Fast-Autos supercar news

Fast-Autos News

BMW M3 V-8

There have been rumors that the new M3 would get a V-8 engine, and some people pointed to the 4.4 liter mill used in the big Beemers. Now we know. The M3 will look slicker than we have seen from BMW from some time, and it looks as if the Bangle Bungles of the current series have finally been ended.

To saved weight, the roof is reinforced carbon fiber, like the M6, and the car has a lot more in common with the M6 than you might think – except looks. You see, the V-8 is essentially the V-10 of the M5 and M6 – you may remember that the V-10 is unusual in have a 90 degree angle between the banks. 90 degrees is what you need for V-8s.

The new V-8 is very compact, like the V-10, and is actually lighter than the in-line six used in the current M3 – the new engine weighs 445 lb (202 kg) 83 lb (38 kg) less than the six. That is a lot. The new V-8, which develops 420hp at 8,300rpm and 400Nm of torque at 3,900rpm, is also a good deal shorter than the in-line six. Should make the new M3 a real stunner, and worth waiting for.

Efficiency is enhanced by the use of regenerative braking – when you are braking the alternator charges a special battery, saving energy. A real stunner, capable of getting to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. We'll be doing more on the M3 soon.

Slick Nissan Coupe -

Has Nissan got the Infiniti coupe right with the Infiniti G37 Coupe, which is getting near a sports car in performance? They have certainly tried hard, enlarging the 3.5 liter V-6 from the 350Z to 3.7 liters, and pushing power up to 330 bhp. Also, the car looks pretty slick.

Nissan styling has always been lacklustre – with a few notable exceptions such as the 350 Z – but this is all changing now, and the G37 certainly looks the part, but retains a grille that is similar to other Infiniti models – Nissan has decided that if the Europeans retain their grilles as good trade marks, so there's should do the same trick for Infiniti.

Overall, the G37 is a pretty slick looking job, but leaning towards the cruiser rather that the sports car in its lines, but pleasing nonetheless. It has double wishbone suspension and four-wheel steering.

--and just as slick Hyundai coupe

The one fly in the ointment from Nissan's styling is that at first glance the Hyundai concept coupe, due for production soon looks very similar to the Infiniti G37. Is it a copy? Not likely, as it takes too long to produce a model, but no doubt the Hyundai engineers were inspired by the Infiniti style.

The big difference is that the Hyundai Genesis is a four-door coupe – four-door coupes that like two-door coupes are definitely going to be the big news in the next couple of years. Jaguar started it with the C-XF, now comes Hyundai. There will be more.

The Hyundai has the right specification, with double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, speed-sensitive steering and a V-8 coupled to the ZF six-speed automatic. The 4.6 liter engine is about right for the US market, and is said to develop more than 300 bhp.

Weight distribution is said to be 53 per cent front and 47 per cent rear, which is pretty good for a sedan of this size, but Hyundai's new range could be hot.

Caparo gets bigger V-8

The long-awaited Caparo T1, which is set to chance the face of the exotic car world, will now get a naturally aspirated 3.5 liter V-8 instead of the supercharged 2.4 liter V-8. Why? Well, there are plenty of 3.5 liter designs to base a new engine on, thanks to the various single-seater racing classes that are now thriving.

Also, a naturally aspirated engine produces less torque than a supercharged one, so the gearbox, final-drive and drive shafts can all be smaller, reducing weight. The new engine will deliver 500 bhp, the same as the original concept, and will not increase weight.

The change of engine is one reason for the delay in production, which should start very soon. Another reason is the desire of the owners of the company to gain publicity to promote the main business of supplying high-tech materials and components to the auto industry.