OTOMOTIF-FORCE INDIA BERGABUNG DENGAN MCLAREN-MERCEDES

Force India berharap dapat bersaing untuk mendapatkan gelar terhormat pada musim lomba 2010 setelah mengumumkan bermitra selama li...
Silverstone, Inggris, 11/11 (ANTARA/Reuters) - Force India berharap dapat bersaing untuk mendapatkan gelar terhormat pada musim lomba 2010 setelah mengumumkan bermitra selama lima tahun dengan McLaren Mercedes, Senin.
Kerja sama yang diumumkan kepada karyawan pabrik oleh pemilik tim
Vijay Mallya dan petinggi McLaren, Martin Whitmarsh, menunjukkan bahwa tim itu akan menggunakan mesin dan gearbox yang sama dengan yang digunakan juara dunia Lewis Hamilton yang di bawah bendera McLaren.
Tim itu juga merencanakan akan menggunakan KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) yang dikembangkan Mercedes dan McLaren dan akan memiliki akses ke jaringan kerja McLaren termasuk juga dukungan operasionalnya.
"Dari sisi pandang saya, saya kira saya dapat menyatakan kami akan memenangi perlombaan 2010," kata Mallya, "Tetapi untuk 2009
saya amat gembira bila kami sudah berjalan menuju harapan itu. Ini akan menjadi kemajuan besar dalam langkah kami ke depan."
Force India gagal mendapatkan satu angka pun musim ini dan Mallya
melakukan perombakan besar dalam kepengurusan timnya minggu lalu, ketika team principal Colin Kolles dan kepala bagian teknik Mike Gascoyne dikeluarkan dari tim.
Rencana kerja sama pasokan mesin dengan tim saingan berat McLaren, Ferrari, juara yang memasok mesin bagi tim independen Toro Rosso yang menang di kandang sendiri di Italia Grand Prix tahun ini, terputus awal tahun ini.
Ikatan dengan McLaren semakin mengencang dengan penunjukan mantan direktur operasi McLaren, Simon Roberts, sebagai salah satu petinggu operasi tim Force India.

Masih independen
Whitmarsh dan Mallya menekankan bahwa Force India tetap akan menggunakan nama pabrik secara independen, sesuai dengan Persetujuan Persepahaman (Concorde Agreement) badan olahraga itu, dan tidak akan menjadi tim "B".
"Tim itu tidak akan diambil alih oleh McLaren," kata Whitmarsh.
"Suatu saat saya akan tersenyum lebar, ketika Force India naik podium. Terus terang saya mengharapkan kami (McLaren) memiliki dua kendaraan di tangga atas."
"Kami di Fromula Satu bersaing dan saya akan kecewa bila manajemen Force India tidak berusaha maju ke depan ketika McLarena sudah bekerja keras turun di lintasan," katanya.
"Bila ada yang akan mengalahkan kami di masa depan, maka saat ini saya pikir Force India lah yang akan melakukanya," tambahnya.
Persetujuan itu secara signifikan merupakan perpisahan dengan
Mercedes, yang memiliki saham 40 persen di McLaren dan sejak 1995 hanya menyplai tim pekerna saja.
Sauber merupakan tim terakhir yang menjadi "pelanggan" yang menggunakan mesin pasokan Mercedes pada 1994. Namun semua mesin itu dibangun Ilmor, sebelum perusahaan itu diambil alih Mercedes.
Mallya, yang bisnisnya beralih dari perusahaan penerbangan Kingfisher ke jenis usaha minuman, menyatakan timnya akan menjadi lebih termotivasi bila perlombaan grand prix diadakan di negaranya.
"Bernie Ecclestone sudah menyatakan akan mengadakan Indian
Grand Prix 2011...dan pada saat itu tim Formula Satu India sudah eksis sebagai kekuatan Formula Satu dan untuk India," katanya.



sumber : http://www.financeroll.com

Toyota Siapkan Yaris dan Prius III untuk Pasar Indonesia 2009

JAKARTA, JUMAT — Sebelum tutup tahun 2008, tepatnya saat peluncuran Toyota Avanza baru, Presiden Direktur PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) Johnny Darmawan pernah mengatakan bahwa pasar otomotif 2009 masih gelap. Kemudian, ketika memperkenalkan Toyota Hilux D-Cab di Golf Senayan, Jakarta, ia menegaskan sudah tidak gelap, tetapi tetap dengan prediksinya sekitar 400.000 unit total penjualan tahun ini.
Yang cukup mengagetkan, dari mulutnya terlontar kata "Toyota akan agresif tahun ini". Pengertiannya tentu sangat luas, tetapi benang merah dari ungkapan itu adalah berkaitan dengan produk-produk baru yang akan di-launching tahun ini.
Selama 2009, TAM paling sedikit akan menyodorkan tiga produk baru. Salah satunya Lexus yang sudah ditampilkan Kompas.com kemarin. Jika dari sumber dalam TAM menyebutkan satu model, informasi dari luar menyebutkan 4 model.
Model lainnya, sedan hatchback Toyota Yaris. Lagi menurut sumber dari dalam, sedan 1.500 cc ini akan hadir setelah lebih dulu launching di Thailand yang diperkirakan paling cepat Maret mendatang.
Namun, sebagai informasi Yaris 2009 sendiri punya tiga versi. Dua varian hatchback dan satu lagi model empat pintu. Semuanya sama-sama menggunakan mesin berkapasitas 1.500 cc.
Terakhir, Toyota Prius hybrid generasi III yang di Jepang baru diperkenalkan sekitar Mei mendatang. Harganya di atas Rp 200 juta, lebih mahal sedikit dari Honda Insight.




sumber : http://otomotif.kompas.com

Tokyo Motor Show 2009 Dibatalkan?

TOKYO, RABU — Perkiraan bisnis otomotif yang makin memburuk membuat panitia salah satu pameran mobil terbesar di dunia dan menjadi kebanggaan Jepang, Tokyo Motor Show (TMS), untuk penyelenggaraan tahun ini, bingung. Pasalnya, sampai tenggat waktu pendaftaran yang telah ditentukan panitia, ternyata masih banyak perusahaan mobil yang belum memastikan keikutsertaannya.

Hal itu dikemukakan oleh Sekjen Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) Toshihiro Iwatake kemarin yang dikutip berbagai media otomotif. Karena adanya perusahaan mobil yang belum menyatakan keikutsertaannya, panitia pun berpikir untuk membatalkan penyelenggaraan TMS 2009.

Meski begitu, menurut JAMA, semua perusahaan mobil Jerman dan Jepang yang menjadi anggota JAMA telah mendaftar untuk ikut pameran. Adapun pabrikan yang belum mendaftar dan telah melewati tenggat waktu tidak disebutkannya.




sumber : http://otomotif.kompas.com

about SLR Mc Laren

History

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR of 1955, based on the W196 F1 car, yet named after the road-going 300SL Gullwing. On 4 April 2008, Mercedes announced they will cease production of the SLR. The last of the coupes rolled off the production line at the end of 2007 and the roadster version is due to be discontinued in early 2009.

Brakes

The brake discs are carbon-ceramic and provide better stopping power and fade resistance than steel discs when operating under ideal working temperature. Mercedes-Benz claims these discs are fade resistant to 1,200 °C (2,200 °F). The front discs are internally vented and 370 mm (14.6 in) in diameter. 8 piston calipers are used. Rear discs are 360 mm (14.2 in) in diameter with 4 piston calipers. During wet conditions the calipers automatically skim the surface of the discs to keep them dry.

Rear view of the SLR McLaren Roadster

To improve braking performance there is an automatic air brake, when engaged the rear elevation angle of the rear spoiler is set to 65 degrees. The additional rear downforce in addition to the markedly increased aerodynamic drag increases peak deceleration ~25%.

Aerodynamics

The SLR features active aerodynamics; there is a spoiler mounted on the rear integral air brake flap. The spoiler increases downforce depending on its angle of elevation (angle of attack). At speeds above 95 km/h (59 mph) the spoiler/brake automatically raises to 10 degrees (15 in 722 edition), when demanded via the driver's switch, the elevation can be increased to 30 degrees (35 in 722 version) for increased rear downforce, at the cost of increased steady state drag.

Engine

The SLR McLaren sports a hand-built 5.4-litre, supercharged V8 engine.

The SLR sports a 232 kg (171 lb·ft) hand-built 5.4-litre (5,439 cc (332 cu in)), supercharged, all-aluminum, SOHC V8 engine. The cylinders are angled at 90 degrees with three valves per cylinder and lubricated via a dry sump system. The compression ratio is 8.8:1 and the bore and stroke is 97 millimetre (3.82 in) and 92 millimeters (3.62 in), respectively. The Lysholm-type twin-screw supercharger produces 0.9 bar (13 psi) of boost, the turbine rotates at 23000 revolutions per minute, and the air is cooled via two intercoolers. The engine generates a maximum power of 460 kW (617 hp) at 6500 revolutions per minute and a maximum torque of 780 N·m (575 lb·ft) at 3250 revolutions per minute.^[4]
Unlike most of its contemporaries, its engine is front-mid mounted. McLaren took the original concept car designed by Mercedes and moved the engine 1 metre (39.4 in) behind the front bumper, and around 50 centimetres (19.7 in) behind the front axle. They also optimized the design of the center firewall.

Performance

A Mercedes-Benz SLR in motion

The car uses carbon fibre for its entire body construction in an attempt to keep the weight low. Despite CFRP materials the total curb weight is 1,768 kg (3,898 lb). The following tests have proven that the SLR can achieve a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in times less than the claimed 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 334 km/h (208 mph)^[5].
Car and Driver achieved a 0-60 mph (100 km/h) time of 3.6 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 11.6 seconds at 125 mph (201 km/h) C&D suggests the times may be even lower if temperatures were lower. Car and Driver achieved top gear acceleration 30-50 mph and 50-70 mph times of 1.7 and 2.4 seconds, which are the fastest ever recorded by the magazine in a production car. The SLR also pulled 0.97 g on the skidpad.January 2005
Road and Track tested the car in their July 2005 Road Test and reached 60 mph (97 km/h) from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. The 0 - 100 mph (160 km/h) sprint was achieved in 7.5 seconds and a quarter mile run was completed in 11.5 seconds at 126 mph (203 km/h).
In June 2004 the SLR was tested at Nardo and performed the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) exercise in 3.8 seconds, 0-200 km/h (124 mph) in 11.5 seconds and 0-300 km/h (186 mph) in 30.4 seconds.^{[citation needed]} Their 400 meter and kilometer times were 11.5 seconds at 122 mph (196 km/h) and 20.6 seconds at 278 km/h (173 mph) respectively. They also reached its claimed topspeed 334 km/h (208 mph).
Comparison
Despite its near 2-ton weight, the fuel economy is generally better than the lighter Lamborghini Murciélago, and even its lighter, less expensive, less powerful sibling, Gallardo.^[6] Still, on the Episode 1 from Season 11 of BBC car show Top Gear the Lamborghini Murciélago performed better than the SLR during a race on the track. Also, the same show put the SLR and the Porsche Carrera GT on its track, and after multiple attempts, the Porsche beat the SLR-McLaren by just over a second (1:19.8 vs. 1:20.9^[7]). However, on a separate race around their short track, the SLR was fractionally quicker than the Carrera GT. In a straight line, the SLR is quicker throughout the range.

Variants

722 Edition

The Mercedes-Benz 722 Edition features some upgraded styling.

A new version was introduced in 2006 called the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition. The "722" refers to the victory by Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating a start time of 7:22 a.m.) at the Mille Miglia in 1955.
The "722 Edition" boosts power to 650 PS (478 kW; 641 hp) and 820 N·m (605 lb·ft) of torque at 4000 rpm, posting a top speed of 337 km/h (209 mph) (just 3 km/h faster than the standard SLR). 19-inch light-alloy wheels were used to reduce unsprung weight, while modifications were also made to the suspension, with a stiffer damper setup and 10 mm (0.4 in) lower ride height introduced for improved handling. Larger 390 mm (15.4 in) diameter front brakes and a revised front air dam and rear diffuser were fitted.^[8]
Exterior changes, other than the larger 19-inch (480 mm) black light-alloy wheels, include red "722" badging, hearkening back to the original 722 racer.
The SLR 722 can go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) km/h in 3.6 seconds, 200 km/h (124 mph) in 10.2 seconds and 300 km/h (186 mph) in 21.4 seconds and can reach a top speed of 337 km/h (209 mph).

Roadster

2008 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren roadster

A roadster version of the SLR went on sale in September 2007 for £350,000 ($711,065 U.S.). It uses the same supercharged V8 AMG power plant as its coupé siblings, developing 626 PS (460 kW; 617 hp), to propel it to a top speed of 332 km/h (206 mph) and enable 0-100 km/h dash time of 3.8 seconds.^[9] However, being a convertible the roadster will have to be burdened with extra weight and this will affect performance and handling. The Roadster's roof, however, is made from a "newly developed material" and hence will not take the form of a folding metal arrangement, as is now common on many modern cars. Following a manual unlatching, it takes a mere 10 seconds to fold away electrically. According to an official document from Mercedes, the cabin of the roadster is capable of allowing conversation between driver and passenger up to a speed of 124 mph (200 km/h) with the roof retracted. It is unsure if McLaren will release another version of the roadster like it did with the SLR 722 version. This roadster is aimed to compete against other sports cars such as the Pagani Zonda F Roadster.^[10]

722 GT

One of 21 SLR 722 GTs at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The 722 GT is a tuned version of the SLR 722 which is developed for a one-make racing series. The cars are built by Ray Mallock Ltd. with approval from Mercedes-Benz. The car features new wider bodywork to accommodate 19 inch OZ racing wheels. The front grill vents are removed and larger, free flowing air extractors sit on the hood and flank the side of the car. The rear now has a racing wing and diffuser.
Under the body, the car has shed 398 kg and reduced its dry weight to 1,300 kg (2,866 lb) . The engine remains in relatively stock specification but now produces 680 PS (500 kW; 671 hp) and 830 N·m (612 lb·ft) at 1.75 bar (175 kPa) boost. Inside, the car is stripped out with only the essential functions being controlled from a carbon fiber binnacle. New carbon fiber door panels and full roll cage complete the transformation.
Renntech announced 21 SLR McLaren 722 GT would be available to the North American market exclusively through RENNtech, for €795,000 (1.2 million USD).^[11]

Stirling Moss

To conclude its collaboration with McLaren, Mercedes Benz released a speedster edition of the SLR, named SLR Stirling Moss, with production from July to December 2009. Inspired by the legendary 300 SLR, the Stirling Moss will have gullwing doors, no roof and no windows. The car will be approximately 200 kg (440 lb) lighter than the regular model. The top speed is higher than the standard car at 217 mph and will go from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. The production run is limited to 75 pieces.<sup>[12]


sumber: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SLR_McLaren</sup>