Maxxd.com

Tag: News

HYPERION XP-1 HYDROGEN-POWERED SUPERCAR

Niche supercars from boutique start-ups always sell well, don’t they? That’s why every other car you see on the road is a Jensen S-V8 or a Connaught Type D Syracuse or a Ronart Lightning. So you’re bound to be seeing this new Hyperion XP-1 everywhere in the future, right…?

Er, cynicism aside though, it’s an interesting idea. The concept is to build an eco-friendly hypercar, and instead of harnessing the leaps and bounds made in electric power that everyone else is trying, this is powered by hydrogen.

Putting their fingers in their ears and ignoring the fact that major manufacturers like BMW and Honda have been trying and largely failing to make hydrogen cars viable for decades, the XP-1’s engineers have created something that will apparently do 0-62mph in 2.2-seconds, top out at 220mph, get over 1,000 miles from a tank of fuel, and only take a few minutes to fill up.

And the only exhaust emission is lovely clean water vapour. Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s also got aero blades that double as solar panels, a 98-inch curved dash screen, and a titanium/carbon fibre chassis.

The company that developed it supplies parts to NASA. So it sounds like it can’t fail, doesn’t it? But again, think about the last time you saw an Arash Farboud, or a Mastretta MXT, or a Marcos TSO, or… well, you get the idea.

Source

October 21, 2020
MANHART MH4 GTR REVEALED WITH 700HP

Based on the already exclusive BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition released in 2016, the 700hp MANHART MH4 GTR takes exclusivity to another level.

In contrast to what is usually the case with MANHART’s creations, the new model designation of the car in this case does not yet give any indication of its new performance value. Of course, the MH4 GTR still provides far more power than the 500 hp and 600 Nm of the base M4 DTM vehicle, which has been made possible thanks to water injection. The biturbo-fired S55 in-line six-cylinder engine has been given an ECU remapping in conjunction with a MANHART intercooler by CSF, as well as a MANHART carbon intake by ARMA, MANHART aluminium charge pipes and a MANHART stainless steel exhaust system with valve function.

The latter connects to the engine via MANHART “race” downpipes, which do not have TÜV approval due to the lack of catalytic converters and are only intended for export from Germany. All in all, this results in an output of 708 PS and 980 Nm, or 698hp and 723lb ft! In order to be able to continue to cope with its task without any problems despite the increase in power, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission has also received a MANHART upgrade. The chassis and the formidable carbon-ceramic brake system remained untouched in the vehicle shown here – but MANHART also offers individual optimisations on request.

MANHART has also made changes to the car’s exterior, adding a carbon front spoiler with additional lip, a new rear wing and a carbon diffuser. An additional spoiler lip on the boot lid and exterior mirror caps – each from the M Performance Parts range and made of carbon – have also been added. Furthermore, the M4 was given an even more striking body styling, while retaining the original colour combination. The wheel arches now feature forged, in-house MANHART Concave One rims in 9×20 inch and 10.5×20 inch, covered with 255/35 and 295/30 tyres.

In the interior, there was also an unmistakable racing ambience even in its original state. MANHART have further enhanced this atmosphere with a steering wheel, upholstered in Alcantara from the M Performance Parts portfolio, Recaro bucket seats with partial leather upholstery and various carbon trim elements.7

While the MANHART MH4 GTR is a one-off, MANHART will sell you the individual parts. Just head over to its product pages for more information.

Source

October 15, 2020
VW GOLF GTI CLUBSPORT MK8 REVEALED

Hot on the heels of its tamer brother, VW has revealed the VW Golf GTI Clubsport Mk8. Nope, it’s not limited, and nope it’s not as hardcore as you think. Here’s what you need to know.

It’s only been a week since the first reviews started rolling out on the new VW Golf GTI Mk8 before VW announced the surprise arrival of this, the VW Golf GTI Clubsport Mk8. Interestingly, VW has pitched this car between the Clubsport and Clubsport S models of the Mk7 VW Golf GTI, both of which were on sale four years ago.

In reality, the new VW Golf GTI Clubsport Mk8 is a replacement for the old model’s runout iteration, the Golf GTI TCR. Power is up over the regular Mk8 Golf GTI some 54bhp to 296bhp (242bhp in standard GTI) and torque is up a hefty 22lb ft to 295 (273 in the standard car). This means that the 0-62mph sprint is now under six seconds with a limited top speed of 155mph. Your only choice of gearbox is a seven-speed DSG job, whereas the standard GTI gets a six-speed manual.

It’s not just a power hike in the Clubsport either, you also get fettled suspension. This car sits 15mm lower than the regular car and gets a touch of positive camber on the front end to allow for a sharper turn-in. You also get bigger brakes to help you stop the increased power. There isn’t any weight saving here, though, just a good old fashioned power hike.

All of those changes amassed equate to a car that is 13 seconds quicker around the Nurburgring according to VW. That’s also in part thanks to a new special Nurburgring drive mode. What that does is keep the dampers soft, while ramping up the engine, gearbox, steering and other changes to the max. With the ‘Ring being a somewhat bumpy surface, we’re looking forward to seeing how that mode reacts to a typical British B-road.

To help differentiate the VW Golf GTI Clubsport Mk8 from the regular car, there’s a redesigned front bumper, spoiler, diffuser, side skirts and twin oval exhaust pipes.

Source

October 14, 2020