A year after Volvo launched its Pedestrian Airbag Technology on the Volvo V40, Volvo has announced its new External Vehicle Protection (EnVeloP) system.

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The External Vehicle Protection system consists of a small container built in the roof of the car, which contains a folded-in, vacuum pulled balloon of similar material to existing airbags. In case of an unavoidable collision, whether it is with another car, a roadside object or even when coming into contact with surface water, the balloon unfolds within the blink of an eye around the car. By completely enveloping the car, the External Vehicle Protection system ensures that damage and personal injury as a result of the collision is minimized.

"For years, we have been looking at how to increase safety in our vehicles, and the airbag has played a central role in that journey," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Adviser Safety at the Volvo Cars Safety Center.

"This new safety feature is the embodiment of the Volvo brand philosophy, Designed Around You. All we did was taking a very literal approach to Designed Around You. Instead of finding new areas inside the car where we could add more airbag-like safety systems, we asked ourselves: why not cover the complete car in an airbag-like solution?"

The External Vehicle Protection system is still in a testing phase, but Volvo is investigating whether the system can be fitted in future Volvos.

Read more at Volvo Launches World's First External Car-Enveloping Airbag Technology (The Torque Report)

Via WWW.bimmerboost.com

Car and Driver compiles a list of 25 cars that are worth waiting for starting in 2014 until 2017. Among the extremely selective crowd, BMW is represented by the M4 and a potential M8 model.



Other prestigious cars on the list are the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P13, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Lexus LF-C, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche 960, Rolls-Royce Wraith and Audi Q8.

With the new generation 3 Series and 4 Series BMW decided to separate the M3 sedan and Coupe as well. The M3 moniker will be used for the four-door model, while the M4 badge will be plastered on the former M3 Coupe designation.

The F80 and F82 M3 and M4 drop the V8 naturally-aspirated engine in favor of a new inline-six engine that sources say will develop around 440 horsepower. The new M4 is expected to be slightly faster than the current E92 generation thanks to a lower weight achieved by use of lightweight materials, such as aluminum and carbon fiber.



The BMW M4 will sport an aggressive front bumper with styling cues imported from the 1M and M6 models, as well as a carbon fiber rooftop. The side lines have also been enhanced to give the car a more muscular and sporty look. As expected flared fenders and side skirts are present, along with M-specific wheels. The air vents are large in size with angled fins that give the car not only a road-focused look, but also a dominating stance.



The engine is mated to a double-clutch transmission 7-speed transmission. The U.S. enthusiasts will most likely see a manual transmission option as well.



Expect the BMW M4 to debut in Spring of 2014.

BMWÂ’s future supercar has been highly debated on BMWBLOG, and not only. So far we only know that BMW is constantly looking at the idea of a supercar, and that things are in motion, but it remains to be seen if an M8, or whichever name will carry, ends up in production. Same Car and Driver seems to believe that the car is in works.

Wanna feel old? This year, the beastly, twin turbocharged fourth-generation Toyota Supra will be old enough to buy you a beer. P

The Supra may have debuted in the now-ancient year of 1992, but age has not diminished its potency or its popularity. It's been a mainstay in tuner magazines and video games for the past 20 years and that doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. People still pine for the Supra, or at the very least, a modern replacement. P

The Supra is the focus of this latest video from our pals at XCAR, and it's divided into two parts: a history of the Supra's development, and a test drive of a rather colorful one from the UK.P

But it's not just some garish tuner car. This one was the last one imported into Great Britain, and it's a former company car done up to look like the legendary TOM's Castrol Supra from Japanese GT racing.P

Yes, it has the crappy, 90s-tastic four-speed autobox — which Alex Goy says makes it "the slowest fast car you will ever drive" — but with more than 370 horsepower, it's an impressive piece of kit, albeit one that's conservative compared to some of the zany 1,000 horsepower Supras that have emerged over the years. Still, it's awesome, and I certainly wouldn't kick one out of my garage.

The Toyota Supra Is Still A Dream Machine 20 Years Later

My Lexus RX300 doesnÂ’t get great mileage, itÂ’s a pretty average 16 mpg according to my carÂ’s mileage calculator. But I donÂ’t know if thatÂ’s accurate. According to a study by Edmunds, they find that cars overestimate mileage commonly. I know that IÂ’m filling up my tank about every 5 to 6 days, at about $60 per tank fill. ThatÂ’s $300 per month, and $3600 per year!


If I were to calculate this for 10 years, that would be $36,000 in gasoline! However, gas wonÂ’t always be around $4.00 per gallon. In fact, from what I read, analysts are predicting that gas will be double in price from what it is now by 2020. Ouch! That means that by 2020, IÂ’ll be paying $8.00 per gallon (it may be even more by 2023 - 10 years from the time I get my Tesla Model S in 2013).


So I did the math. If I pay the median of the price between $4.00 and $8.00, that is $6.00, then IÂ’m really paying 1.5 times more than what IÂ’m paying now. 1.5 times $36,000 is $54,000. Wait, doesnÂ’t the Tesla Model S cost $57,400 plus an estimated $1950 destination fee? DonÂ’t I get a Federal rebate of $7500 that reduces it to $49,900? WonÂ’t I have to pay sales tax on it at 9.75% for the amount of $5,597? Per the DMV in CaliforniaÂ’s calculator, IÂ’ll be paying $454 in registration fees. My car too, will be worth something 10 years from now when I sell it. So this number will actually be lower. LetÂ’s lowball it and guess that its worth only 10% of what it cost me, so thatÂ’s $5740.


From my calculations, it costs $3.00 to recharge a Tesla 160 mile battery. If IÂ’m getting 16 miles per gallon at $4.00 per gallon and spending $3600/year in gasoline, then IÂ’m traveling about 10,800 miles per year. That works out to $203 in electricity per year in the Tesla. In speculating that electricity costs too will double in 10 years, then the average of that would be 1.5 x $203 x 10 years = $3045 in fuel (electricity).


So letÂ’s add that up:

Cost of the Tesla S + Destination Fee + Sales tax - Federal Credit + Tesla S Resale value - Fuel costs (electricity)


$57,400 + $1950 + $5597 +$454 - $7500 - $5740 + 3045 = $55,206


But if you compare the estimated/forecasted $54,000 that I would spend in 10 years for gas, compared to $55,206 that the Tesla S and all expenses will cost, thereÂ’s only a difference of $1206, making the Tesla Model S almost free!


This, however, doesnÂ’t include what I may pay for insurance on a Tesla Model S vs a less expensive car, nor what I save in maintenance costs since an electric engine doesnÂ’t have the same maintenance requirements as a gasoline-powered engine. But wow, what a saving! No wonder the Tesla Model S is sold out for 2012 and is already selling cars for delivery in 2013!


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