Lego replica Bugatti Chiron runs at top speed of 28.97 kph

Lego showcased the creative possibilities of its Technic line by building a full-scale, working replica of a Bugatti Chiron luxury car.

The Lego Chiron was composed of over one million Lego Technic elements. The replica consisted of nearly all Lego elements and even has the same pop-up rear spoiler, which ran on Power Function motors and pneumatics. The only bits not made of Lego elements are the steel roll cage, Chiron wheels and a steel frame, according to Top Gear.

Lego Chiron’s engine was made up of 2,304 Lego Power Function motors, which pumped out a theoretical 5.3 horsepower. Its estimated torque measured up to 92 Newton-meter. Top speed was a theoretical 28.97 kilometers per hour. Since Power Function motors are battery-operated, this Chiron replica is essentially an electric vehicle. Compared with the real Chiron’s four-wheel-drive system, Lego Chiron’s engines only put out power through the rear wheels.

The replica doesn’t have an acceleration pedal, so forward movement was accomplished through a potentiometer, which determines voltage levels. However, a traditional break pedal was still present.

The Lego team behind the project said in a statement that it took 13,438 man-hours of development and construction to build the one by one replica.


As icing on the cake, Lego got former Le Mans winner and test driver of the real Bugatti Chiron, Andy Wallace, to drive its Chiron replica.  Alfred Bayle /ra

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Ferrari wins rich $10 billion valuation in Wall St IPO

NEW YORK, United States—Ferrari, the inimitable Italian luxury sports car maker, garnered a rich $10 billion valuation on Wall Street Tuesday as its initial public offering went out at $52 a share.

The share sale by parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles came in at the high end of its predicted range, demonstrating substantial enthusiasm by investors and an endorsement of Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne’s plan to bring the legendary mark of the prancing horse to the US market.

Underwriters offered 17.2 million shares of Ferrari, comprising about nine percent of the company, according to banking sources. Fiat Chrysler had expected to price the offering at between $48 and $52 a share.

The shares are expected to begin trading Wednesday, under the ticker “RACE,” with market watchers waiting to see how the company is greeted on the New York Stock Exchange.

The market’s reception for IPOs has been somewhat meek in recent weeks, and analysts point out that demand for high-end luxury goods in a key growth market for Ferraris, China, has slowed down.

But the company was effusive about prospects for its six hyper-powered models in the IPO filing.

Ferrari shipped 7,255 new cars to its wealthy customers last year and the prospectus envisages only a gradual expansion to around 9,000 a year by 2019.

“We believe our cars are the epitome of performance, luxury and styling,” it said.

“We intend to maintain and extend our leading position in the luxury performance sports car market and to continue to protect and enhance the value and exclusivity of the Ferrari brand and its association with the lifestyle we believe it represents.”

Fiat Chrysler raising cash

The move comes one year after Italian giant Fiat sealed its takeover of the better-performing US automaker Chrysler in an ambitious, slow-moving merger engineered by Marchionne.

Weeks after that, the company said it would split off the hallowed Ferrari brand. The IPO is the first step in that direction.

As a unit of Fiat Chrysler, the supercar maker has been a cash generator. In 2104 it reported net revenues of 2.76 billion euros ($3.13 billion), and a net profit of 265 million euros.

Revenues grew seven percent a year between 2005 and 2014, and margins increased strongly over the same period.

Fiat Chrysler owns about 90 percent of Ferrari and, with a high debt level, could benefit from raising cash in the sale.

At the end of June, the carmaker had net debt of $10.8 billion due to a combination of the costs of the Chrysler takeover and ongoing loss making activities in Europe.

Now Fiat Chrysler plans to invest some $48 billion to expand its total worldwide sales to seven million vehicles per year, largely through the development of its Jeep, Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands.

Marchionne has been pushing the idea of another merger with a major brand—General Motors is his named target—in the belief that only more consolidation in the global auto industry will guarantee a company’s survival.

Analysts say Marchionne, who is also chairman of Ferrari, has been astute in bringing a restricted number of shares to market—a strategy that mirrors Ferrari’s own market approach of keeping production tight to preserve their exclusive cachet.

The flotation will not have any impact on Ferrari’s involvement in Formula One racing, in which it is reemerging as a force after enduring a lean period in the slipstream of world champion Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team.

Ferrari’s status as the longest-established and most celebrated team in motor sport’s elite championship is vital to the value of its brand.

It also accounts for more than 10 percent of its revenue through sponsorship and related commercial agreements, including licencing of the company’s name and its famed logo in sportswear, watches, accessories, consumer electronics and theme parks.

The listing will leave Fiat Chrysler with 80 to 81 percent of Ferrari which the parent company intends to distribute to its own shareholders next year.

Piero Ferrari, a son of legendary founder Enzo Ferrari, will retain a ten percent stake after the flotation.

source: business.inquirer.net

Look at Kylie Jenner’s New $400,000 Luxury Car

Kylie Jenner, the most viewed star on Snapchat, showed off her brand new super car in a new snap. She recorded the arrival of her $400,000 white Rolls Royce Ghost on a low-loader truck while saying, “Yay! It’s here!”

The 18-year-old didn’t think twice and took the luxury saloon for a test drive with her girl friends in Los Angeles. With the cream-colored interior looking sexy and a Chris Brown song blasting in the background, this car makes you wish you were one of Kylie’s best gals. (Yeah, ‘cause she gifts them with a Mercedez-Benz, too, by the way.)

There sure is a lot of room for more cars in this Jenner’s garage. Just this August, her rapper boyfriend Tyga surprised her with a $320,000 Ferrari 458 Italia for her birthday. Prior to it, she has been seen driving a $45,000 Jeep Wrangler, a $195,000 Range Rover, and a $233,000 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.

The reality TV star is said to have a net worth of $5M. And, according to CNN Money, her new Kylie Jenner app is estimated to make $15M in its first year, outselling any of her sister’s apps. Now that’s a whole lot more super cars for you, Kylie.

[The Daily Mail]



Photo and video courtesy of The Daily Mail

source: preen.inquirer.net

Kylie Jenner, the most viewed star on Snapchat, showed off her brand new super car in a new snap. She recorded the arrival of her $400,000 white Rolls Royce Ghost on a low-loader truck while saying, “Yay! It’s here!” - See more at: http://preen.inquirer.net/14856/look-at-kylie-jenners-new-400000-luxury-car#sthash.lG3H3080.dpuf

Cadillac introduces 2015 Escalade SUV

Cadillac introduced the all-new 2015 Escalade, a sophisticated luxury SUV designed to establish new benchmarks for hand-tailored craftsmanship and technology. The fourth-generation Escalade is an entirely new design yet instantly recognizable. Much of the story of Cadillac’s redesigned flagship SUV is on the interior, where new levels of luxury combine with the latest technology.




Production of the 2015 Escalade begins next spring in Arlington, Texas. The product line will consist of the standard Escalade model, as well as the extended-length ESV edition, with offers a 14-inch-longer (355 mm) wheelbase and approximately 20 inches (508 mm) more in overall length, maximizing space for third-row passengers and 60 percent more cargo space behind the third-row seat than the Escalade.

Offered with 2WD and 4WD drivetrains, Escalade features a new 6.2L V-8 engine that is more powerful and more efficient than previous models. Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control, the world’s fastest-reacting suspension system, is now standard and delivers precisely controlled driving performance.

The exterior features crisp, new and more sophisticated surfaces, accented by dramatic light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting.




The new interior features cut-and-sewn and wrapped materials, with wood trim options chosen for elegance and authenticity. Seats were engineered to be more comfortable and sculpted in appearance. The new interior is dramatically quieter, too, thanks to a stronger new body structure, new and enhanced acoustic material, and Bose Active Noise Cancellation technology.

CUE, Cadillac’s advanced system for connectivity and control, is standard featuring state-of-the-art voice recognition with touch controls common with the world’s most popular tablets and mobile devices. A standard 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster can be reconfigured with four themes and an available head-up display projects information onto the windshield. An available Blu-Ray DVD rear entertainment system includes a nine-inch, roof-mounted screen on Escalade and two nine-inch screens on Escalade ESV.


The front seating area offers more than 1.5 inches (44 mm) more headroom and more than four inches (101 mm) of additional legroom compared to previous models while the second- and third-row seats fold flat for greater cargo versatility – and a segment-first hands-free liftgate includes programmable height settings.

Escalade’s new technologies include safety features to help protect occupants before, during and after a collision, such as Front and Rear Automatic Braking, which relies on short-range radar technology and ultrasonic sensors to help the driver avoid front and rear low-speed collisions via a progression of alerts that extend to complete braking, if necessary.



Also new is the segment’s only Front Seat Center-Mounted air bag, which is engineered to provide additional protection to drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes, where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

A Driver Awareness package includes Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning System, and the patented Safety Alert Seat, which offers directional vibrations to alert the driver about potential crash threats. A Driver Assist package adds Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control, Front and Rear Automatic Braking, Automatic Collision Preparation and Automatic Safety Belt Tightening.

Additionally, Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Alert are standard on Luxury and Premium models.


Performance and driving experience
The performance threshold for the 2015 Escalade lineup rises with an all-new, more efficient 6.2L V-8 engine rated at an SAE-certified 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 460 lb-ft of torque (623 Nm) – a nearly 5-percent increase in horsepower and 10 percent more torque. The greater torque delivers an enhanced feeling of power on demand, particularly from a standstill and at low speeds.

The new 6.2L features state-of-the-art technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management, or cylinder deactivation, continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system, designed to make the most of power, torque and efficiency across a broad range of operating conditions. More precisely controlled combustion enables Escalade to run with a higher compression ratio, which delivers greater power and greater expected efficiency.

The engine is matched with the Hydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission with enhanced TapShift control.

source: motioncars.inquirer.net

Jaguar Philippines launches F-Type sports car

Jaguar Cars, Inc. (JCI) unveiled the Jaguar F-Type today at the Jaguar Lifestyle Centre at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The new Jaguar F-Type represents a return to the company’s heart: a two-seat, convertible sports car focused on performance, agility and driver involvement. This is also a continuation of a sporting bloodline that dates back to more than 75 years, focusing on delivering performance, agility and maximum driver involvement.

“The ownership of a Jaguar has never been a stronger statement globally. Its performance is all about the aspects of engineering and technological excellence,” said Mr. Wellington Soong, Chair and President of Jaguar Cars, Inc. “This is also a tribute to Sir William Lyon’s ‘Poetry in Motion’.”

The Jaguar F-Type V8 S Petrol combines low vehicle weight (starting at 3,521 pounds), high powered engine (at 495hp) and superb aerodynamics to achieve a pure sports car experience, yet with Jaguar’s known elegance and luxury.



A true two-seat sports car, the all-new Jaguar F-Type is equipped with a modern, lightweight soft top that, when lowered, serves as its own tonneau cover. This not only provides weight efficiency, but also improves packaging and contributes to the car’s low center of gravity for greater sporting agility.

Just like the other members of the Jaguar family, the F-Type has also capitalized on its sinuous, muscular elegance while it adapts to the modern times. The two “heartlines” define the profile and top-down view of the F-Type. The main “heartline” begins in the blade dissecting the shark-like gills on either side of the grille that runs up and forms the sharp top crease of the fender line, providing sight lines that aid the driver in cornering maneuvers. The second “heartline” swells out to form the muscular rear haunch before sweeping dramatically around the rear of the car. With its clean, sleek lines of the tail, it deploys at speed to reduce aerodynamic lift.

For that sports car touch, the top can be fully raised or lowered in just 12 seconds at a speed of up to 48 kph. Its multi-layer construction includes a 3M Thinsulate lining for optimal thermal and sound-insulating properties.


“We wanted the experience of sitting in the F-TYPE to be exciting. A sports car cockpit should be an intimate place and so we aimed to get a sense of the surfaces falling towards and then wrapping around the driver,” said Ian Callum, Director of Design for Jaguar.

Also, JCI recently launched their leasing program called “Lease 2 Go”. In partnership with BPI Rental Corp., customers will get a chance to drive home with a Jaguar or a Land Rover by just paying the one (1) month rental in advance.

source: motioncars.inquirer.net