Mazda MX-5, 1998

 

 

 

 

 

Mazda MX-5, 1998

The Compact Size and Light Weight
Compact size and light weight are the most important elements in the creation of a car recognized for its superb performance, dynamics, efficiency and driving enjoyment. Therefore, rigid discipline was applied to the car's configuration, outer dimensions and mass.

The new MX-5 is outwardly little changed from the original car, measuring 3,975 mm long, 1,680 mm wide and 1,225 mm high on the same 2,265-mm wheelbase.

The interior most aptly deserves the description "cockpit," as it has just the right amount of snugness to impart a feeling of "Oneness."
The MX-5 adheres to a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration with the engine mounted "front-midships" for an ideal weight distribution of 50/50, a low centre of gravity, and greatly reduced yaw moment.

A double wishbone suspension - the ideal design for a sports car - and the "Power Plant Frame" that unites the power unit with the final drive unit are inherited from the predecessor.

The Design
The exterior continues the unique design instantly recognisable as the Mazda MX-5. This visual feast attracts attention to the styling from every angle, offering views that are pleasant and lasting. While fixed headlights are newly incorporated, the car's overall styling emphasises the flowing quality of the design, including such elements as subtle blisters on the fenders. The interior provides just the right amount of the snugness to create a pleasing level of comfort; it also offers a sensual appeal, striking a chord with one's senses of vision, hearing, and touch. A T-shaped instrument panel is adopted for its excellent functionality.

The Improved Comfort and Convenience
A "Wind-blocker" (standard on the 1.8-litre model) reduces cockpit turbulence when driving with the top down.
Both the luggage and glove compartments have been increased in size, and new storage features such as instrument panel pockets have been added.

Powertrain
The 1.8-litre DOHC and the 1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engines are available in the new Mazda MX-5. Output and torque for both engines have been improved through enhancements to the intake and exhaust systems, resulting in smooth engine rewing from low to high speeds and responsive acceleration. Features such as a straight intake port, a variable-inertia exhaust system (1.8-litre) and a dual exhaust manifold are incorporated. The engine has been "tuned" for more pleasing sounds and a Torsen-type limited-slip differential is standard on the 1 .8litre model.

Chassis
The front and rear double wishbone suspension system has been further refined, enhancing the car's stability while providing a fundamental advance in driving pleasure. In particular, it has been tuned for better handling precision as well as enhanced stability and confidence when driving at high speeds. The resulting linear response and road-hugging performance provide a significant improvement in cornering capabilities. These improvements are realised with modified front suspension geometry, longer wheel travel at the rear, modified mounting configuration for the coil springs and dampers and numerous other design changes. For quicker more responsive handling, steering lock-to-Iock is just 2.6 turns.

Body
Mazda's Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System provides the MX-5 with enhanced rigidity and safety. By making the body structure more rigid, torsion and vibration caused by external forces are reduced for better handling stability. As a result of a variety of modifications, such as additional reinforcements at precisely the locations where they are most effective, body rigidity has been increased with only a minimal increase in weight. As before, an aluminium bonnet reduces mass up front, further enhancing the MX-5's retuned suspension and steering.

Active Safety Features
Superb handling performance, which makes the driver feel at one with the car, is the basis for the MX-5's active safety features. The excellent field of vision and the easier-to-operate arrangement of switches on the dash also help to enhance driving pleasure.

Passive Safety Features
The new MX-5 also incorporate safety features such as a highly rigid body structure, safety belts with a direct-clamp mechanism and pretensioners and dual SRS airbags.

Jaguar XK180 Concept, 1998

Jaguar XK180 Concept, 1998

Jaguar North America unveiled the second edition of the XK180 roadster concept at the 1998 North American International Auto Show. This fully operational prototype is a further-developed version of the original XK180 concept car, which debuted at last fall's Paris Motor Show.

Like the first XK180, this vehicle is a product of Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), hand-built in the SVO shops at Browns Lane in Coventry, England. The second-edition car is better adapted for American driving conditions with left hand drive, and it embodies a number of detail changes, including a new wheel design, a revised shade for the exterior color, a switch in the hue of the interior leather and subtle modifications to feature lines on the lower body section.
Created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the XK series sports cars, the XK180 design draws inspiration from some of the most successful production and competition cars of Jaguar's history.

The performance standards set at the XK's introduction will be celebrated by the XK180, too. Just as the XK120 proved itself worthy of the numerical designation a half century ago with a 126.448 mph run at Jabbeke, Belgium.

While the building of a second XK180 offered SVO an opportunity to incorporate a number of alterations, the performance attributes are unchanged in this version. The engine is a supercharged and intercooled variant of the AJ-V8, modified to achieve an output of 450 horsepower. The five-speed automatic transmission incorporates a Jaguar-engineered selector system which enables gear changes using pushbuttons located on the steering wheel. A Brembo braking system featuring aluminum four-piston calipers and cross-drilled, ventilated rotors provides commensurate stopping power. The 20-inch diameter wheels are fitted with ultra low profile Pirelli Pzero tires.

To create the XK180, the SVO group disassembled a production XKR (an XK8 with the 370-horsepower supercharged AJ-V8) and shortened the chassis by five inches. The aluminum exterior body panels were formed at Abbey Panels in Coventry, working to drawings by Keith Helfet, a senior designer in the Jaguar Styling Department.

Rinspeed E-Go Rocket Concept, 1998

Rinspeed E-Go Rocket Concept, 1998

 

 

As many times before the Rinspeed Design company, led by Frank M. Rinderknecht, has come up with something very special: the small Swiss automobile specialist has created a vehicle that blends traditional beauty and forward-looking technology in a most impressive way - the Rinspeed E-Go Rocket. Inspired by one of the world famous record setting cars on the salt flats and developed in only six months time, his company's contribution to the Geneva "Salon de l'Auto", is an eye-catcher that could well generate active discussion among the visitors.

The high-performance tires come from Continental, which are mounted on specially developed wheels supplied by Antera. Running-gear technology comes from the Eibach company, which not only works for the leading international motor-sport teams but also for the McLaren Formula 1 Racing Team. For the Rinspeed E-Go Rocket, Eibach is exhibiting in Geneva competition shock absorbers with four-position adjustment which it has itself developed. The Remus company has produced an optimized-flow exhaust system for the Rinspeed E-Go Rocket. The Swiss company Rieter Automotive Systems supplied the finest of all carpets for the interior, the acoustic foams and the heat-shields. The vehicle was built by TLC Carossiers Inc. in Florida and transported by the air-freight specialist Lufthansa Cargo to Europe. Burg Design created stunning interior and exterior elements by the use of a special high-tech process. Audio entertainment and flawless route planning are taken care of by a hi-fi radio and CD system and the first-class navigation equipment from Philips Car Systems. The custom luggage bag was made by the Swiss travel goods company De'Shama.

Frank M. Rinderknecht utilized the very latest techniques in his development work. The vehicle was drafted out by computerized (CAD/CAM) methods. Changes are scarcely ever needed when the full-scale model is made. As Rinderknecht explains: "Using CAD/CAM, we obtain unsurpassed processing quality and also an unbeatable development speed."

Under the wide engine cover, the supercharged aluminum-block V8 engine has a rated output of 410 horsepower. This compact and centrally located power-pack accelerates the single-seater to 100 km/h from a standstill in just 4.8 seconds (and on to a top speed of 260 km/h). The Rinspeed E-Go Rocket's composite body gives it outstanding strength and rigidity, but at the same time keeps its weight down to 1'050 kilograms. The inclination of the windshield is adjustable to the speed driven. The interior presents itself also in a new way: The seat is covered in washed blue denim. The 18-inch wheels are shod with 235/50 and 255/45 tires.

The Rinspeed E-Go Rocket, Frank M. Rinderknecht's latest automobile creation as its precessor the Rinspeed Mono Ego, is equally notable for the fact that it is a fully road-going car that complies with valid European Union legislation. "We wanted to build an exclusive car, but one that could be taken out on the roads as well as acting as a pilot project at exhibitions." With these words, Rinderknecht emphasizes the ambitious objectives he put into effect when designing and building the Rinspeed E-Go Rocket. The price of Rinspeed's latest avant-garde creation, to be built only on order, has not yet been determined.