We tend to be a fairly conservative lot, us British drivers. We don’t like to stick out from the crowd too much in case we’re thought of as crass or vulgar. The most popular color to buy a car in has long been silver, but one U.K. company is now offering a variation on that them. Chrome is the new silver, with shiny body panels apparently set to be the next big thing.
MirraChrome is claimed to be the world’s most realistic chrome-effect paint finish, with 98 percent of the reflectivity of true chrome-plating. It’s the stuff was used on a Lamborghini Murcielago in the recent video by rapper 50 Cent.
“There’s plenty of interest in chrome, candy colours and other custom finishes, what with the TV shows [such as Pimp My Ride] and general interest in radical Sixties and Seventies automotive paintwork,” said Ray Penny. He’s manager of the Autopaint centre in Birmingham, England that’s now offering the shiny finish for the first time.
I’m not sure how you’d define “plenty of interest” but I’m not holding my breath until I see a MirraChrome car.—Richard Yarrow
After being denied the love from Nissan’s tuner NISMO division, a NISMO 350Z will go on sale this July as a 2007 model.
Fewer than 2000 units are expected to be sold during the 2007 and 2008 model year run. Pricing, while not set, will retain Nissan’s value proposition of performance for less. Insiders say an under $39,000 sticker is under consideration, and maybe even under $38,000 is possible. The primary competition would appear to be the Porsche Boxster or Cayman.
An aggressive body package with revised fascias, spoilers, skirts and an under car diffuser and rear wing are the most visible changes. The aerodynamic tweaks result in negative lift at speed, according to Nissan. Underneath the car has been tuned for handling with a revised independent suspension and Brembo brakes with four-piston front and two piston rear calipers. Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, 245/40WR18 front, and 265/35WR19 with forged alloy wheels complete the package. Additional body welds and special dampers mounted in the front radiator support and trunk to damp vibration and lesson interior noise caused by the tuning.
Power form the 3-5-liter V-6 is unchanged from the Z—306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. – Ken Zino
Smart is bringing its two-seat city cars to the U.S. via UnitedAutoGroup. And in Europe, all sorts of special-edition smarts are offered - like the BRABUS twins coming to the Geneva show in a couple of weeks.
But what will the U.S. smart fortwo look like? We can't imagine a pricetag of less than $25,000 for the runabout, pitching it directly against the more satisfying MINI. Just to get attention and traction in the showrooms, we figure the smart will have to be configured like the Xclusive edition bowing at Geneva - with standard side airbags, monochrome paint, and a 98-hp three-cylinder engine.
Of course, the recent Chrysler-GM talks could throw a big kink into the works. The Mercedes Group has control of the smart situation, but who's to guess what else they may throw out if Chrysler gets cast off? Come back for our Geneva coverage and we'll try to answer some of those questions.
Geneva's annual motor show draws design concepts and (mostly) European production cars to the city's crowded, formerly smokey Palexpo hall. This time around, tuner TechArt is bringing an outrageous 630-horsepower version of the 911 Turbo. Dubbed the GTStreet, the modified Porsche will rush to 62 mph in about 3.2 seconds, TechArt predicts.
We'll bring you more on TechArt and the rest of the tuner world from Geneva starting March 4.
While we breathlessly await the Geneva Motor Show in two weeks, we'll keep scanning the YouTube airwaves for more videos like this one of the Rinspeed eXasis. The eXasis sports a transparent plastic body that Rinspeed likens to a 3-D effect. The plastic is tinted yellow, from its windshield down to its floorpan. The body has elements of classic racers, like a cigar-shaped body and fore-and-aft seating, along with open wheels.
The eXasis sports a supercharged 150-hp, two-cylinder engine that runs on bioethanol. And since it weighs about 1650 pounds, Rinspeed says the concept could have Porsche-like acceleration.
Ride along in the latest creation from the makers of the Splash concept:
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Marty Padgett June 11th, 2007
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