The 2008 Volkswagen Touareg has much to offer motorists this year. The Touareg has ESP dry braking, which means that the brakes are capable of getting rid of water film that could cause problems in wet conditions. Also, the “ABSPlus” system gets rid of loose road surface material from inside the wheels.

Safety and performance all the way for one of the industry’s toughest little all-wheel-drive vehicles with three powerful engines. There is a3.6-liter, 280-horsepower V-6 that gets 14/19 mpg; a 4.2-liter, 350-horsepower V-8 (12/17) and a 5.0-liter, 310-horespower twin turbo V10 (15/20), depending on model selected.
Off-roading is no problem with the Touareg with a set of easy-to-use dials. Drivers would simply set the system up to match the terrain, and off they go. Thanks to features such as standard hill-descent control and hill-hold control, the Touareg is perfectly capable of creeping down a steep hill, for instance, with the foot off the brake. It can climb across rocks without a scratch, go through a considerably deep body of water, and perform any number of other feats with nary a whimper.

The look and appeal of the VW is not neglected. On the exterior, the front end has been redesigned, with V-6 models sharing a chrome grille and V-8 and V-10 models using a matte chrome design. The back features a new roof spoiler, and the brake light housings have been modified. Inside, the Touareg continues the tradition of Volkswagen being at the top in interior design. Highly polished wood, chrome and aluminum pieces abound, all tolerances are very tight, and everything operates with a sense of precision and smoothness.

With the growing number of road accidents today, car companies are continuously coming up with new safety features that will avoid car crashes. In fact, one automaker says it can help drivers put the brakes on crashes.

Nissan is once again creating a mark in the automotive industry by rolling out an automated emergency braking system.

The said system will be equipped with distance and speed sensors that will detect a potential crash. One it has detected such possibility, the system slightly lifts the gas pedal to warn the driver. If the driver then eases pressure on the gas, the system automatically applies the brakes.

Motorists should not worry about controlling the vehicle for Nissan says drivers will still maintain control of their vehicles at all times.

Nissan’s new braking feature will be available in its U.S. models next year.

Nissan has always been looking out for their clients’ safety. They only use the finest materials and the latest technology to produce world-class vehicles.

Kia boasts its 2007 Kia Amanti or Opirus as it received a“Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) of the U.S. in a side impact crash test for large luxury cars. A “Good” is the highest possible rating given by IIHS and the results show a range of performance in how well large cars are designed to protect people in serious side impact crashes, according to the institute.

The Amanti can thank its active safety equipments like the standard four-wheel disc antilock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD), which apportions braking force front and rear according to the vehicle’s load distribution. Other features are the electronic stability control, traction control and brake assist. These help control the vehicle in the event of a severe stop by applying the brakes to individual wheels while reducing engine power to help bring the vehicle safely back on its intended course.

Meanwhile the Amanti also lead the pack when it comes to standard safety features such as more standard airbags than any other vehicle in its segment, including dual front advanced airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Other standard safety features for the 2007 Amanti include tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), four anti-pinch windows - which sense obstructions and automatically roll down - height-adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters, three-point seatbelts for all five seating positions, lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH), side impact door beams and front and rear crumple zones.

“It comes as no surprise to learn how well Amanti did when compared to higher priced vehicles in this test,” said Len Hunt, executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America. “We are pleased that the IIHS test of the 2007 Amanti validates Kia’s philosophy of providing high-value and safe vehicles for our customers.”

According to IIHS, a vehicle’s side impact crash evaluation is based on performance in a crash test in which the side of the vehicle is struck by a barrier representing the front end of a pickup or SUV. Injury measures obtained from the test are used to determine the likelihood that a driver and/or rear passenger in a real-world crash would sustain serious injury to various body regions.

Among the lowest priced vehicle in the group IIHS recently tested, the Kia Amanti, was one of the best performers. “The Amanti shows that you don’t have to buy an expensive car to get good protection in crashes with SUVs and pickup trucks,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund. “The standard head curtain airbags for front- and back-seat occupants kept the dummies’ heads from hitting any hard structures including the intruding crash test barrier.”

A new SSP function will really boost the Peugeot 207 Gti. The system applies more braking power to the wheels with good grip and anticipates any vehicle instability. It also applies torque to the steering to help the driver achieve optimal directional control. Unlike an ABS system which limits braking of the wheels with good grip to give priority to vehicle control, this system reduces braking distances by between 4% and 10% while still guaranteeing vehicle stability in a straight line.

The efficient braking system would be useless without a powerful engine. The 207 Gti assures motorists the right performance that will compliment the new braking system with the 1.6 liter THP (Turbo High Pressure) engine. It can produce a maximum power of 128kW and a torque of 240 Nm from only 1600 rpm. The torque output of the engine remains unchanged all the way up to 4500 rpm but can be increased to 260 Nm temporarily, thanks to the “over-boost” function. It is also fitted with a 5-speed manual gearbox with specific gear ratios.

The 207 Gti is said to be the modern evolution of the eighties “hot hatchback”, that offers an interior space to carry both passengers and luggage. The vehicle has great seats that are ergonomically designed.

Other safety feature includes the 207’s strong and protective structure to protect the occupants in the event of a collision. Combined with six airbags as standard and two Isofix child safety seat mountings at the rear, the 207 was awarded five stars in the Euro NCAP test for adult occupant protection.

The vehicle also comes with a rear parking aid, elliptical headlamps incorporating static directional lighting, a speed limiter coupled with a cruise control, automatic headlamps and wipers, dual zone climate control air conditioning, tire under-inflation sensors, folding electric door mirrors and an electro-chrome interior rear-view mirror

The new 2007 Mini Cooper S will give great performance along with improved braking system. With its lighter steering and powerful engine, the new Cooper did not neglect its brakes. Now, the brakes of the Cooper S feature ventilated discs all around, equipped with ABS, brakeforce distribution and BMW’s DTC traction control. All of these added features make the vehicle safer in all weather condition.

Not much change was done on its exterior, but when one drives it, they will feel the change. One of the biggest changes for this year’s Mini Cooper and Cooper S were the engines and the manner of forced aspiration in the S. It can generate up to 172 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 177 lb-ft of maximum torque. If this is still not enough, the Cooper S can increase its turbocharger’s pressure via something called “overboost” to generate 192 lb-ft of torque.

But besides adding power, the new Cooper S engine is more efficient than the one it replaces. Without a supercharger to add engine drag, and with the addition of variable valve timing and direct injection, the Cooper S offers some truly thrifty thrills. Its remarkable fuel consumption rating of 29 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway is up from last year’s already good 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.

The capabilities of the engine will surely compliment the car’s excellent braking system, not to mention all that power it can generate. Power is one of the emphasis in the new 2007 Mini Cooper S.

The new Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 features considerable innovations in terms of body design and mechanics. And also with a new name: Murcielago LP640, which refers to its engine position - longitudinale posteriore - and to its power 640 bhp. Designers and engineers have not only focused on reworking the engine, suspensions, gearbox, exhaust system, brakes and electronics, but also the interior and exterior design; improvements that make the Murcielago LP 640 the most extreme and fastest sports car in its class, placing it at the very top.

Optional Ceramic Carbon Brakes

The dual hydraulic circuit brake system equipped with a vacuum brake booster ensures considerable deceleration values. The self-ventilating front and rear brake disks measure 380 mm x 34 mm and 355 mm x 32 mm respectively. The control circuit of the four-channel anti-blocking system (ABS) with electronic brake control (DRP) and traction control (TCS) features a new characteristic curve. The system consists in an electro-hydraulic control unit and four speed sensors.

When particularly high braking performance is required, it is possible to equip the vehicle with 380 mm x 36 mm ceramic carbon brakes featuring six-piston brake calipers.

The wedge brake was first introduced by Siemens in 2005. It which uses a small computer and an innovative wedge-based connection between brake pads and calipers to dramatically reinvent braking.

Unlike traditional caliper brakes, which use tremendous force to grip a brake rotor with offsetting pads, the wedge design uses a series of interlocking triangular teeth that offset between the caliper and the rotor. A small electric motor pushes the pad toward the rotor by a lateral movement—much like how a watermelon seed can be ejected at high velocity by squishing it between your fingers. The entire system runs on the standard 12-volt electrical system found in most cars.

When the pad hits the rotor, the angular momentum of the moving rotor pulls the pad even further up the interlocking series of wedges, applying even more braking pressure on the car. The motors push in and pull out at an extremely high frequency, which controls braking and keeps the wheels from locking up.

The braking computer receives signals from an electrical sensor attached either to a standard brake pedal or from any other device—including a joystick, paddle or other button. It is truly brake by wire—which means that tomorrow’s cars could more closely resemble today’s video game controllers rather than the more traditional brake and gas pedals.

The new braking system dramatically cuts down on size and moving parts as well. It’s as big a difference as that between the original Compaq luggable computers—the size of an old sewing machine—and today’s svelte and sleek laptop computers.

Reducing weight and complexity cuts down on overall automobile weight, which translates into better fuel efficiency. And with fewer moving parts, it ought to be more reliable as well. There are other environmental benefits too, including eliminating the need for noxious brake fluid.

Siemens also claims a much faster response time for the braking system. It typically takes about 150 milliseconds from when the brake pedal is depressed until the pads deploy against the rotor. Siemens promises that the wedge brake will cut that in half. In addition, because it uses electronics and sensors, it should enable more proactive safety features, applying braking automatically if an object is sensed ahead of the car.

The wedge brake also does away with the ABS system, as that pulse braking can be handled by the on-board computer. Siemens promises that its braking system will eliminate the problems caused by drivers erroneously pumping brakes, which defeats the ABS technology. The wedge brake also doubles as a parking brake, which removes that entire system from the car. This is said to be available by 2008.

The Jaguar XK´s new performance braking system has been developed and tested extensively at the dedicated Jaguar research facility at the Nürburgring racetrack, Germany. It uses advanced technologies to provide greater braking power and more faithful feedback.Larger ventilated discs contribute to improved stopping distances, better pedal feel, and reduced fade in extended hard use. There is also the electronic Park Brake which is a discreet electronic switch housed behind the transmission selector allows the Electronic Park Brake to be manually engaged or released. The handbrake automatically disengages when pulling away, eliminating the possibility of accidentally driving with the handbrake on.

All XK´s are fitted with Jaguar´s highly sophisticated Adaptive Restraint Technology System (ARTS) for maximum occupant protection. The system assesses the severity of a frontal impact as well as the number, weight and position of the occupants in order to determine the optimum deployment of the front airbags. The XK Convertible´s Roll-over Protection System activates in 65 milliseconds. Two massively strong hoops, discreetly stowed beneath the tonneau cover, deploy and lock behind the rear seats when an impending roll-over is detected by the on-board sensors. This creates a survival zone between the windscreen surround and the rear of the cabin.

The Intelligent Lighting System, on the other hand, features automatically operated, self-levelling Bi Xenon Headlights as standard. At parking speeds, Corner Lamps housed within the main headlight unit are activated by the direction indicators to give improved illumination. Optional Active Front Lighting is also available to provide enhanced visibility during higher speed cornering. Sensors react to the vehicles speed and the angle at which the steering wheel is turned, swivelling the dipped beam lens to increase illumination around corners.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 joined the league of supercars with a series of superlative modifiers such as the ´fastest, most powerful and most expensive´ street-legal production cars in the world. The ever powerful Veyron engine is capable of yielding 1020 to 1040 metric HP, and so the Veyron 16.4 supercar is now better known as the ´1001 horsepower´ car.

The name ´Veyron´ is attributed to the French racing driver Pierre Veyron who won the title ´24 hours of Le Mans´ in 1939 for Bugatti. Bugatti, with its long years of experience in making the traditional racing cars since the early ´90s, tries the track in the modern era with a well-advanced version of their technology applied in the Veyron 16.4.

Bugatti Veyron is an exclusive sports car for the 21st century. It exemplifies the perfect blending of design with technological concept.

Offering a high performance with serious measures to ensure safety was the major concern at Bugatti while yielding a maximum performance speed of 252.3 mph (406 km/h) to this leader of the modern era racing cars. Thanks to the single-piece carbon-fiber monocoque technology that absolutely suited the Bugatti Veyron supercar and scored the maximum points at various crash tests. Adding to this perfect body structure are other safety measures such as the airbags and the PAX system applied on the wheels and tires.

A car’s brake system is one of the most important parts when it comes to road safety. The Bugatti Veyron’s brake system consists of a cross-drilled and turbine-vented carbon rotors. Each caliper is provided with eight titanium pistons. The braking system of Veyron supercar is so effective that it can produce a deceleration of 1.3g on road tires.

Another innovative safety measure applied is the rear spoiler of this sports car that performs double action – it provides the necessary downforce at high-speed driving, and it acts as a ´parachute brake´ during sudden braking. It helps to add additional air resistance to the brakes and thus reduces the braking distance of this supercar to great extent.

The wheels and tires are also modified to facilitate an improved performance of the new supercar. The all-wheel-drive helps to transfer the power efficiently to the road while speed driving. The Michelin run-flat tires used in the Veyron meet all the safety standards and suit the adventurous driving situations and racing conditions.

The same companies that are developing brake-by-wire systems have also developed electronic parking brake systems to replace cable-operated disc or drum brakes. Instead of pushing a pedal or yanking on a handle to set the parking brake (which few people seem to use anyway), the parking brake can be set by pressing a button. Or, it can be set automatically when the transmission is placed into park.

The advantages of this approach are:

a.) It can be used to automatically apply the brakes if the primary brake system fails (redundancy backup).

b.) It can be used with a “hill start assist” system to prevent a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission and clutch from rolling backwards if the vehicle is stopped or starting out on a hill or incline.

c.) It can be combined with an anti-theft system to immobilize the vehicle when it is parked.

d.) It eliminates the need for cables and mechanical linkages under the vehicle for cleaner aerodynamics, reduced ground clearance and easier service accessibility.