Kief Cars

The Ferrari 458 Italia has been introduced at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, currently ongoing in Germany. The sports car was codenamed the F142 and was long rumoured to be named the F450, but it will be called the Ferrari 458 Italia. The car takes its name from the engine, a 4.5 litre V8. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox which directs power to the rear axle. The car’s aluminum structure helps keep weight under control.

The Ferrari 458 Italia will be capable of doing 0 – 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. According to Ferrari the car is “a completely new car from every point of view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics, just to name a few”. The Ferrari 458 Italia is just over 4.5 meters long and just over 1.9 meters wide. The car will be able to reach a top speed of +/- 325 km/h (202 mph). Despite the engine being bigger than the ones used in the Ferrari 458 Italia’s predecessors, the emissions are reduced and the car is quite economical. The car is capable of travelling 100 km on 13.7 liters of fuel. This sports car promises to be one of the most memorable Ferrari vehicles, in my opinion. Because of the price tag on this vehicle, it’s highly unlikely that we will see many of these cars on the roads of South Africa. It will probably cost more than R2 million here if it’s ever released here.

The Italian Auto Maker, Alfa Romeo is introducing the Mito Qaudrifoglio Verde 2010 at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. This vehicle showcase Alfa Romeo’s 1.4 liter 170 hp Multi Air engine. The car’s throttle plane was replaced with electronically-controlled electrohydraulic actuators. This optimizes airflow in each cylinder’s combustion chamber. The Alfa Romeo Mito Quadrifoglio Verde is fitted with a 6 speed gearbox. The car can reach 60 mph (100 km/h) in about 7 seconds.

Alfa Romeo’s Quadrifoglio Verde symbol has always been associated with victory, heritage and racing. Nowadays the symbol represents a new kind of sportiness which combines maximum driving pleasure with improved environmental qualities. The Alfa Romeo Mito Quadrifoglio Verde has high-quality finishes, lots of attention to detail and various other features. The car is fitted with 17″ satin titanium-finished wheels. The headlight frames and the wing mirrors are the same colour. The dark finish of the headlight parabolas is achieved by the usage of brand new metal sublimation technology. The Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde certainly looks stylish. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone out there was aching to get behind the wheel of this car. It’s uncertain whether the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde will be released in South Africa. Alfa Romeo has built up quiite a reputation in South Africa, but that might not be enough to get this vehicle here.

The BMW X1 crossover is being launched in the United Kingdom in Oct 2009. The vehicle’s production versions have been revelead at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The BMW X1 will be available in a rear-wheel drive and a four-wheel drive configuration. 2 petrol engines will be available. The 141 bhp 2.0 and the 258 bhp 3.0 straight-six. 3 Diesel engines will be available. The 141 bhp, the 175 bhp and the 201 bhp twin-turbo version. More options might be made available for the BMW X1 in the future.

This vehicle is 10cm shorter than the current BMW X3 model. Its expected that the next generation of the BMW X3 will be larger. The BMW X1 is a compact 5 seater SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). It’s expected that the BMW X1 will be competing against the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and Volkswagen Tiguan in the market. All models will be fitted with BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology (which helps to improve fuel economy and emission reductions), which includes brake energy regeneration, engine stop-start technology and a gearshift point indicator. In my opinion it seems that this German Auto Manufacturer never seems to disappoint, probably one of the reasons why the company has been around since 1916. At this stage it’s unsure whether the BMW X1 will be released in South Africa, but if you take BMW presence in South Africa into account, they probably will release the vehicle here in 2010 or 2011.

This year’s Frankfurt Motor Show is underway in Germany. This exhibition showcases new vehicles released or planned by motoring manufacturers from around the world. This year’s exhibition hosts 781 exhibitors from 30 countries. 100 vehicles are making their world premieres at the exhibition. 55 of the of the premiers are by German manufacturers. 10,000 journalists from 90 countries will be present at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The show opens for the public today (17 September) and will be going on until the 27th of September. The last 2 days (15 and 16 September) were press days at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. German Chancelor, Dr. Angela Merkel will official declare the exhibition open today. It’s the 63rd time that the Frankfurt Motor Show is held this year. Unfortunately we do not have a Motoring Exhibition of this magnitude in South Africa, which is sad.

Here are some introductions at this years Frankfurt Motor Show:

• Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde
• Alfa Romeo 159
• Audi A5 Sportback
• Audi R8 Spyder
• BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
• BMW 740D
• BMW X1
• BMW Active Hybrid X6
• BMW Active Hybrid 7
• Dodge Caliber
• Ferrari 458 Italia
• Fiat 500 Abarth
• Fiat Punto Evo
• Fiat Punto SuperSport
• Fiat Qubo Treking
• Fiat Sedici
• Ford C-Max
• Ford Grand C-Max
• Honda CR-V
• Hyundai i10 Electric
• Hyundai i30
• Hyundai ix35
• Hyundai Santa Fe
• Jaguar XJ
• Kia cee’d facelift
• Kia Venga
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Forte LPI Hybrid
• Kia cee’d Hybrid
• Kia Sorento Hybrid
• Kia Venga MPV
• Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
• Lexus IS-F sport package
• Lotus Elise Club Racer
• Lotus Evora Club Racer
• Maserati GranCabrio
• Mazda CX-7
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
• Mercedes-Benz S500 plug-in hybrid
• Mercedes-Benz E-class estate
• Mercedes-Benz BlueZero E-cell
• Mercedes-Benz B-class F-cell
• Opel Astra
• Peugeot RCZ
• Peugeot 5008
• Peugeot BB1
• Peugeot iOn
• Porsche 911 Sport Classic
• Porsche 911 Turbo
• Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
• Porsche 911 GT3 RS
• Porsche Panamera
• Range Rover Sport
• Rolls-Royce Ghost
• Saab 9-5
• Seat Leon Cupra R
• Skoda Sperb Estate
• Subaru Legacy
• Subaru Outback
• Toyota Land Cruiser
• Vauxhall Insignia Ecoflex St
• Volkswagen California
• Volkswagen Caravelle
• Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion
• Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion
• Volkswagen Polo 3 door
• Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion
• Volkswagen Polo GTI
• Volkswagen Golf R
• Volkswagen Transporter
• Volvo C30
• Volvo C70
• Volvo XC60 R-Design

You are probably wondering how this exhibition started in the first place? The Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) or International Motor Show is generally referred to as the Frankfurt Motor Show. This event is the world’s largest motor show and is organized by the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA). The Frankfurt Motor Show is scheduled by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles, which considers it to be a major international auto show. The first ever IAA was held at the Hotel Bristol in Berlin in 1897. Between 1897 and 1911 it became a fixed event in Germany. At least one was held almost every year, usually in Berlin. In 1905, 1906 and 1907 there were 2 IAA’s held. In 1921 the first IAA was held in Berlin since World War I. It was the 14th time that the IAA was held. At that stage, 67 automobile manufacturers were showing off 90 motor car and 49 Heavy Goods Vehicle models. In 1931, the IAA was held again for the 22nd time, despite after-effects of the global recession. 295,000 visitors were recorded for the show. Front-wheel drive vehicles were on display for the first time. In 1939, the last IAA was held in Berlin before the outbreak of World War II. This was the 29th IAA in history and a record breaking 825,000 visitors attented the exhibition. Volkswagen was presented for the first time at this show. The “strength through joy motor car” from the 1939 show later became known of as the “Beetle”. Between 1947 and 1949 German automobile and accessories manufacturers took part in the export trade fair in Hanover. The automobile industry’s hall attracted a lot of attention from the public. In April 1951 an automobile exhibition was held on the trade fair site in Frankfurt for the first time ever. This event attracted 570,000 visitors. In Sept 1951 a 2nd event was held in Berlin, attracting 290,000 visitors. This was the 35th time that an IAA was held. The German Automobile industry said goodbye to the old exhibition spot in Berlin and relocated permanently to Frankfurt. From now on the show would be held annually. In 1961, the 40th IAA in Frankfurt was visited by 950,000 people, breaking records from previous years. In 1965 a Japanese company presented its motor cars at an IAA for the first time. In 1989, an IAA was held featuring both cars and commercial vehicles. This confirmed that the exhibition site in Frankfurt was now too small for this major event. Almost 2,000 exhibitors squeezed onto an exhibition site measuring 252,000 square metres. More than 1.2 million visitors attended the event. The VDA decided to hold 2 IAAs from now on. From 1991, the Frankfurt Motor Show was split into 2 shows. In odd-numbered years the IAA Passenger Cars exhibition was to held in Frankfurt. On even-numbered years the IAA Commercial Vehicles exhibition would be held in Hanover. The first IAA Passenger Cars exhibition in 1991 was huge success. 1,271 exhibitors from 43 countries displayed their new products and innovations on an exhibition site of +/- 200,000 square metres. More than 935,000 visitors attended that year’s IAA. In 1992 the first IAA Commercial Vehicles Exhibition hosted 1,284 exhibitors from 29 countries on a 252,000 square metre exhibition site. 287,000 people visited this exhibition, 66 percent of them were trade visitors. The decision to split the Frankfurt Motor Show into 2 seperate events was a success.

Related Link:
IAA (Frankfurt Motor Show) – Official Website

The German Auto Manufacturer, Audi has officially unveiled the Audi R8 Spyder at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. The sports car is powered by a V10 5.2 litre Audi FSI engine which was also recently fitted into the Audi R8 Coupe. The car is capable of accelerating from 0 – 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 313 km/h. This 2 seater vehicle is fitted with an Audi Space Frame (ASF for short). The Audi R8 Spyder is not fitted with sideblades behind the doors. The side panels and large cover over the storage compartment is made of a carbon fibre composite.

The Audi R8 Spyder is fitted with a electro-hydraulically controlled soft cloth top which opens and closes in 19 seconds to reduce the car’s weight. The soft cloth top is available in 3 different colours and is even capable of opening and closing whilst the car is travelling at 50 km/h. The Audi R8 can be optionally fitted with the first ever seatbelt microphone, which can serve as the vehicle’s hands-free unit. For this option, 3 small microphones are fitted into both seatbelts. At least 1 microphone is ideally positioned relative to the speaker system of the car, when the seat belt is on. A 4th microphone is fitted into the windshield frame. When the hands-free unit is active, at least 2 microphones combine with a noise reduction system to ensure clear conversations even if the driver is whistling down at top speeds down the highway with the Audi R8 Spyder’s top down. Audi plans to release the Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro in early 2010. At this stage it’s unclear whether this car will be released in South Africa. Only time will tell if we’ll see this glorious vehicle here. There will be hefty price tag for this car though, so brace yourselves.

Related Links:
Audi – Official Website