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TRW designs roof-mounted airbag

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology

roof-mounted airbag Is your steering wheel looking a little fat? There are a number of reasons why steering wheels have beefed up over the years, but one of the biggest reasons is because of airbags. Inflatable restraint system manufacturer TRW is looking at ways to change that, and it may have a whole new type of airbag ready to go.

Rather than having the airbag deploy from behind the steering wheel, TRW has created a system in which the airbag comes down from the roof. This opens up a whole new world of automotive design when it comes to the interior space directly in front of the driver and passenger. Dashboards and steering wheels could become far more interesting than they are now.

You would expect a system like this to be far off, but TRW has been working closely with an un-named European automaker. Said automaker has just awarded TRW a production contract, which means roof-mounted airbags could arrive sooner than you think.

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TRW designs roof-mounted airbag originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, Racing

Audi R18 LMP1

Audi R18 LMP1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Right on schedule, Audi has pulled the sheets off its next-generation Le Mans prototype. As had been rumored before the unveil, the R18 has abandoned the open-top design of its forefathers – the R8, R10 and R15 Plus – for a closed canopy to improve aerodynamics and reduce driver fatigue. The company hasn’t worked with a clamshell since 1999, and we’re guessing is has more than a little to do with Peugeot’s 2009 Le Mans win. That victory is the only wrinkle in the Audi’s domination of the world’s most difficult motorsports race, and it’s no small coincidence that work on the R18 began in mid 2009.

The R18 gets its grunt from a 3.7-liter TDI V6 engine, and while Audi isn’t saying exactly how much horsepower or torque the oil-burner produces, we have to guess that the figures are nothing to sneeze at. Behind the engine is a new six-speed transmission, though the innovations aren’t simply chained to the drivetrain. Audi used a single-piece construction carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight down and increase stiffness, and those epic all-LED headlights are the first make their way to Le Mans.

While Audi is planning to campaign a total of three R18 racers at the 2011 Le Mans race this summer, the vehicle’s first appearance will be at the six hours of Spa on April 24. Click past the jump to see the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18 LMP1

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs

Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru teases JDM-only Impreza WRX STI tS with carbon fiber roof

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Etc., Japan, Subaru

Subaru Impreza WRX STI tS

Our Japanese may be a bit rusty, but our eyes work just fine. So it was hard to miss this teaser image for an upcoming version of the Subaru Impreza WRX STI tS sporting a carbon fiber roof. When we click to the English-language portion of the site the image and information disappears, so we don’t know what else to make of this STI tS and its lighter chapeau.

For the non-Subaru aficionados reading along, tS stands for “Tuned by STI” and we last saw the crew at Subaru Tecnica International apply wrenches to the Legacy. The resulting Legacy B4 2.5GT tS had us drooling and we expect the WRX STI tS to have a similar affect on our salivary glands.

[Source: Subaru]

Subaru teases JDM-only Impreza WRX STI tS with carbon fiber roof originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG spied sans roof

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

A much more polished version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG roadster has been spied, and although the gullwing doors and exploding bolts are compelling features of the hardtop, the shapely SLS looks good without them. The 200-mph convertible will use the same kind of roof last seen on the McLaren SLR Roadster, that being canvas-wrapped aluminum ribs eith electrical operation.

So far, there’s been no mention of anything other big changes slated for the droptop SLS, meaning we should see the final product debut sometime next year (Frankfurt Auto Show, perhaps?). The folks at AutoExpress report that the SLS roadster will cost somewhere in the area of £180,000 ($284,851 USD), a price just as eye-popping as the car itself.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Spy Shots: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG spied sans roof originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ruf drops the roof on 911 Targa-inspired Roadster

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Porsche

Ruf Roadster – Click above for image gallery

In the market for a 911? Lord knows Porsche has more than enough variants to choose from. And a fair few of them – like the Sport Classic and the Speedster – draw their inspiration from 911s of yore. But if those aren’t to your liking, venerable tuning house Ruf has a new option at your disposal.

Ruf calls it a Roadster, but it takes its cues (as well as its form) from the original 1967 Porsche 911 Targa. The Ruf Roadster features a solid roll bar that offers the structural rigidity of a coupe with a variety of configurations for open-air driving. Because the roof panels and rear window can be removed separately, the Roadster can be driven with the roof open and the rear closed, the rear open and the roof closed, or completely open or closed. You could even take one of the split roof panels off to let the sun shine in on the driver while keeping the front-seat passenger sheltered.

Buyers can choose from naturally aspirated (400-horsepower) or turbocharged (560hp) engines, with prices starting at €195,000 (approximately $275k at today’s conversion rates). Hey, nobody said flexibility came cheap.

Gallery: Ruf Roadster

[Source: PistonHeads]

Ruf drops the roof on 911 Targa-inspired Roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2014 Lotus Elite loses its roof

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Lotus, Design/Style, Luxury

Lotus Elite with roof down

2014 Lotus Elite goes topless – Click above to watch video after the jump

Lotus made quite a splash at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The automaker grabbed the spotlight by showing off five new concept vehicles. One of the proposed cars is the Lotus Elite, a 2+2 grand tourer powered by a 611-horsepower, supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Lexus IS-F. One surprising detail for this Lotus is its weight. The Elite tips the scales at 3,600 pounds, which is a mammoth sum for anything carrying the company badge. The reason for much of that extra weight may lie in the roof, as the Elite is fitted with a retractable folding hard-top.

Losing the roof creates a whole new perspective for both the driver and people gawking at the car as it passes by. The dramatic lines get a visual boost with the top stowed, since the eye has fewer places to wander. The result is an attractive grand touring car that aims to rival similar offerings from the likes of Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin, even if it is a heavyweight by Colin Chapman’s standards.

You can let some virtual wind blow through your hair by watching a new Lotus Elite video clip posted after the jump.

Gallery: Lotus Elite Concept

Lotus Elite concept