Tesla delivers 500th roadster to NJ philanthropist

Tesla Motors announced today that a New Jersey (our home-base) philanthropist has taken delivery of the 500th Tesla Roadster. Martin Tuchman, former chairman and CEO of Interpool, plans on charging his Roadster partly with solar energy with photovoltaic panels he helped install throughout his hometown of Kingston, NJ.

“My Roadster drives like a dream — it’s amazing,” said Tuchman. He plans to use his twilight blue Roadster as his primary commuter car.

Tuchman will be taking advantage of the HOV commuter lanes on the NJ Turnpike while he enjoys a $7,500 federal tax credit.  Zero-emission vehicles are exempt from New Jersey sales, use and luxury taxes as well.

Press Release:

Tesla Motors Delivers 500th Roadster

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A New Jersey philanthropist was the 500th person to take ownership of a Tesla Roadster, an important milestone for the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer.

Martin Tuchman, former chairman and CEO of Interpool, is chairman of The Tuchman Foundation and a board member of The Parkinson’s Alliance and Parkinson’s Disease Foundation of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He plans to charge his Roadster partly with solar energy thanks to photovoltaic panels he helped install throughout his hometown of Kingston, NJ.

“My Roadster drives like a dream — it’s amazing,” said Tuchman, a former automotive engineer and owner of a 1967 Mercedes 250 and a 1993 Jaguar convertible. Tuchman converted his 1937 Chris-Craft into an electric boat so he could take it on nearby Lake Carnegie, which prohibits gas-powered boats. He plans to use his Roadster as his primary commuter car.

Tuchman took delivery of a Twilight Blue Roadster last weekend, a few weeks before the anticipated opening of a Tesla showroom in New York’s Chelsea Art District. Greater New York is Tesla’s largest market outside of California, and local EV owners enjoy numerous incentives.

Zero-emission vehicles are exempt from New Jersey sales, use and luxury taxes. Single occupants of alternative-fuel vehicles may also use the high-occupancy commuter lanes on the New Jersey Turnpike. These incentives are on top of a $7,500 US federal tax credit, which fully applies to all Tesla Roadsters.

Tesla will also soon be opening stores in Chicago, London, Seattle, Miami, Washington, Monaco and Munich. Tesla will begin deliveries in Europe this summer.

San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla is the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in the United States or Europe. The Roadster beats nearly every other car for acceleration yet is twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius. It costs roughly $4 to refuel and can be completely recharged in as little as 3.5 hours.

Michael van der Sande, Tesla Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Service and Marketing, called the 500th delivery an important symbol for the world’s newest production automaker.

“We now have more than 500 real-world customers providing valuable feedback on our cars and contributing to Tesla’s spirit of continuous improvement,” van der Sande said. “We intend to leverage our first-mover advantage and continue to build brand loyalty for years - from our 500th to our 500,000th delivery.”

Gemballa Mirage GT Carbon Edition: More details and images released

Earlier this year, Gemballa released a couple of images and some details on its yet-to-be-completed Mirage GT Carbon Edition. While we’re already impressed with Porsche Carrera GT based Mirage GT - more power, lighter body weight and better performance is never a bad thing.

Power comes from Porsche’s V10 that has been modified to produce 670-hp with a maximum torque of 465 lb-ft. 0 to 62 mph has been brought down to 3.7 seconds compared to the stock 3.9 seconds. 0 to 124 mph comes in just 9.7 seconds while top speed comes in at 208 mph.

Gemballa will only make 5 units of the Mirage GT Carbon Edition with prices starting at 298,000 euros ($420,725 USD).

Press Release:

The ultimate super sports car - GEMBALLA MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition

For more than 25 years, the automobile manufacturer GEMBALLA Automobiltechnik GmbH & Co. KG builds exclusive sports cars which are based on the Porsche model range. Thereby, the company under the management of the founder Uwe Gemballa always sets standards regarding engine performance, innovative automobile design and exclusive interior. This is impressively confirmed by numerous lap records on the most difficult race track of the world, the Nürburgring Nordschleife. And also by winning many awards such as the renowned “red dot design award”. And last but not least by thrilled customers all over the world.

And also the latest super sports car - the GEMBALLA MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition - limited to only 5 pieces will conquer the motor sports hearts of its future owners in supersonic speed. Based on the Porsche Carrera GT the specialists from Leonberg near Stuttgart present an extremely attractive version of the MIRAGE GT. The eye-catching main evolutionary characteristic is the GEMBALLA body element production in carbon fibre. But that is not all: ultra-light aerodynamics components which have been optimised in the wind tunnel and a power engine with powerful 670 hp top performance render an impressive top speed of 335 km/h. A ground-breaking, hydraulic, height-adjustable coilover kit is especially adjusted to the GEMBALLA wheel-tyre combination GT SPORT Forged and this interplay provides perfect road handling. And also the interior is upgraded from the floor room to the roof lining. Perfectly processed and stylishly arranged leather and carbon turn every Mirage GT cockpit into an exclusive unique masterpiece.

Carbon - as far as the eye can see

Already the serial version of the Carrera GT presents itself with an abundance of ultra-light and high-strength carbon material. And GEMBALLA continues this trend in the MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition by using it as the main component of all body parts. Each single element of the GEMBALLA aerodynamics design is optimised in the wind tunnel, produced in perfect surface quality and accurately fitted into the automobile.

The core part of the newly designed MIRAGE GT front is the striking apron with the enhanced air inlets for an improved ventilation of the front coolers. In combination with the new front lip, GEMBALLA does not only achieve an aggressive look, but also generates additional downthrust. Also the front wings and the bonnet are replaced by proprietary development components. At the flanks, you find newly designed side skirts.

These calm down the air duct between the axles and send additional cooling air to the brake system through integrated passages. The new diffuser which is fitted into the new rear skirt stabilises the rear section at high speeds and in connection with the enlarged rear wing, it generates contact pressure at the rear axle. Further advancements are provided by the individually adjustable Gurney flap which is inserted in the wing profile. The body kit is perfected with the GEMBALLA roof channel as well as the air scoop of the engine compartment and the rear view camera casing.

3.7 seconds from zero to hundred km/h - accompanied by an incomparable exhaust sound

But the GEMBALLA MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition does not only impress with its fascinating design. As a result of an optimised engine management and a special exhaust system with sport catalysts and pneumatic valve control, not only the engine performance and the acceleration improve significantly. Due to its 670 hp / 493 kW at 8,000 rpm and 630 Newton metres at 5,700 rpm, the ten-cylinder accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in breath-taking 3.7 seconds. The top speed is 335 km/h and therefore also faster than the basic model. For an enhanced gas pedal response, the GEMBALLA technicians fit a sports clutch with special pads. Especially when driving stop and go in city traffic, this is an enormous advantage and allows a smooth and bucking-free take-off.

Innovative running gear technology for the race track and for everyday use

The running gear components in the MIRAGE are especially adjusted to the enhanced engine performance and sporty driving manner. They consist of four individually adjustable coilover dampers in a unit with progressively coiled double springs. For everyday use, the electro-hydraulic height-adjustment is extremely innovative and enormously helpful. By pushing a button in the passenger compartment, it is possible to lift the body by 45 millimetres at the front- and rear axle and therefore allows driving over obstacles such as underground car park entrances and traffic ramps. Also by pushing a button or by reaching 80 km/h, the MIRAGE lowers itself to its original level. As the perfect wheel-tyre combination, GEMBALLA gits the multi-part rims GT SPORT Forged in the dimension 9.5 x 19 and 12.5 x 20 with tyres in the serial measurement 265/35 ZR19 at the front axle and 335/30 ZR20 at the rear axle.

Exclusive interior design without limits

GEMBALLA presents the perfect symbiosis between sportive functionality and luxurious ambience. The interior designers combine the most precious materials such as fine leather, ultra-suede and carbon fibre in a very stylish way. The leather which is processed with expert hand is very resilient and yet extremely soft. The characteristic natural product with its individual grain and the masterly decorative stitching render an extravagant look around the newly designed centre console. The latter is entirely made of carbon fibre and contains the GEMBALLA Multimedia unit and the Data Control System.

The harmonically integrated display presents driving data such as acceleration, cross-acceleration and deceleration values. Another highlight in the GEMBALLA MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition is the full-size airbag sports steering wheel with a diameter of 340 millimetres.

GEMBALLA - the specialist for high end Porsche refinements and innovative engineering design offers the entire refining set for the GEMBALLA MIRAGE GT Carbon Edition which is only limited to 5 specimen from 298,000 euros (net price, without basic automobile).

Jaguar working on C-Type successor, new roadster coming in 2012

Word on the street is that Jaguar is working on the car every Jaguar fan is dying to see - a rival to the Porsche Boxster. According to AutoExpress, Jaguar is hard at work on a compact two-seat roadster, which will be a successor to the Jaguar C-Type.

Insiders say that Jaguar is looking to compete in a market mainly dominated by the Porsche Boxster, Audi TT, BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK.

Taking styling cues from the XF and driving dynamics from the XK, the new addition to Jaguar’s lineup will feature rear-wheel-drive, stunning design, a fabric roof and an impressive engine lineup.

The entry level model will feature a 3.0L V6 making 235-hp while the range-topper will feature a 5.0L V8 making 380-hp. Sources say that the European market will also get a 3.0L twin-turbo diesel making 272-hp.

You can look out for the new Jaguar roadster in 2012 at the earliest.

Source: AutoExpress

AutoCar interviews Ulrich Bez about the Aston Martin One-77

Dr. Ulrich Bez has the job every auto enthusiast can only dream of - being CEO of Aston Martin. Bez, 66, received his doctorate in engineering from the University of Stuttgart, but had to create a resume with other impressive credentials than that to become the boss of Aston.

He has previously held positions at Porsche, BMW and Daewoo Motors where he’s been responsible for product design and development. Even standing next to Bez is a privilege in itself (and we say that only because he’s the main man behind the idea of the Aston Martin One-77).

The folks over at AutoCar recently had the lucky opportunity to interview Bez about the new Aston Martin One-77 and even had him fire it up for the cameras. Of course, AutoCar did what every other auto journalist would do after hearing the sound coming from the 700-hp One-77 - they asked Bez if they could drive it. Did Bez say yes or no? Find out in the video posted after the jump.

Tesla delivers 500th Roadster to New Jersey man

From the first to the 100th and now to the 500th, the story of Tesla Motors and their first offering, the Roadster, has been pretty heavily documented. The trend is unlikely to stop any time soon and, in that vein, Tesla is making sure to note its latest milestone, the delivery of the 500th Roadster.
The lucky recipient is New Jersey's Martin Tuchman, who Tesla describes as chairman of The Tuchman Foundation and a board member of The Parkinson's Alliance and Parkinson's Disease Foundation of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. Tuchman is apparently a car fan, with a 1967 Mercedes 250 and a 1993 Jaguar convertible in his stable. Those cars will get even less of a workout now that the Roadster is around, as it is scheduled to become Tuchman's main commuter car. Interestingly, Tuchman will reportedly use solar power to charge his new toy whenever possible, which ought to make for a clean getaway.

The Future of Hyundai Sports Cars - Car News

Over the past few years, Hyundai has marched upward with the all the drive, ambition, and brashness of Eva Peron. Since 2007, we have seen Hyundai augment its line of plebeian automobiles with the upscale Veracruz crossover, the impressive Genesis sedan, and the surprisingly talented Genesis Coupe.

As part of its second so-called “24/7” plan, during which Hyundai will launch seven new vehicles in 24 months, the company will revamp its line of core products. (The first 24/7 plan started in 2005 and ended in 2007.) Most interesting to us among those products is a compact sporty coupe based on the Accent platform and styled much in the vein of the well-received Veloster concept car that debuted in Frankfurt in 2007.

In a recent interview withCar and Driver, Hyundai product PR chief Miles Johnson confirmed that the little Honda CRX-like 2+2 is on track for launch sometime during the 24/7 2.0 program, which technically started with the introduction of the Genesis Coupe and continues late this year with the next-generation Tucson crossover. We imagine that it would be offered in the States with a range of four-pot engines ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, possibly including the high-output (i.e. turbocharged) version of the 2.0-liter seen in the 210-hp Genesis Coupe 2.0T.

Keep Reading: The Future of Hyundai Sports Cars - Car News