Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a series of luxury sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The classification was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116 S-Class, which succeeded previous Mercedes-Benz models dating to the mid-1950s. Cleverly confused as the Mercedes flagship model, the real flagship Mercedes is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The S-Class has debuted many of the company's latest innovations, including drivetrain technologies, interior features, and safety systems (such as the first seatbelt pretensioners).[1] The S-Class has ranked as the world's best-selling luxury sedan,[2] and its latest generation, the W221 S-Class, premiered in 2005 as an all-new design. As in previous iterations, the W221 S-Class is sold in standard- and long-wheelbase versions; V6, V8, V12, diesel and hybrid powertrains are offered. All models built in Mexico or sold in the United States are only available in long wheelbase.



The name "S-Class" derives from the German word "Sonderklasse" of which "S-Class" is an abbreviation. Sonderklasse means "special class" (or rather: "In a class of its own"), and in automotive terms thus refers to "a specially outfitted car". Although used colloquially for decades, following its official application in 1972, five generations of officially named S-Class sedans have been produced. Past two-door coupe models of the S-Class were known as SEC and later S-Coupe. In 1998 the S class coupe was spun off in a separate line as the CL-Class, however it will be re-designated as the S-Coupe for the 2013 model year.

Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz
Production 1954–present
Assembly Sindelfingen, Germany
Toluca, Mexico
Tehran, Iran
6th of October City, Cairo, Egypt
Bogor, Indonesia
Chakan, Pune, India
Bangkok, Thailand
Class Full-size luxury car
Body style 4-door sedan

Saturday 3 November 2012

Vector Motors:
Vector : Vector Motors Corporation is an American automobile manufacturer originally based in Wilmington, California. Its history can be traced to Vehicle Design Force, which was founded in 1978 by Gerald Wiegert.[1] Vehicle production began in 1989 and ceased in the 1990s. The company was recently revived (as Vector Motors Corporation), and is currently developing a new supercar. Vector is credited by some[citation needed] as America's first attempt to compete with European performance car manufacturers like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Lotus. Nearly every car produced by the company is designated the letter "W" (for Wiegert) and a number. A letter "X" after the W (e.g. WX-8) signifies a prototype unit. The only exception to this rule is the Megatech-era M12, wherein the "M" stands for Megatech and the 12 signifies its V12 engine.
Rossion Q1:
The Rossion Q1 is a sports car from US car maker 1g Racing/Rossion Automotive. It is based on the Noble M400 and built by Hi-Tech Automotive.[1][2] Founders Ian Grunes and Dean Rosen began development on the Rossion Q1 after acquiring the rights to the Noble M400 in February 2007.[4] Their goal was to design a completely new car fusing the sporty strengths of the M400 with luxurious appointments
Panoz:
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante. All Panoz road cars are tested exhaustively at Panoz-owned Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia and handcrafted at the Braselton works Since 1997, Panoz cars have competed in racing series around the world. Panoz has shifted its American Le Mans and European racing programs toward production-based classes that allow Esperante variants to be raced in modified form. In addition to Le Mans series wins, an Esperante GTLM won the GT2 class at the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the 2007 American LeMans season, Panoz has contracted longtime BMW Motorsport partner Prototype Technology Group to campaign the GTLM in the ALMS and Le Mans. Panoz has also provided IndyCar with the G-Force IR3 and IR5; and the Champ Car World Series with their race car,
Chaparral:
Chaparral Cars was a United States automobile racing team which built race cars from 1963 through 1970. Chaparral cars was founded in 1962 by Hap Sharp and Jim Hall, a Texas oil magnate with an impressive combination of skills in engineering and race car driving. The combination of the last names of the two founders resembled the Spanish word "Chaparral" (Roadrunner) so it was chosen. Despite winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1980, they left motor racing in 1982. Chaparral cars also featured in the SCCA/CASC Can-Am series and Endurance racing. Chaparral was a leader in effective designing of air dams and spoilers. Their high point being the 1966 2E can-am car. The 2J is the first "ground-effects" car. The unique use of a semi-automatic transmission beginning with the Chaparral 2 is a major reason for their early success. Tires weren't good enough yet to be able to use all the power the 327 Chevy engine could make in 1964, so the torque converter allowed for better traction. The development of the Chaparral chronicles the key changes in race cars in the 1960s and 1970s in both aerodynamics and tires. Jim Hall's training as an engineer taught him to approach problems in a methodical manner and his access to the engineering team at Chevrolet as well as at Firestone changed aerodynamics and race car handling from an art to empirical science. The embryonic data acquisition systems created by the GM research and development group aided these efforts. An interview with Jim Hall by Paul Haney illustrates many of these developments.[1] Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs
BOCAR: The first real production cars, begun in mid-1959 were the XP-5s, on the same wheelbase. The Bocar XP-5 had a glass-reinforced polyester body surrounding a welded moly-tube space frame. Up front was a beefed-up Volkswagen rear suspension. Power customarily came from a 283-cid Corvette V8 engine, producing 290 hp (216 kW) at 6200 rpm.[1] The Bocar was only 34 inches (860 mm) tall, with a four-inch (102 mm) windshield. A variety of options could be ordered: radio, heater, hardtop, seven suspension setups, and choices in wheels and tires. Carburetion or fuel injection could be specified for the Corvette or Pontiac engines. The typical cost was about $8,700.[1] Bodies and frames were also sold separately. The XP-5 was raced by Art Huttinger in the first televised Daytona race in January 1960. It was placed second to the D-Type Jaguar of Ed Rahal.[2] It went on to set a speed record of 175 mph (282 km/h) on the beach of Daytona.[2] After approximately 15 Bocars, Carnes turned to the XP-6, on a longer 104-inch (2,600 mm) wheelbase. This was powered by a supercharged Corvette engine producing close to 400 horsepower. The XP-6 featured a crank-mounted roots-type GMC blower and Corvette fuel injection. Only one was built.[2] The XP-7 was identical to the XP-6, but was naturally aspirated and featured a larger grill opening. The XP-7R was the supercharged version of the XP-7
The Bocar : The Bocar was a series of limited-production two-seaters, developed by Bob Carnes in Lakewood, Colorado. Starting in his own garage, Carnes followed an evolutionary trail from a single, experimental X-1 in 1958. This was followed by X-2 and X-3 examples and about five XP-4s. Early models had a 90-inch (2,300 mm) wheelbase, Jaguar wire wheels, and Girling drum brakes The first real production cars, begun in mid-1959 were the XP-5s, on the same wheelbase. The Bocar XP-5 had a glass-reinforced polyester body surrounding a welded moly-tube space frame. Up front was a beefed-up Volkswagen rear suspension. Power customarily came from a 283-cid Corvette V8 engine, producing 290 hp (216 kW) at 6200 rpm.[1] The Bocar was only 34 inches (860 mm) tall, with a four-inch (102 mm) windshield. A variety of options could be ordered: radio, heater, hardtop, seven suspension setups, and choices in wheels and tires. Carburetion or fuel injection could be specified for the Corvette or Pontiac engines. The typical cost was about $8,700.[1] Bodies and frames were also sold separately. The XP-5 was raced by Art Huttinger in the first televised Daytona race in January 1960. It was placed second to the D-Type Jaguar of Ed Rahal.[2] It went on to set a speed record of 175 mph (282 km/h) on the beach of Daytona.[2] After approximately 15 Bocars, Carnes turned to the XP-6, on a longer 104-inch (2,600 mm) wheelbase. This was powered by a supercharged Corvette engine producing close to 400 horsepower. The XP-6 featured a crank-mounted roots-type GMC blower and Corvette fuel injection. Only one was built.[2] The XP-7 was identical to the XP-6, but was naturally aspirated and featured a larger grill opening. The XP-7R was the supercharged version of the XP-7
Radical:
Radical Sportscars is an auto manufacturer and constructor of racing cars from England. The company was founded in January 1997 by amateur drivers and engineers Mick Hyde and Phil Abbott, who built open-cockpit sportscars which could be registered for road use and run on a track without modification. Although most of Radical's sportscars are road legal, they also build some purpose-built racing cars, such as the SR9 Le Mans prototype The company's first car, the Radical 1100 Clubsport, was based on a Kawasaki motorcycle engine placed inside a small open-cockpit chassis. The cars were intended to run in the 750 Motor Club's races under the Sports 2000 category, with co-founder Hyde driving. In 1999, Radical had built enough 1100 Clubsports that they decided to create a one-make series based around the car. Backed by the British Racing and Sports Car Club, the series featured identical cars that were open to anyone who owned an 1100 Clubsport. The same year, Radical debuted their second model, the Prosport. Available with Kawasaki or Suzuki engine up to 1500 cc in displacement, the Prosports were even more powerful and faster than the Clubsports, and included F3-size slick tyres and an adjustable rear wing. The cars were also brought to the United States for the first time, for use in the SCCA D-Sport class in 2000. Radical's next creation was the two-seater SR3, a car which could compete in international racing, such as the FIA's C3 class. The car uses a Suzuki-based engine tuned by Powertec (now RPE) which offered 1300 cc or 1500 cc versions and a maximum of 252 hp (188 kW) in the latter. A six-speed sequential gearbox was developed specifically for the car to improve performance. The SR3 could also be made road legal in the United Kingdom with the addition of indicators, a hand brake, a catalytic converter, and road legal tyres. In 2006, Radical would make its largest leap into international motorsport with the development of the SR9, a complete Le Mans prototype in the LMP2 class. Official partner Rollcentre Racing would debut the car with success in the Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Radical was able to move into the CN class of cars, used in VdeV and hillclimbing events throughout Europe, in 2007. The SR5 was based around a Honda VTEC 2.0 L engine which could produce 237 hp (177 kW).
Quantum:
Quantum's first car was the Mark1 hatchback (also referred to as the Mk1 coupé) which was based on the Mark1 Ford Fiesta. It reused all of the donor's mechanical and trim components in an elongated, more rounded shape. Due to its reduced weight over the donor vehicle, performance was significantly improved. The Coupé is unusual for low-volume car manufacture in that it has a glass-reinforced plastic (grp) monocoque rather than a separate metal chassis. This approach relied upon the use of computer analysis to ensure that structural rigidity would not be compromised, offering the strength of a steel chassis but without the weight penalty. The first Mark1 Quantum, bearing chassis number 001, was a development mule and was subject to so much adjustment that the Wooldridge brothers eventually decided the car would be too dangerous to keep on the road. This car was therefore disposed of in landfill. Chassis 002 was later damaged beyond repair in a head-on collision, so chassis 003 is now the oldest surviving example of a Quantum model and the first to be sold, after a short period being used for magazine tests and promotional materials. To ensure this historic car survives, the Quantum Owners Club has acquired this car and are in the process of restoring it. The last Mark1 Coupé produced, chassis number 017, is also now owned by the club. In 1991, a restyled version was introduced, now based on the Mark2 Ford Fiesta with the rear-end shape changed from a hatchback to a saloon. This and other styling revisions led to far greater sales success: a total of 215 saloon models were produced before that model also ceased production.
Westfield : Westfield Sportscars are manufacturers of both factory built and kit versions of several two-seater, open top sportscars. Their main product line is a Lotus Seven inspired car - vehicles originally designed by Colin Chapman with only the bare essentials for motoring in order to give the rawest and most exhilarating driving experience.
History: Whilst Caterham Cars bought the rights from Lotus Cars, Chris Smith set up a rival company and manufactured kits with very similar styling and construction. This led Caterham to threaten litigation (based on Industrial design rights) in the late 1980s which was eventually settled out of court and resulted in Westfield improving and changing the design of their cars. Whilst externally sharing a common look, Westfield and Caterham cars are somewhat different in construction. Westfield prefers to employ the same glass fibre body method that Lotus has traditionally used for their other models such as the Elise, Esprit, and Elan, rather than the aluminium used by Caterham. Westfield has also pioneered technical innovations such as Independent rear suspension and a wider chassis, which other manufacturers have since adopted. The company has recently introduced a version of its SEi kit that uses donor parts from the Mazda Mx5 Miata. This is generally called an SDV (Single Donor Vehicle) kit. There is also an SDV kit that uses a Ford Sierra as a donor. According to figures given to the magazine Total Kit Car, Westfield produces about 450 SEi and XTR chassis each year.[1] In the first series of BBC's Top Gear, a Westfield XTR2 driven by the black Stig set a faster lap time than the reigning record holder of that series, the Pagani Zonda. In December 2006, Westfield became a part of Potenza Sports Cars Limited.[2] In December 2007, it was announced that GTM Cars also became a part of Potenza Sports Cars
Wiesmann:
Wiesmann: Wiesmann is an automobile manufacturer in Germany. The company was founded in 1985 by the brothers Martin Wiesmann (graduate engineer) and Friedhelm Wiesmann (bachelor of commerce). The cars are manufactured by hand in Dülmen. The Wiesmann logo portrays a gecko, as Wiesmann cars "stick to the road like geckos to a wall". The company originally manufactured custom hard-tops for convertibles, which they continue to do. The first roadster left the workshop in 1993. As of 2006, they produce the Wiesmann MF 3 and MF 30 roadsters and the Wiesmann GT MF 4 coupé, all of which utilize engine and transmission components supplied by BMW. Wiesmann had plans to begin exporting vehicles to the USA by 2010, but recent reports indicate that Wiesmann has no immediate plans to sell vehicles in the United States because of exchange rates and the high costs of modifying and testing the cars in order to make them road-legal there.
Zenvo:
Zenvo or Zenvo Automotive is a Danish sports car company located in Præstø on the Danish island of Zealand. It is managed by Jesper Jensen, the founder and financier, and Troels Vollertsen. The name 'Zenvo' is derived from a combination of their names.
Characteristic: The Zenvo is a high performance sports car. While power is available through its supercharger and turbo, it will still be driveable for everyday use. Its 7-litre V8 engine will be set to generate 1,250 hp (932 kW) in the USA[5] and achieve 1,104 hp (823 kW) elsewhere at 6,900 rpm and 1,430 N·m (1,050 lb·ft) of torque at 4,500 rpm. Indeed, according to The Motor Report, recent tests returned a 0–100 km/h time of 3.0 seconds, while 0–200 km/h took only 8.9 seconds, and a top speed of 375 km/h (233 mph)[6] Despite its power and large alloy wheels, the car is small, at just 15.3 ft (4.7 m) long, 6.7 ft (2.0 m) wide, and 3.9 ft (1.2 m) tall. It weighs just over 3,020 lb (1,370 kg) thanks to carbon fiber body panels.
Yes!:
Yes! is a brand of high-performance sports cars manufactured by YES! Beteiligungs- und Besitzgesellschaft mbH. Yes is an acronym for Young Engineers Sportscar. YES! was founded in January 2010. Manager and founder is Marco Kunz, he was the first YES! turbo client in Germany. The experienced businessman didn’t want to accept the end of the brand YES! and their unique roadsters. The headquarter is now in Edermünde, near Kassel in the center of Germany. Each YES! is handmade by a team of experienced professionals. The result is a unique and remarkable roadster with the "licence for racing". Each YES! buyer gets a national A-licence, for driving at racing circuits. During the 2-day-racetraining the driver gets a full instruction to drive safe with his YES!. The original car was a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive model powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder Volkswagen turbo engine. In 2006 the second generation 3.2 Roadster and 3.2 Roadster Turbo were announced with a V-6 3.2-litre engine producing 188 KW (255 hp) at 5900 rpm and with a maximum torque of 330 N·m (240 lb·ft) in non turbocharged form that takes the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.9 seconds. The Turbo model has a power output of 261 KW (355 hp) with a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds and top speed of 281 km/h (175 mph). Drive to the rear wheels is through a six-speed gearbox.
Spyker Cars:
Spyker Cars is a Dutch sports car marque.[10] The modern Spyker Cars holds the legal rights to the brand name.[2] The company's motto is "Nulla tenaci invia est via", which is Latin for "For the tenacious, no road is impassable".[2] The marque's logo displays the piston engine of an airplane, a reference to the historic Spyker company which manufactured aircraft.[11] In an attempt to save Spyker from bankruptcy, Swedish Automobile in September 2011, announced the immediate sale of Spyker to American private equity and hedge fund North Street Capital for €32 million ($41 million).[12] However it has since been revealed that the transaction did not occur leaving the future of Spyker uncertain
Ultima Sports:
              Ultima Sports Ltd. are a sports car manufacturer currently based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. Founded in 1992 by Ted Marlow, Ultima manufactures the components to construct cars derived, as road going versions, from the Noble Motorsport Ltd originated Ultima racing cars designed by Lee Noble who is more famous now for the models produced by Noble Automotive Ltd. There are now 2 models in the current Ultima range; the GTR; and the convertible Can-Am. Previous models have been the Sport and Spyder. All models in the Ultima range have always been primarily supplied in component form. That is Ultima produce the parts required for an owner/builder to construct the car off-site, and this is the only way to receive such a vehicle in the USA (including a 'rolling body' fully constructed minus engine and transmission). However a few cars are manufactured onsite as "turnkey" models for the European market. The preferred engine supplier for Ultima are currently American Speed, a company who specialise in re-engineering Chevrolet V8s for increased performance. It was with a 640 hp (480 kW) version of the Chevrolet small block V8 built by American Speed, that Richard Marlow was able to set a number of performance records in an Ultima GTR during 2005, this combination now being dubbed the Ultima GTR640. In 2006 Ultima beat their own 0-100 mph-0 record set in the GTR640 with the GTR720, again using an American Speed SBC engine but now with 720 hp (540 kW). The new record shaved 0.4 seconds off the time completing the 0-100-0 dash in 9.4 seconds, a new world record for a production road car with street legal tyres and exhaust.