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Monday, May 16, 2022

A new café racer-styled Honda Hawk 11 revealed

BIG BIKE As if not wanting to be outdone by other motorcycle manufacturers, the Japanese manufacturer Honda Motor Company has again innovated in motorcycle production. Turn out, the Japanese motor company has been released its newest café racer-styled motorcycle for the first time at the 2022 Osaka Motorcycle Show event recently..
Honda Motor Company has been released its newest café racer-styled motorcycle named Honda Hawk 11 for the first time at the 2022 Osaka Motorcycle Show. (Picture from: Kumparan)
The motorcycle in question is the Honda Hawk 11 which was seen on display in the Japanese motorcycle maker's stand at the Osaka Motorcycle Show and received so much attention, but unfortunately at the time the Honda's motorbike detailed specifications were still not explained by those Japanese company.

But, now the Honda Hawk 11 specifications are starting to be revealed. As quoted of Motorcycle, the Honda café racer-styled motorcycle is known to be powered by an engine that looks similar to the 1,084 cc engine used in the Honda Africa Twin and Rebel 1100.
The Honda Hawk 11 accentuates a retro impression with the use of a half fairing rocket cowl that is often found on café racer motorbikes, complete with a round headlamp that has adopted LED technology. (Picture from: Kumparan)
And for the Honda Hawk 11, it uses a 4-stroke, 2-cylinder inline, OHC (Unicam) liquid-cooled engine, with a capacity of 1,082 cc. Those kind of engine has a bore size of 92.0 mm x stroke 81.4 mm for each cylinder, while the transmission system uses a 6-speed manual transmission.

Furthermore, the Honda Hawk 11's engine is claimed capable churn out a maximum power of up to 100 hp at 7,500 rpm and 103 Nm of torque at 6,250 rpm. That engine capability is not much different from the Honda CRF110L Africa Twin's engine which is capable of producing a maximum power of 101 hp at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 105 Nm at 6,000 rpm.
The Honda Hawk 11 is powered by a 4-stroke, 2-cylinder inline, OHC (Unicam) liquid-cooled engine, with a capacity of 1,082 cc. (Picture from: Kumparan)
In addition to equipt with a such fairly fierce engine, the Honda Hawk 11 is also equipped with advanced features such as Honda Electronic Control Technology (HECT) which provides four driving modes: Sport, Standard, Rain, and one adjustable mode that can save the settings according to the user's wishes.

Then there are another features such Throttle-by-wire, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSCT), and ABS are also standard features on the Honda Hawk 11. While in the suspension section, this café racer motorbike uses an SFF-BP upside down shock made by Showa (Hitachi Astemo Co., Ltd.) up front, as well as a monoshock and rear swing arm of Prolink.

Reportedly, the Honda Hawk 11 is produced in limited quantities, which is only 1,200 units (confirmed only the Japanese market for now), and will be sold freely with prices in the range of JPN ¥ 1.397 milion or Rp.159 million.
It's quite expensive though, but for a kind of such vehicle that has an exclusivity value like this will certainly attract a lot of enthusiasts who would be ignored the price numbers. Are you interested to have this Honda Hawk 11? Hurry up and find out more information on the Honda Motor Company website.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HONDA MOTOR COMPANY | MOTORCYCLE | VISORDOWN | YOUNGMACHINE ]
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Sunday, May 15, 2022

The most extraordinary 'Model X' labeled car ever

eXtraordinary ONES In today's modern industrial world, it is almost certain that every product labeled 'X' always brings up the interpretation of something related to "experiments" would be has a different, unique, and unusual appearance. This seems to be an efective surefire trick for manufacturers to attract the public' attention when the product is launched regardless of whether it will meet the public's expectations of the product or not.
The Pininfarina Model X is a Pininfarina made four-wheeled unique sedan concept of 1960 with an exterior design look like an airplane without wings. (Picture from: The Limited Times)
Then in the automotive industry, one example of a product labeled 'X' that is easiest to mention is an electric powered SUV product called the Tesla Model X made by an American electric car manufacturer belong to Elon Musk.
The Pininfarina Model X is built based on the Fiat 1100 and powered by a 1,089 cc four-cylinder engine capable to churn out power of 43 horsepower. (Picture from: Spiegel)
It turns out that long before that, the labeling of the 'Model X' vehicle had also carried out by Pininfarina (at that time still 'Carrozzeria Pinin Farina'), a well-known Italian coachbuilder company in the 1960s for a unique concept vehicle called the Pininfarina Model X but is sometimes referred to as PFX aka the Turin Bomb as the German media Spiegel said.
The Pininfarina Model X has a unique rhomboid four-wheels layout, where each one wheel that is placed parallel on the front and rear-end, and two wheels each to the left and right such the position of the car's rear tires in general. (Picture from: 95Octane)
At that time, the unique car project was led directly by the company' founder, Batista 'Pinin' Farina in collaboration with engineer Alberto Morelli, who taught at Turin’s Politecnico and was said to be the company's scientific research program
The Pininfarina Model X is officially debuted at the 1960 Turin Motor Show and shown again at the 1961 Brussels Automobile Show. (Picture from: OldConceptCara)
The unique PFX four-wheeled sedan concept made by Pininfarina with an exterior design look like an airplane without wings. This is not surprising because the aircraft industry has inspired many unique designs ranging from the 1930s to the 1960s. Pininfarina's goal in making such a radical bomb-likened design was to achieve good aerodynamic factors along with a low drag coefficient.
The Pininfarina Model X has a compact-sized cabin capable to accommodate 4 adults inside. (Picture from: Spiegel)
Another uniqueness of the Pininfarina's concept car lies in its unusual rhomboid four-wheels layout, where each one wheel that is placed parallel on the front and rear-end, and two wheels each to the left and right such the position of the car's rear tires in general. Each wheel has a function, such as, the front wheel was responsible for steering, the two side wheels serve as outriggers to stabilize the car and the rear one provided the power.
As the rear-mounted PFX's engine (right) allows half of the tail section to be used as a trunk (left). (Picture from: 95Octane)
It is also mentioned that this rhomboid wheels layout gave the car higher maximum speeds and lower fuel consumption. This concept car is built based on the Fiat 1100 and powered by a 1,089 cc four-cylinder engine capable to churn out power of 43 horsepower. The machine is mounted on the rear which leaves less than half of the space as a trunk. In your estimation, what is the maximum speed of this car? Will the top speed exceed 150 kph?
The Pininfarina Model X is built based on the Fiat 1100 and powered by a 1,089 cc four-cylinder engine capable to churn out power of 43 horsepower. (Picture from: ItalianWays)
As the result, the aerodynamic bodywork has a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.23, which was even better than today’s most aerodynamic cars. Unfortunately Pininfarina produced just one example of this car, then was exhibited at the 1960 Turin Motor Show and the 1961 Brussels Automobile Show.
The Pininfarina Model X's aerodynamic bodywork has a drag coefficient of just 0.23, which was even better than today’s most aerodynamic cars such the latest Toyota Prius has a Cd of 0.24. (Picture from: Spiegel)
As quoted of ConceptCarz, Batista 'Pinin' Farina was driven personally the PFX concept car around to various automakers at the time to discuss the potential to put it into mass-production. No manufacturer took this finned wonder into production, so Pininfarina kept it for almost 4 decades until it was acquired in 2007 by a car collector named John Rosatti from the Italian coachbuilder company.
If you’re wondering what happened to this strange little car nowadays, according to Barret-Jackson auction sites, it sold to an unknown collector for over $300,000 (approx Rp.4,410 billion) back in 2015. Wow, even though it's small in size but the price is exorbitant..... I don't know how much it will cost if this car is sold now? In our opinion, that's the most extraordinary 'Model X' labeled car ever, what do you think? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CONCEPTCARZ | CARSTYLING.RU | 95OCTANE | BARRET-JACKSON | SPIEGEL.DE | THE LIMITED TIMES | ITALIAN WAYS ]
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Saturday, May 14, 2022

Here's the Fioravanti vision about the Alfa Romeo sports car in future

Forgotten ONES Among the many models ever made by Alfa Romeo, the Italian automotive manufacturer there are many models that have become famous and legends, such as the Alfa Romeo BAT Series, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and many others. 
The Fioravanti Vola is designed by Leonardo Fioravanti as his vision of what a sporting Alfa Romeo of the future could look like. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
However, there are also many models made by third parties intended to be a design study of the brand's future cars, as we will discuss below. The mentioned car was built in the 2000s by Fioravanti, a Turin-based automotive coachbuilder company founded in 1987 by renowned Italian car designer, Leonardo Fioravanti.
The first Fioravanti Vola prototype debuted at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show in black with red interior. (Picture from: Alfisti.ru)
As we all know that the designer before establishing his studio, it turned out that he had a career of more than 24 years at the Pininfarina design studio and was involved in many Prancing Horse beautiful car projects carried out by the design studio, such as the Ferrari 388 GTO, Ferrari 250 P5 Berlinetta Speciale, Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, the original Ferrari Dino, and more.
The first Fioravanti Vola prototype debuted at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show in black with red interior. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
It became something unusual when the designer suddenly in the 2000s designed a car which was later named the Fioravanti Vola, which at almost the same time the Moncalieri-based coachbuilder also built the Fioravanti F100 which was specially made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Il Commendatore, Enzo Ferrari. So do not be surprised if on the front of both cars look similar especially on the headlights section.
The Fioravanti Vola featured with a unique rotating glass roof, thanks to the deck lid hinges are concentric with the top, so the trunk access is freely available, as the open roof sits on top of the trunk lid. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
We don't want to argue further how about that could be happened and what is certain is that the Vola was the design house’s vision of what a sporting Alfa Romeo of the future could look like.

The Vola sportscar presented for the first time at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show with one of the most notable features such a unique rotating glass roof, thanks to the deck lid hinges are concentric with the top, so the trunk access is freely available, as the open roof sits on top of the trunk lid.
The Fioravanti Vola is powered by a transverse DOHC V6 engine with a capacity of 2,959cc capable churn out 192 hp of power and is combined with a 5-speed manual gearbox to drive its front wheels. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
Originally, the Fioravanti Vola livered in black with red interior, and changed while it shown 4 years later at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show with a red paint and brown upholstery. While for the drivetrain, the Fioravanti Vola is powered by a transverse DOHC V6 engine with a capacity of 2,959cc capable churn out 192 hp of power and is combined with a 5-speed manual gearbox to drive its front wheels. 
Leonardo Fioravanti posed along with two of his car creations such 2001 Alfa Romeo Vola (far-above) and 2005 Ferrari Superamerica (bottom). (Picture from: DannataVintage)
The same idea was later used in the Ferrari Superamerica of 2005, also designed by Fioravanti and patented as a Revocromico roof. In 2008 the rear buttresses of the Vola were remodelled similar to the Superamerica. The great topical subject for sports cars, the removable solid roof, has had very interesting but a little complex solutions recently. Fioravanti has made its suggestion by applying a new concept of rotating roof with an innovative and extremely simple solution.
2001 Fioravanti Alfa Romeo Vola (left) posed along with 2000 Ferrari F100 (right). (Picture from: DannataVintage)
While the well-known mechanisms power the roof down into the trunk,  'LF' emblem is placed on the top of the trunk with obvious advantages both practical and of weight and more room for the luggages. Another interesting aspect is that whether the roof is open or closed there is a very slight variation in the barycenter of the car.
The second appearence of the Fioravanti Vola at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show with a red paint and brown upholstery. (Picture from: UltimateCarPage)
The aesthetic solution chosen for Alfa Romeo shows, in a very 'graphic' way, the basic priciple of the patent: …the rotation axis of the roof is the same as the one of the trunk axis. There can be alternative lay-outs which look very different, but keep the same geometric conditions. The roof, supported by a carbon fibre frame, is made of a variable transparent plastic for protection against sun rays and for rear visibility.
Leonardo Fioravanti posed along with his creation, Fioravanti Alfa Romeo Vola at the 'Rosso Fioravanti' exhibition held in Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin back in 2018. (Picture from: MotorAge.it)
It can be manual or automatic. In opening position the rear window area, rotating on itself, becomes an anti-turbolence device. The typical 'Alfa trilobation' features a new kind of fog lamps which are very long and thin and become indicator lights and emergency lights on the side. Day lights, night lights and high beam lights are all joined in one single transparent element which is also used to let air out of the engine and as support for the rearview video cameras.
Day lights, night lights and high beam lights are all joined in one single transparent element which is also used to let air out of the engine and as support for the rearview video cameras. (Picture from: Alfisti.ru)
Another innovative design element is the rear/indicator lights which emerge from the rotation element of the roof. The rear-end of the of the car features typical Alfa Romeo elements such as the high, thin and separate tail lights.
The Fioravanti Vola's interior design features with two identical 'canoes' in which are situated the seat, instruments, new kind of pedals and steering wheel on driver side, the seat and airbag-glove box on passenger side. (Picture from: Facebook)
The rear gear light is situated on top of the license plate which is lit from behind. For what concerns the interior design the same criteria of semplicity and components reduction has been followed, always looking for symmetry.
The Fioravanti Vola's rear-end features typical Alfa Romeo elements such as the high, thin and separate tail lights. (Picture from: Alfisti.ru)
Basic element: two identical 'canoes' in which are situated the seat, instruments, new kind of pedals and steering wheel on driver side, the seat and airbag-glove box on passenger side. The symmetrical door panels feature a unique armrest also used as support and opening handle and air outlet. The main instruments which are highly three-dimensional and very original lighted are side by side the rearview display.
The steering wheel, with F1 gear shifts, is in carbon fibre and partially leather wrapped. The central element between the two “canoes” includes a multi-functional display for GPS, telephone, climate controls, minor controls, the button to operate the roof and the control keyboard for other functions. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FIORAVANTI | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI | MOTORAGE.IT | DANNATAVINTAGE | BELOWTHERADAR ]
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Friday, May 13, 2022

A classic strange cyclops-looked three-wheeler made in Japan

What Do U Think About IT Well on this occasion we will talk about a tiny unique classic vehicle made by a Japanese car maker of the 1950s called Fuji Cabin Model 5A. At first glance, this three-wheeled vehicle has a unique cyclops-like appearance (in modern day might be similar to Mike Wazowski, a main character of the Disney-Pixar's Monsters, Inc. animated series) if we've seen from front.
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A three-wheeled vehicle has a unique look similar to a main character in Monsters, Inc. animated series named Mike Wazowski if seen from the front. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
The such type of vehicle story began shortly after the country's defeat in World War 2 is believed that was one of the Japan's companies effort to survive. Well, this effort is also what the Diesel Automobile Manufacturing Company done after its car-making division divided into the Hino truck and Isuzu car manufacturing businesses while the aviation division became Hitachi Aviation in March 1946.
This is the Fuji Cabin Model 5A of the 1950s worthy to be crowned as the most unique look three-wheeler ever made by Japanese company. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
In that time developing new aviation technology was strictly forbidden by the Allies, as it was considered a war industry. So Hitachi Aviation, as well as other aircraft companies, tried to survive in non-war-related industries. The company subsequently changed its name to the Tokyo Gas and Electric Manufacturing Company in 1952, and began producing 60cc engines for motorbikes and had established itself as an engine producer of mainly small two-stroke engines.
The Fuji Cabin three-wheeled vehicle designed by Ryuichi Tomiya, and appeared for the first time at the 1955 Tokyo Motor Show. (Picture from: Below The Radar)
Then it merged with a Tokyo-based manufacturing company, Fuji Toshuda Motors of Tokyo and started to build their own motorcycles under the names of Fuji Motor and Gasuden FMC, besides supplied engines to other motorcycle makers. As time goes by, the company is decided to produce a kind of scooter with the roof or what we've known later as a micro car.
The Suminoe Flying Feather, an early 350cc kei-car designed by Ryuichi Tomiya for Suminoe Manufacturing back in 1954. (Picture from: Flickr-MrScharroo)
The mentioned micro cars was designed by Ryuichi Tomiya whose before the war had been in charge of body design at Nissan Motors, and afterwards he was responsible for the design of the Suminoe Flying Feather for Suminoe Manufacturing, of which 150 examples were built between 1954 and 1955. His work was highly respected, which later made him known as the 'Leonardo da Vinci of Japan'.
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A has a glassfibre bodyshell built on monocoque construction and also equipped with a single headlight, strengthened by a full-length tunnel bringing cooling air directly to the engine. (Picture from: Below The Radar)
And the Tomiya's masterpiece is the Fuji Cabin appeared for the first time at the 1955 Tokyo Motor Show as a streamlined two-seater three-wheeled coupé, and powered by a 122cc single-cylinder Gasuden scooter two-stroke engine with kick start. The unique look vehicle has a glassfibre bodyshell built on monocoque construction and also equipped with a single headlight, strengthened by a full-length tunnel bringing cooling air directly to the engine. 
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A appears to have been designed only to be driven by those of small stature like many of the Japanese at the time, as the car's interior was ludicrously cramped. (Picture from: Below The Radar)
So that when viewed from the front it looks like a creature of Greek mythology, the cyclops. While at rear, there were two rounded beetle-wing lids providing access to the motor and allowing warm air to exit. At first there was a single door on the left, but later cars got one for each side.
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A is powered by powered by a 122cc single-cylinder Gasuden scooter two-stroke engine with kick start. (Picture from: Below The Radar)
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A appears to have been designed only to be driven by those of small stature like many of the Japanese at the time, as the car's interior was ludicrously cramped, with far too much effort required to climb over the central tunnel to get into the staggered driver’s seat.
The Fuji Cabin Model 5A three-wheeled vehicle is a fairly good product with a sturdy construction, but also has a poor quality of bodyshell due to the maker having lack experience working with glassfibre. (Picture from: Below The Radar)
Unlike ordinary cars, the Fuji Cabin is controlled by a set of handlebars positioned close to the driver's seat for comfort, and is equipped with a small but well-engineered transmission system that incorporates a reverse gear; something unusual for a typical Western-scooter engined microcar. At that time Fuji Cabin three-wheeled vehicle was planned to be made as many as 400-500 per month, but in fact only 85 units were made all during its short production period from 1957 to 1958.
In general, the Fuji Cabin Model 5A is a fairly good product with a sturdy construction, but that doesn't mean there are no drawbacks, it's because the makers having lack experience working with glassfibre, so its bodyshell has poor quality. Besides that its sale was not a success partly because considered to be an expensive vehicle and also Fuji had no experience of marketing.

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops......*** [EKA [09012015] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BELOW THE RADAR | CARSTYLING.RU | ROAD&TRACK | FANDOM ]
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Thursday, May 12, 2022

An Italian unique shaped supercar

Unique ONES Perhaps among you, there who have never heard the name of Spada Codatronca TS supercars. This car was introduced for the first time in 2008 by Spada Vetture Sport (SVS), an Italian design studio founded by Paolo Spada (former designer at Smart and Honda) together with his dad Ercole, (former chief designer at Zagato and BMW), and many others.
2008 Spada Codatronca TS. (Picture from: Motor1)
After a gruesome three months of testing and many more, then they managed to launch their supercar named, the Spada Codatronca TS. Since their upgrade on the TS (Turismo Sportivo), they have upgraded their "converter kit" which lets the user's car with E85 green fuel, which increases their torque and power.
Left side view of 2008 Spada Codatronca TS. (Picture from: Motor1)
The bodywork is made from carbon-fibre, whilst the aluminium chassis features a roll cage, and the car powered with a Chevrolet LS7 V8 engine could spewed the power up to 630 horsepower. No wonder if this car can reach from 0-100 kph in 3.4 seconds and has a maximum speed of 340 kph (211 mph).
Meanwhile inside the cabin has seats and other interior items of Sparco. It also uses Brembo disc brakes all around; 380 mm (15.0 in) discs with eight-piston aluminium calipers at the front, and 355 mm (14.0 in) discs with four-piston alluminium calipers at the rear. 19" OZ alloy wheels are fitted, and shod with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres; 285/35 R19 at the front, and 345/35 R19 at the rear.
2011 Spada Codatronca Monza. (Picture from: Oto-Detik)
In 2011, Spada Vetture Sport announced that they would be building a convertible version of the Codatronca TS, named the Codatronca Monza. The Monza used a supercharged version of the Codatronca TS' 7-litre V8, and produced a claimed 710 hp and 701 lb-ft of torque.
The Codatronca Monza also featured the Italian Air Force roundel on the sides of the vehicle. Spada claimed that the car could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds, and reach a top speed of 208 mph (335 kph). The Codatronca Monza appeared at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, where a competition version was also announced. (Grote motorfiets van Tegal). *** [EKA [06082016] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1 | SUPERCARS | WIKIPEDIA ]
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