2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

Tesla Motors has announced production of the right-hand-drive version of its iconic Tesla Roadster sports car, the only highway-capable electric vehicle for sale worldwide. The 2010 Tesla Roadster UK-Version includes a suite of unique noise-reduction materials.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

Prospective customers and media may test-drive right-hand-drive cars available at Tesla's showroom, 49-51 Cheval Place in London's Knightsbridge district (SW7 1EW). The 2010 Tesla Roadster UK-Version includes a suite of unique noise-reduction materials, an upgraded sound system and other enhancements that make it ideal for daily commuting or weekend drives.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than virtually any other car on the road, making it the only production car faster than a Porsche and twice as energy efficient as a Prius. It is quickly becoming the choice amongst discerning drivers who demand performance with a clean conscience.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster easily travels more than 200 miles per charge in mixed driving conditions, consumes no petroleum and plugs into conventional 220-volt sockets throughout Europe. It can be fully or partially recharged by solar or wind power. A customer's Tesla Roadster recently set a world distance record for EVs with 313 miles on a single charge.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

"The right-hand-drive model is our response to growing demand from high-performance car buyers in the UK who are also interested in their impact on the environment," said Cristiano Carlutti, Tesla's Vice President for European Sales and Operations. "Tesla is dramatically expanding its retail footprint in Europe, we look forward to building our community of owners and fans throughout the continent."

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

UK companies that purchase a Tesla Roadster benefit from a 100 percent Writing Down Allowance, meaning they can deduct the price of the car from their taxable profits. The Tesla Roadster is the only sports car that has ever qualified for a such a tax incentive in the UK.

2010 Tesla Roadster Sports Car UK-Version Electric Vehicle

The Tesla Roadster starts at £86,950 and costs about 1.5p per mile, compared to as much as 32p per mile for petro-powered sports cars. Tesla Roadster drivers are do not have to pay the London congestion charge, saving up to nearly £1,700 annually. They can park for free and without time limits in various London boroughs, they get four hours of free charging at certain parking sites, and they are exempt from the forthcoming Showroom Tax of £950.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise With Valvematic System Plus Combined dual VVT-i

Making its debut at the 80th International Geneva Motorshow, the 2011 model year Lotus Elise introduces a number of changes and improvements to maintain its class leading position. The Lotus Elise revolutionised the sportscar market 14 years ago when the small lightweight agile 2-seat mid engine sportscar was introduced. By ensuring that the Lotus Elise stuck rigidly to Lotus' core values of performance through light weight, the Lotus Elise was able to produce supercar performance with city car economy.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

The body of the new 2011 Lotus Elise is an evolution of the iconic Elise design, retaining the character and style, while offering a more planted, purposeful stance and a pure, contemporary look that links it to the Evora. As with all Lotus product the design is an exciting blend of dramatic style and functional efficiency. At the rear of the car the new engine has been encased by a distinctive "twin-spine" engine cover whilst lower down a more aggressive diffuser is tightly wrapped by an elegant new bumper design that now includes the rear licence plate.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

New headlamp units with distinctively sculptured LED lighting guides (incorporating daytime running lamps and direction indicators) give a contemporary twist to this classic design. Elsewhere, the signature, Lotus "mouth" and familiar sculptured forms have been sensitively refined to give a crisper, more dynamic look.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

The rear boot is now opened from the cockpit rather than via a separate key operation. The high quality feel of the Lotus Elise is continued throughout the car with the Lotus Elise graphic incorporated into the new side LED direction indicators, like those on the Evora. The driving position, from the perfectly positioned pedals and steering wheel, to the comfortable and supportive seats with ProBax technology means that, like all Lotus cars, the driver becomes part of the car rather than being just a passenger. With the sleek new body the aerodynamics have improved giving a reduction in the coefficient of drag of 4%.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

The Lotus Elise introduces the new 1598 cm3, 1ZR-FAE engine, provided by Toyota. The key to this engine's performance and efficiency is the Valvematic system (a variable valve lift mechanism), which is combined with the dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent). The engine continuously controls intake valve opening/closing timing and the intake valve lift to vary the volume of the intake airflow, giving significant improvements in efficiency and fuel economy. This ensures optimal performance based on the engines operational condition, thus helping the Lotus Elise achieve both high fuel efficiency and high performance.

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

First of all, the maximum power output is achieved at near maximum revs (engine speed) of 6800 rpm and maximum torque (a respectable 160 Nm, 118 lb.ft) is reached at 4400 rpm. This gives a good combination of mid range pull but also encourages the driver to rev the engine to the maximum permitted engine speed of 7000 rpm (transient rev limit). Like all Lotus Elise sportscars, there are three shift up lights, on the binnacle cumulatively lighting when the driver is getting closer to the rev limiter and when all three are illuminated, they flash to indicate that the driver is almost on the rev limiter so time to change up a gear! New cast wheels have been designed specifically for the Lotus Elise and the new optional forged wheels weigh just 29.26 kg per set, 2.14 kg lighter than a set of lightweight cast versions. Both are available in silver or black colour.

Andreas Prillmann, Chief Commercial Officer for Lotus Cars said, "In its 14 years of production the Lotus Elise has accounted for 32% of all the 61 years of Lotus production, illustrating how significant to the brand and well loved it is. The 2011 Lotus Elise is greener, purer and more desirable, making it even more relevant to today's marketplace. The new Elise underlines Lotus' reputation as one of the most innovative sports car manufacturers in the world."

2011 Lotus Sport Cars Elise

The height of the engine cover has been raised by 34mm to accommodate the taller 1ZR engine compared to the previous 1ZZ engine from the outgoing model due, in part, to the additional Valvematic technology included on the new engine. This has given Lotus engineers an opportunity to subtly redesign the rear engine cover to match the design theme from the front and rear of the car.

The legendary Lotus ride and handling gives a superb high performance, sporty drive, combined with a compliant ride and progressive on limit handling, it makes the Lotus Elise a car that demands to be driven.

The entry level Lotus Elise weighs 876 kg, making it one of the lightest fully homologated sportscars in the world. This low weight translates into efficient performance with minimal environmental impact in terms of emissions and fuel consumption. The efficiency of the Lotus Elise structure means that the 136 PS (100 kW, 134 hp) delivers phenomenal performance.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept combination with the very powerful Plug-in Hybrid drive system

Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept is showing the future of premium automobiles from a new perspective, as the five-seat premium sedan combines highly efficient drive technologies with unparalleled safety and convenience features and an emotive design idiom, which interprets current Mercedes-Benz styling in line with the brand's hallmark attribute of refined performance. The F800 Style has a spacious interior full of intelligent seating, operating, and display concepts. Another unique feature of the large sedan is an all-new multi drive platform, which accommodates electric drives with fuel cells (enabling ranges of almost 375 miles) as well as the use of Plug-in Hybrids that can drive for up to 18 miles solely on electricity. Both variants of the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept therefore make locally emission-free mobility possible at the level of a premium-class automobile, while at the same time being fully suited for everyday driving and providing a dynamic driving experience.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

Within the 15.5-foot external length of the Mercedes F800 Style Concept, all of the components of the vehicle's efficient and environmentally compatible alternative drives (Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell drive system) are installed in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment and the gaps within the chassis. Each of the drive systems takes up comparatively little space for the installation. This applies in particular to the electric drive with fuel cell, which has been enhanced by Mercedes-Benz to be compact and powerful. The front end's compact package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all F-CELL components. As a result, the entire interior space is preserved and offers plenty of room for five occupants.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

In combination with the very powerful Plug-in Hybrid drive system, the Mercedes F800 Style Concept is a very dynamic expression of the concept of "fascination and responsibility." Its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of 300 hp with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output 109 hp so that it delivers a total power of around 409 hp. The lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of >10 kWh can be recharged either at a charging station or a household power socket. Thanks to its powerful and high-torque hybrid module, in the city the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept can run exclusively on electricity, therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it also has high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine even when operating in electric mode. The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept with the Plug-in Hybrid can run purely on electricity for up to 18 miles. The F800 Style research vehicle therefore marks a further important step in the creation of a market-ready Plug-in Hybrid. Mercedes-Benz will begin series production of the S500 Plug-in Hybrid with the introduction of the next-generation S-Class.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

Due to its efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode, the vehicle has a certified fuel consumption of only 2.9 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. This corresponds to extremely low CO2 emissions of only 68 grams per kilometer. However, thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless has a driving performance comparable to a sports car (0-60 mph 4.7 s, top speed of 155 mph). When in electric mode, the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept has a top speed of 75 mph, thus meeting the needs associated with long-distance driving.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

The electric drive components in the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept with the Plug-in Hybrid once again demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz' extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the area of application. On this basis, it is possible to combine hybrid modules and batteries of different performance ratings with fuel-efficient, high-torque gasoline and diesel engines. Examples range from the current mild hybrids all the way to Plug-in Hybrids that enable pure electric driving over long distances. In developing the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers specifically focused on improving the pure electric driving in urban traffic. Thanks to high power reserves, the F800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city traffic while producing no local emissions. With the new hybrid module, the top speed of the Mercedes F800 Style Concept with Plug-in Hybrid has been increased to 75 mph in electric mode compared to the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid. At the same time, it emits only 68 grams of CO2 per kilometer, compared to the latter vehicle's 74 grams per kilometer.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

The F800 Style also offers clean driving pleasure in the variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell technology. The vehicle's electric motor develops around 136 hp as well as a strong torque of approximately 214 lb-ft. The fuel cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen with oxygen onboard the vehicle, producing water vapor in the process as the only emission.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

The new cam touchpad HMI is an intelligent expansion of the COMAND system. For many years now, Mercedes-Benz has been forging ahead with the development of innovative operating and display systems. A particularly user-friendly innovation is being presented in the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept. The HMI unit here consists of a touchpad on the center console and a camera that records video images of the user's hand as it works the pad. The live image of the hand is presented in transparent form in the central display above the console. The user sees the contours of his or her fingers glide across the image without covering anything, thus ensuring that all of the functions of the currently used menu remain visible so that they can be easily operated by applying slight pressure to the touchpad. Pressing the display with one's fingers generates a feeling similar to that of touching laptop keys so that users know when they are carrying out specific actions.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

Another very user-friendly innovation created by the Mercedes engineers is the "Range on Map" function, which shows the remaining possible travel radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° depiction on a map. Should municipalities only permit purely electric automobile traffic in the future, the driver can determine whether the electric range of his or her vehicle is sufficient for the journey into and out of the urban area by means of the Range on Map function. The system provides this function by combining information on the current battery charge level with data from the navigation system.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world's first proximity and speed control system that operates even when the car is standing still. The system substantially reduces the stress for drivers in dense traffic, as it regulates the distance from the vehicle in front even at very low speeds all the way down to a standstill. With its new DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant feature in the F800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has also become the world's first automaker to implement a system that is also capable of automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. The system recognizes the difference between driving along curving roads and turning, which means it does not "blindly" follow the vehicle up in front — for example, when it changes lanes in order to exit the highway.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

While the Traffic Jam Assistant heightens comfort and active safety, the innovative protective system known as PRE-SAFE 360° further improves passive safety. PRE-SAFE 360° is based on the proactive occupant protection system PRE SAFE® developed by Mercedes-Benz. Unlike the previous system, PRE-SAFE 360° also monitors the area behind the vehicle. As a result, the system engages the brakes around 600 milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision occurs.

2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept

The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept is both a technology platform and a showcar. This research vehicle was created through close cooperation between technical research and advanced engineering departments and the advanced design studios in Sindelfingen, Germany and Como, Italy. Its exterior appearance is marked by a long wheelbase, short body overhangs, and a sensually flowing roof line.