongest Brands’, getting pipped by Disney in first and Visa in second.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/14/mercedes-benz-becomes-worlds-valuable-automaker/

The Volkswagen Group’s electric ambitions will require it to expand EV production to 16 factories around the world, according to the automaker.

Volkswagen made the claim at its annual press conference, adding that all 16 factories would be producing EVs by 2022.

Exactly which factories VW plans to convert to EV production remains to be seen, but we already know that VW is converting its Zwickau plant for EV production.

At least one plant in North America will be given EV production capacity, and Herbert Diess has gone on the record saying that Tennessee is the likely location, though he added that no definitive decision had been reached.

That means that VW’s Chattanooga plant will likely start producing EVs for the brand, but the announcement pertains to the whole group, meaning that Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Porsche plants and more will all take part in EV production.

The Volkswagen Group also announced that it has chosen partners to provide battery cells for its EV projects in Europe and China. The deals are worth around $25 billion, and a deal in North America is expected to come soon, too, according to the automaker.

These 16 factories will be tasked with building 80 new electric cars across the brand by 2025 and electric versions of each of the Group’s 300 models by 2030.

VW’s intention appears to be to build the EVs on two platforms, differentiated by price point. The VW brand, SEAT, Skoda, and maybe even lowly Audis, will be built on the MEB platform, on which the I.D. hatchback and I.D. Buzz have been based.

Porsche and Audi, meanwhile, are partnering to make the PPE platform for the Group’s premium offerings.

Before that platform is ready for production, though, both Porsche and Audi are releasing EVs on separate platforms. Audi’s e-Tron is coming out later this year, while Porsche’s Mission E is going into production in 2019 when CEO Matthias Mueller expects a new VW EV to roll out “virtually every month.”

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/14/volkswagen-build-evs-16-factories-worldwide-nigeria-not-one/

2 > maybach

3> 504

4> Bugatti Chrion

5> Wraith

6> RR Velar

7> Ferrari

8> Lambo

9> Rolls Royce Ghost

10> Gwagon 6x6

11> Koenisegg Agera?

12 > Bentley

It reportedly goes 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds with a top speed of 177 mph
From the files of lesser-noticed Geneva auto show unveilings comes this, a new full-electric offering from Shanghai-based LVCHI Auto. It’s called the Venere and it’s billed, we’re not sure why, as a limousine.

Keep in mind that the company’s only been around since 2016, while the Venere project only kicked off last year in concert with Italian design outfit I.DE.A Institute. The company says it aims to become a big player in electric vehicles and start production of the Venere in Turin in 2019.

The four-door four-seater comes with some eye-popping performance claims, including more than 1,000 horsepower from its 100kWh battery and four electric motors — two each at the rear and front — that each generate 185 kilowatts and a whopping 1,135 pound-feet of torque. It also boasts a 2.5-second 0-62 mph time, a top speed of 177 miles per hour and a driving range of 405 miles on a single charge. We’ll believe these claims when the car proves them.

The all-wheel drive limo — is built on a composite chassis made of sandwiched carbon fiber and honeycomb for torsional and flexible rigidity and to limit weight. The frame is manufactured using the roof as a collaborative structural component, joined by aluminum chassis supports attached to the front and rear powertrain. It’s definitely a nicely designed, sporty looking roadster, though we can’t help comparing the swooping lid-like rear with a certain helmet worn by a regiment of Death Star gunners.

Next up, LVCHI says, are a new electric Citycar and, between 2020 and 2021, a new SUV, multipurpose vehicle platforms and the launch of a high-performance electric sedan called the Urano. That car debuted in Shanghai in January and represented the brand’s official launch, per CarNewsChina. The website reports the company is building a factory in Jilin, China with an eventual capacity of 550,000 vehicles.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/12/lvchi-china-unveils-worlds-fastest-electric-limo/

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The current Volkswagen Beetle will be the last of its kind for a while. VW revived The People’s Car in 1997, then introduced a second generation in 2011, but VW’s head of R&, Frank Welsch, said at the Geneva Motor Show that “two or three generations is enough now.” With VW having pivoted to crossovers and electric vehicles, Welsch said the T-Roc Convertible will replace the Beetle, Golf, and Eos Cabriolets, and the I.D. Buzz— based on the Microbus — will serve as the heritage-inspired electric model.

The VW Group plans for its electric-only MEB platform to support up to 15 electric vehicles across Group brands, five of those offerings to come from VW. Volkswagen alone, though, plans to introduce up to 30 electric vehicles over the next 10 years, and an electric Beetle was one of the potential candidates for an “emotional concept.” Last November, brand Chairman Herbert Diess told Autocar that a battery powered Beetle “would be much better than today’s model, much closer to history, because it could be rear-wheel drive.” A rear-mounted EV powertrain would open up cabin space and leave plenty of room for the trademark frunk.

The VW board voted last November on which EVs to give the production nod, it appears the Beetle didn’t make it. Customer enthusiasm probably played a part, too, after 20 years of Beetle nostalgia that’s closing in on design and sales dead ends. Welsch said, “People asked when production starts on the [I.D. Buzz], so we decided to go that way. Better to have that than having five generations of a new Beetle.”

While an EV Beetle could have been an innovative evolution, going with the I.D. Buzz gives VW a much wider scope of possibilities. Given a profitable customer reception, expanded I.D Buzz offerings could include a Camper and the “Shut up and take my money!” Synchro Doka Pickup. Consider us in favor.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/08/volkswagen-stop-production-beetle-current-edition/

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Nissan has created a mobile BBQ station out of a 2018 Titan XD Gas King Cab. The Smokin’ Titan was created by removing the truck’s factory bed and mounting that to a B&S custom trailer that’s hooked up to the truck itself.

The truck’s bed has been replaced with a CM Truck Beds aluminum flatbed, which forms three food prep stations; on the trailer is a Lang BBQ Smoker and Char Grill. “I absolutely love this project vehicle – it is the perfect combination of truck, food smokin’ and family time,” says Nissan North America’s truck and LCV vice president Billy Hayes. “If I could take it home with me, I would.”

Since all that smokin’ and barbequin’ can be a hot and smoky job, it’s a good thing to have the action happening on a separate trailer, away from the truck itself. But the truck isn’t just made for lugging that trailer around, as it has a double burner prep stove, a sink and a water storage system and a fridge setup which slides out of the cabin.

The entire project vehicle includes some 20 unique aftermarket parts from various suppliers in the truck parts, grilling and kitchenware industries, and it rides on 20-inch Icon wheels and Nitto Terra Grappler tires.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/08/nissan-titan-specially-made-bbq-barbeque-lovers/

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The Lord is your Strenght Bro!

Two years into the production of the Chiron, Bugatti has revealed the even more extreme Chiron Sport version. It doesn’t have additional power, but thanks to a number of other improvements, the French manufacturer says, it’s significantly faster on corners.

The supercar now benefits from a new dynamic handling package and a revised and stiffer suspension. The latter uses a new control strategy for the shock absorbers, which react 10 percent more stiffly than the “standard” Chiron on average. The new settings can be experienced in the Handling driving mode.

The car now also features a dynamic torque vectoring function, which distributes torque individually to each single wheel, “significantly improving the steering behavior” in curves. These improvements are effective in all driving modes.

The Chiron Sport is also lighter by 40 pounds (18 kilograms) than the other Chirons. This is possible thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber for the wheels and intercooler cover, as well as newly developed windscreen wipers. Bugatti proudly says it’s the first manufacturer in the industry to develop a carbon fiber windscreen wiper, which saves up to 77 percent of the weight of a conventional wiper. The Chiron Sport also has lighter glass in the rear window and a lighter exhaust deflector.

The exotic automaker claims all these improvements make the Chiron Sport five seconds faster than the “base” Chiron model on Bugatti’s Nardo test track. Cornering speeds in excess of 124 miles per hour (200 kilometers per hour) have been registered.



We have developed the Chiron Sport for customers wanting an even sportier driving experience with their Chiron, with improved lateral dynamics on winding roads,” Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti, comments. “What was important for us was to leave unchanged the unique character of the Chiron, its combination of ultimate performance, longitudinal acceleration and maximum speed with luxury, comfort and everyday usability.”

Bugatti is also adding a number of new exterior color combinations, as well as interior colors. The manufacturer has a Chiron Sport with all the new features on display in Geneva, a car finished in Italian Red wearing a price of approximately $3.67 million, probably “the most expensive production car on display at this year’s show.

Source: http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/07/bugatti-debuts-new-chiron-worth-1-3-billion-naira/

The BMW 8 Series is returning soon. We’ve seen a few variants of the German automaker’s new flagship. Last year’s Concept 8 Series previewed the replacement for the long-running 6 Series Coupe. A camouflaged production version has been undergoing performance testing. At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the new BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe was revealed, the latest in a line of BMW 8 Series teasers.

Like the other BMW Gran Coupe models, the M8 Gran Coupe takes the shape of a sleek four-door coupe. Really, it’s a sedan with a sharp roofline. It’s handsome and should provide a sportier alternative to the more conventional 5 and 7 Series sedans. The kidney grille, headlights and taillights look like they’re straight off the M8 GTE race car. The green and gold accents remind us of some classic Alpina models.

We don’t have any details on performance, but a good bet would be some variant of a turbocharged V8, possibly the 600 horsepower 4.4-liter unit from the new F90 BMW M5. As much as we would love a manual, the M5’s eight-speed automatic is likely to be the only transmission.

We don’t know when it will go on sale, but BMW says the 8 Series Gran Coupe as well as the M8 Gran Coupe will be presented sometime in 2019.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/07/bmw-grandmaster-aggressive-cars-previews-demonic-m8-coupe/

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It’s not even in the same ballpark as the mighty Tesla Model S P100D.

But go ahead and watch as the Tesla Model 3 attempts to take down a McLaren 720s in a quarter-mile drag race.

The Model 3 was recently strapped to a dyno and the result was a recorded 280 (peak of 340) HP and 552 pound-feet of torque. On the flip side, the McLaren 720S puts out 710 HP and 568 pound-feet of torque, so it shouldn’t be a fair fight.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1-PQE5KBwg

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/03/02/watch-mclaren-720s-humiliate-tesla-model-3-drag-race/

show some respect please.

Firstcitizen:
Late Nnamdi Cownu found in Ghana

GM’s half-ton pickup line will be fully rounded up later this week when the new GMC Sierra 1500 is revealed. Though the unveiling is on March 1, GMC has provided a teaser of the new truck ahead of time on Twitter. It shows only the front fascia, but considering the Sierra’s history of simply being a badge-engineered Silverado, it’s arguably the most important angle of the truck.

The teaser confirms a few things we were expecting based on past spy shots. The headlights look much more conventional than the Silverado’s rather small units. The Sierra’s grille, unlike the Silverado’s, will also rise above the tops of the headlights, providing more of a big-rig appearance. We also finally get to see the GMC badge on the front of the Sierra, and it looks like it’s an enormous rendition.

As for the rest of the truck, previous spy shots have shown the Sierra will have other subtle styling changes from the Silverado. The wheel wells are shaped differently, and the taillights will be unique to the GMC. The interior of the new Sierra will look almost identical to that of the Silverado, with the exception of a few minor trim details. We also expect the Sierra to use the same engine lineup as the Chevy’s, which at this point we know will consist of a 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel inline-six, and naturally aspirated 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8s

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/27/new-gmc-sierra-1500-pickup-teased-twitter/

HIS CHILD FROM ANOTHER WOMAN!!!

So one man celebrated the early signs of spring with a ride on an ATV. Naked. And what’s so wrong with that, you ask.

Well, where it went wrong is when police responded to a report of a “suspicious party … a naked male,” on an all-terrain vehicle. They encountered him in North Kansas City, he took a few other turns, went this way and that, then found himself headed south — in the shoulder of the northbound lanes.

The pale rider continued on, driving by the police academy for good measure, but was eventually caught near Cerner Corp. at the Missouri riverfront.

Today, the Kansas City Star reports that the man, Johnathon A. Menth, 27, A multi-millionaire of Excelsior Springs, gave a rather complex explanation to police for his actions — involving drugs, a man named Jeffrey who was “holding him captive,” an escape from Jeffrey via a PT Cruiser that then lost a wheel, and ultimately the discovery of the yellow Polaris ATV with keys in the ignition. He planned to ride it back home to Excelsior Springs when he encountered the police (Excelsior Springs, by the way, would have been a 16-mile ride while naked on an ATV, probably similar to the journey he wound up taking but it would have been on a much more nudity-friendly country two-lane). He said he was “freaked out and drove away,” was “in flight mode” and when he found himself against traffic on the interstate felt it “was like playing a little game, going around and flying.”

Menth said when he saw police everywhere, “he was flipping and could not stop.”

Nowhere in the newspaper’s detailed account is there an explanation for why he was naked. But he faces charges for the nudity, and for burglary, property tampering and property damage. He was being held on $50,000 bond.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/27/multi-millionaire-takes-ride-naked-atv/

wow Nice one....i appreciate....

jazinogold:


u can use it to connect ur dstv, to watch big brother on ur fone

Chairman and owner of Chinese auto giant Geely, Li Shufu, has acquired a 9.69 percent stake in Daimler.

The Daimler shares, which are worth just under $9 billion USD, make Shufu the largest single shareholder of Daimler stock. The move is considered a personal investment by Shufu, but it’s understood that Geely is seeking to enter a partnership with an outside automaker in order to develop electric vehicle technology. Previously, the largest shareholder in the German company was Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority, which owns a 6.8 percent stake in Daimler.

Geely already owns Swedish automaker Volvo, which it acquired from Ford in 2010. The company invested roughly $3.2 billion in Volvo’s trucks and construction division last year, Volvo Group, and owns American flying car start-up Terrafugia, Malaysian automaker Proton and sports car maker Lotus. Geely is currently in the process of launching the Lynk&CO brand as well, which will share platforms with Volvo and may eventually sell vehicles in Europe and North America.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/26/chinese-auto-giant-geely-buys-9-billion-stake-daimler-mercedes-benz/

Nissan and Japanese e-commerce company DeNa will soon begin testing a new self-driving taxi service in Yokohama, Japan called Easy Ride.

Nissan describes Easy Ride as “a mobility service for anyone who wants to travel freely to their destination of choice in a robo-vehicle.” The field test of the robo taxis, set to commence on March 5th, will take place in the Minatomirai district of Yokohama. Users will be able to hail an Easy Ride with an app, allowing them to travel a 4.5 km route between Nissan’s global headquarters and the Yokohama World Porters shopping center. For now, the Easy Ride vehicles will consist of a pretty sweet-looking Nissan Leaf, along with a Nissan eNV200 van.

The test vehicles won’t just be for developing autonomous hardware and software. The field run will allow Nissan to test out the Easy Ride app, which allows passengers to choose from a list of recommended destinations and input what they want to do via voice or text. An in-car tablet screenwill also display 500 places of interest in the vicintity, and provide discount coupons for retailers and restaurants in the area that will be available for download to a user’s smartphone. After the trip, participants will be asked to complete a survey about their overall experience using Easy Ride.

Eventually, Nissan and DeNA will work to expand Easy Ride’s service route, streamline pick-up/drop-off processes and provide multilingual support. It predicts to have the service up and running in full capacity by the “early 2020s.’

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/26/nissan-unveils-first-new-robo-taxis/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjPUnAt3PSA

The body-on-frame SUV will be sold at first only in China, but other markets will follow.
We’ve seen the spy images and now time has come to have a look at the first official images with Nissan’s new Navara-based SUV. The body-on-frame seven-seater will celebrate its public debut at the 2018 Beijing Motor Show in April and there’s a perfectly logical explanation why the People’s Republic will host the world unveiling of the model since the Terra will be sold at first in China beginning with spring.

There’s not much to say regarding the exterior design taking into consideration it has been largely carried over from the pickup truck, as it has been the case with the interior cabin essentially the same



Nissan wishes to point out the new 2018 Terra heralds the company’s midterm plan known as “Nissan M.O.V.E to 2022” and focusing on an array of frame and LCV models. The Japanese automaker goes on to specify one in every six vehicles it sells globally is either a frame-based vehicle or a light commercial vehicle and the plan established by Nissan’s frame and LCV division is to boost sales by more than 40 percent by 2022. How? By launching new products such as the Terra, first in China and then in some countries across Asia.

Full details about the spiritual successor of the previous-generation Pathfinder will be disclosed in April. Chances are the engine lineup will be largely carried over from the Navara pickup truck and we’re expecting to see the familiar turbodiesel 2.3-liter engine.

As a reminder, it’s worth mentioning that aside from spawning an SUV tailored to Asian markets, the Navara has also served as foundation for a couple of pickup trucks for other brands: the Renault Alaskan and the posh Mercedes X-Class.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/26/nissan-unveils-new-navara-based-terra-suv/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZUtGm-cObM

Peugeot will be quite busy during the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, as the French company will have at least three new vehicles on display. The brand’s booth during the Swiss show will accommodate the all-new 508 sedan, which will be joined by the new Rifter van and a concept vehicle based on it. But that’s not everything.

Peugeot will also unveil its (brand) new brand ambassador. It’s not going to be a famous actor or a soccer player, as the company will rely on a giant lion sculpture instead. The 12.5-meter long and 4.8-meter tall statue “embodies the pride of a whole brand, pride in having elevated Peugeot to a standard of quality without compromise, a commitment firmly anchored in the brand’s DNA.”

Peugeot has been using the walking lion as an emblem for the last 160 years. Introduced in 1958, it symbolizes “the three qualities” of the company – “flexibility, the strength of the teeth and speed of cutting.”



Interestingly, the sculpture is designed in-house by Peugeot’s designers at its Design Lab. This division of the French automaker is using expertize from the automotive design to develop non-automotive products for the brand’s customers.

SOURCE:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/23/giant-lion-becomes-peugeot-brand-ambassador/

Well, things are changing at Peugeot. While the most recent selection has been better-looking than their angler fish-inspired predecessors, none made us take notice like the new Peugeot 508 introduced today. True, maybe it really is just the juxtaposition with what came before it, but the new 508 is at least tidy, well-proportioned and generally classy. The word “ghastly” no longer comes to mind. It’s certainly more in keeping with the sharp Pininfarina-designed 406 of the 1990s.



Then there’s the interior, which is gorgeous, no qualifiers needed. The design is modern, luxurious and pleasantly driver focused. The materials also look quite rich, which would be another departure for recent Peugeots.

It’ll be interesting to see if this bold new design direction will usher in a new reputation for the brand, which at least in Great Britain, is known for being the go-to brand for those who don’t give a flying fig about driving or cars.

Now, there is a selection of other information available about the new 508, but as there’s precisely a 76% chance of it being sold in Nigeria, we’ll just stick to casting judgments on its appearance. As such, it got hot. Good for it.

SOURCE:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/23/peugeot-unveils-new-508/

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which of the color do you prefer tell us in the comments

Nope! you're wrong

ocheezie:
Chrysler 300 with Rolls Royce logo

How much do you know about cars ?

can you spot the mistake on this car?

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/22/can-spot-mistake/

Hyundai has unveiled its next-generation, 2019 Santa Fe. First, to clarify, the Santa Fe nameplate will take the place of the current five-passenger Santa Fe Sport. This new generation features a new design, new technology, and a new diesel engine option.

The Hyundai Santa Fe has a new look that comes off less crossover and more SUV than before. It looks wider, more muscular and bigger than the vehicle it replaces, with Hyundai’s large cascading grille and available 19-inch wheels. Inside, it has a horizontal layout to provide a sense of width. Large window openings provide improved visibility, despite the rising beltline. It features a new instrument panel with a three-dimensional look, and the infotainment screen has been repositioned to reduce glare. A new head-up display will also be available.

The 2019 Santa Fe will offer a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine good for 185 horsepower, or a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder offering 232 hp. A 2.2-liter diesel engine will be available providing about 200 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque. The diesel model will be the only one to offer optional third-row seating. Each will be connected to a new eight-speed automatic transmission.

For comfort’s sake, Hyundai has revised the suspension, particularly in the rear, to provide a smoother ride. Hyundai also offers an optional load-leveling suspension to maintain a consistent ride height, even when loaded with cargo or towing. Its all-wheel-drive system provides capability in crummy weather, and features different modes to distribute torque for improved performance.

To improve safety and convenience, Hyundai includes a number of driver assistance aids in the new Santa Fe. This includes lane-keep assist, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control and an around-view monitor. Additionally, it offers a Rear Seat Occupant Alert using an ultrasonic sensor to detect motion of kids or pets in the back. It also offers Safe Exit Assist, which prevents you from opening the door when a motorcycle, bicycle or other vehicle approaches from behind.

We’ll have more on the next-generation Hyundai Santa Fe soon, once we get a turn behind the wheel.

SOURCE: http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/22/hyundai-motors-unveils-new-2019-santa-fe/

Motor Photos:

Toyota created a larger-than-life Tundra pickup truck and it just might be the ultimate Vehicle called the “Tundrasine.”



This Leviathan began life as a conventional Toyota Tundra 1794 Edition 4×4 CrewMax 5.7L V8 pickup. By the time the folks at Toyota got through with it, the Tundrasine had four doors on each side, a wheelbase of 235.9 inches – 90.2 inches longer than stock – and a curb weight of 7,978 lbs.

This wild concept truck was on display as part of Toyota’s fleet of vehicles for the 2015 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas.



The inside of the truck is richly appointed, with cushy leather bucket seats. In fact, it’s “inspired by the cockpits and passenger compartments of luxury private jets,” Toyota officials said in announcing the truck.

The Tundrasine was built at Toyota’s truck manufacturing facility in San Antonio.



SOURCE:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/21/seen-toyota-tundra-limo-called-tundrasine/

In the automotive world, some might argue that there isn’t a better sounding engine than one with 8 cylinders in a V-shaped box. The humble V8 is one of the most common high performance engines, characterized by a deep rumble – the kind that sets your heart quivering in your chest and gets heads turning. But the iconic rumble of the V8 isn’t the only signature note it makes – in fact it’s just the one most associated with traditional American V8s.



Across the Atlantic, European V8s have an altogether different signature sound – a free-revving, loud scream of a note that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Why the difference? It’s all down to a single piece of the engine called the crankshaft, and the difference in layout of it – cross-plane in the American tradition, and flat-plane in the European setup. But what’s the difference? How does a flat-plane plane make the sound any different to a cross-plane crank; and which is better?



What Is A Crankshaft?
Before we understand the difference between cross-plane and flat-plane cranks, we’ve got to get to grips with what a crankshaft is and what it does. It’s a lobed shaft at the bottom of the engine to which the pistons are connected to, and it’s one of the final output points of the engine itself. The crankshaft very simply converts reciprocating motion into rotational motion – that’s how a piston moving up and down converts the energy into rotating the wheels. A cross-plane crankshaft is a crankshaft design with a 90° rotation between crank throws. In simpler terms, every time the crankshaft rotates by 90°, one of the cylinders fires.



In a traditional 4-stroke combustion cycle, the cross-plane crank with even firing pattern can only be used in engines with multiples of 8 cylinders – and they don’t have to be in a V-configuration either. Inline-8, V8, V16, and even flat-8 and flat-16 engines can utilize cross-plane cranks. When it comes to V8 engines though, the cross-plane crank configuration is the most common across the world.Mass production V8s like the 5.0-liter V8 in the Ford Mustang GT, or the Hemi V8 in the Dodge Hellcats; even the famous Mercedes-AMG M156 6.2-liter V8 from the SLS AMG featured a cross-plane crank. Conversely, a flat-plane crank is a crankshaft design with a 180° rotation between crank throws. For every 180 degrees that the crank turns a piston fires.



In V8 engines, flat-plane cranks are less commonly used, but unlike the cross-plane crank, flat-plane cranks can be used, and are used almost always, in 4 cylinder engines. Historically, when flat-plane cranks have been used in V8s, it’s been almost exclusively by European manufacturers. However there are exceptions to the rule. Engines using a flat-plane crank design include every Ferrari engine manufactured for a Ferrari and the McLaren 3.8-liter engine used from the 12C right through to the P1. Bucking the European trend of flat-plane usage, the latest Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 swapped out its cross-plane crank for a flat-plane one, giving it its unique sound and ability to seemingly rev through the atmospheric ceiling.



So which is better?
On the plus side for cross-plane cranks there’s obviously the noise they make that could best be summed up as monumental – a tribute to the gods of horsepower and torque, and the sound that’s defined ‘American Muscle’ for decades! But in addition to the glorious noise, cross-plane V8s are smooth running, with a cylinder firing every 90° there’s a constant rotation going which means it runs smoothly. Importantly, because of the frequency of the cylinders firing being so regularly, cross-plane V8s develop big, big torque figures, available from low down.



It’s why the Hemi V8 used in Chrysler and Dodge products feels like it can move a mountain from the moment you pull off, and it’s also the reason you’ll so easily turn tires into plumes of white smoke. A smooth engine with lots of torque, what’s not to love! But there are downsides to cross-plane engines. The reason why they rev so smoothly is because they feature heavy counterweights. Without them, the rocking motion caused by the cross-plane crank would unsettle the engine in the car and cause advanced mechanical wear. But these counterweights are heavy, adding rotational mass to the crank.



Because of the additional rotational mass, cross-plane crank V8s don’t enjoy revving, and have a fairly low rev-ceiling. The counterweights and configuration also require a larger crank case, making cross-pane V8 engines less compact than might be ideal. Flat-plane cranks are inherently well balanced – unlike cross-plane cranks. As a result, they can make do without the heavy counterweights. With the reduced rotational mass, the inertia point (amount of energy required to incite movement) is lower too. That makes engine responses quicker, and it allows the flat-plane V8 to rev far higher than a cross-plane crank V8 can. Take the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 for example – revving to 8200 RPM compared to the 7000 RPM of the standard Mustang GT.



Ferrari engines are known to rev even higher – north of 9000 RPM. Due to the lack of counterweights, flat-plane cranks are also highly compact allowing better packaging within an engine bay. But there are downsides too – the 180° firing angle means there’s ultimately more vibration and the engine doesn’t rev as smoothly. It gets better the higher you rev, but at lower engine speeds vibrations are plentiful. But the biggest downside to the flat-plane crank is the lack of torque. With the wider angle between cylinders firing, there’s less momentum and less torque – so ultimately you need to rev it harder and higher to generate torque. Why do you think Ferraris perform best at their screaming top end?



With each having their pros and cons, neither is better outright than the other. However, compact packaging, reduced inertia, and reduced rotational mass give the flat-plane crank V8 a clear advantage.
Though it might have flaws, they’re far easier to counter, easier to manage and offset in one way or another. To counter the high levels of vibrations, active engine mounts and engine damping have been engineered, and in the age of turbocharging, even flat-plane cranks V8’s can develop massive amounts of torque from low down.



Cross-plane cranks may be more common in the mass-markets scenario, but from efficiency, packaging, and ultimately performance perspectives, flat plane crank V8s are the better configuration – technically speaking. But logic and sense when it comes to cars seldom prevail. Much like love, cars are an emotional subject. It’s why we form emotional bonds to the hunks of metal and glass in our garages. Though flat-plane cranks may be technically better, the emotion of hearing a rumbling cross-plane V8 is a hard thing to ignore – and when sound is one of the most emotional aspects of motoring, we hope the cross-plane V8 never dies.



Source: http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/20/battle-v8s-flat-plane-vs-cross-plane/

BUFFOON I SEE

pixypixs:
Cows everywhere!

Thousands of security experts head to Frankfurt, Germany, this week to attend the General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference (GPEC). There, the long arms of numerous laws will get to sample practically the entire range of Daimler vehicles pimped out for police duty, from a Smart ForTwo Electric Drive to an eight-wheeled Acros transporter. In between those extremes, Mercedes-Benz will fill the lineup with seven of its own creations, including an X-Class pickup.

At the Barney Fife end of the spectrum, a Smart ForTwo ED and a ForFour ED wear the “police/public order authority look.” Although each boasts a range of 100 miles, they’re intended to be “special response vehicles” in urban centers. Smart will keep a convertible ForTwo ED at the acceleration track for seers who require a taste of electric giddy-up before believing.

A diesel, E-Class wagon backstops the Mercedes range, the only car to make the fleet audition. On the next step up stands the Mercedes GLC 350 e 4MATIC, Mercedes pointing out how frugal-yet-responsive a plug-in hybrid can be. The X-Class gets a mention for its functionality and all-wheel drive, and is sure to be a hit with LEOs who want to re-create a German version of “Cops.” Two Vito vans make the grade, one a Tourer set up as a radio patrol car, the other an all-wheel-drive version for customs departments. A Sprinter team vehicle carries on the long line of personnel carriers we’ve been mesmerized by since spotting T1 vans in old European heist films.

At the “Terminator” end of keeping the peace, showgoers can check out an eight-wheeled Arocs 3251 L 8×4 heavy-duty truck fit for duties from logistical assignments, placing protective barriers and dismantling obstacles, or launching heavy boats. It’s said to be good for high-altitude rescue, too, but it’s probably best to avoid the kind of mountaintop trouble that demands that kind of heavy cavalry.

Source:http://carfreaksng.com/2018/02/20/mercedes-displays-new-police-vehicles-including-x-class-truck/

Nice one.. but she kon short