Ford Racing officially announces the 2012 Mustang Cobra Jet

Last week it was leaked that Ford would be bringing its purpose-built drag racer, the Cobra Jet, back for another year in 2012. Today Ford made it official by revealing the car at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) show in Florida alongside its road racing brother, the Boss 302S.

After getting an upgrade in 2010, the Cobra Jet is getting revised once again for 2012 with an updated version of the supercharged 5.4-liter V8 and modified suspension, low-drag racing brakes, new black anodized wheels and a stickier set of Goodyear racing slicks. Three colors will be offered – Race Red, Grabber Blue and Silver – and just 50 will be available from the Ford Racing catalog. Pricing starts at $91,990 with a fully loaded Cobra Jet coming in at $103,980. Follow the jump for the press release.

Nokia's aeon "full surface screen" cellphone concept

Nokia's research and development team have kicked it up a gear with an attractive "aeon" concept phone showing up in the R&D section of the company's website. The most prominent design feature of aeon is a touchscreen that stretches over the full surface area of the phone, similar to BenQ-Siemens's Black box concept phone we saw recently. Currently mobile technology isn't quite up to realizing this fantasy, but we'll sleep better tonight knowing that at least one of the cellphone industry's biggest names shares the same dream as we do -- BenQ's dream didn't count, unfortunately.

Hayabusa 2011

Engine Features:

• The Hayabusa is equipped with a 1340cc, in-line, DOHC liquid-cooled engine with 16-valves, and Twin Swirl Combustion Chambers (TSCC).
• Lightweight aluminum alloy pistons with a compression ratio of 12.5:1 are used for maximum performance in all conditions. Hard, smooth chrome-nitride Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating on the upper compression and oil control rings on each piston reduces friction while improving cylinder sealing.
• Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM) cylinder plating improves heat transfer, durability and ring seal.
• Lightweight titanium valves allow the use of light valve springs and high lift while maintaining accurate valve control. Iridium spark plugs are used for high combustion efficiency.
• The Hayabusa's engine is fed via Suzuki's SDTV (Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve) fuel injection system with dual 12-hole, fine-spray injectors per cylinder and ram air intake with large volume airbox.
• Suzuki Pulsed-secondary AIR-injection (PAIR) system ignites unburned hydrocarbons and reduces carbon monoxide emissions.
• S-DMS (Suzuki Drive Mode Selector) allows the rider to choose from three different engine settings depending on riding conditions or rider preferences.
• The Hayabusa comes with a large volume 4-2-1-2 exhaust system with a large capacity catalyzer, dual triangular canisters and closed loop system.
• A high efficiency curved radiator features dual electric fans controlled by the ECM for increased cooling capacity. The oil cooler has 10 rows cores for increased heat dissipation.

Ferrari 458 Italia 2011

The Ferrari 458 Italia's Pininfarina design provides further evidence of the complete departure from the past that this new car hails. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a compact, aerodynamic shape, underscoring the concepts of simplicity, efficiency and lightness that inspired the project. As with every Ferrari, the car's styling has been very heavily influenced by the requirements for aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the downforce of 140 kg at 200km/h generated by the new model. The front features a single opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and the new flat underbody. The nose also sports small aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag.
The new 4499 cc V8 is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to be mid-rear mounted. It has a very low piston compression height typical of racing engines which contributed to achieving its compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers 570 CV at 9000 rpm and, with an outstanding power output of 127 CV/litre, sets a new benchmark not only for the whole Ferrari range and the history of company, but also for the entire market segment. Maximum torque is 540 Nm at 6000 rpm, over 80 per cent of which is available from 3250 rpm. Specific torque is a record 120 Nm/litre. However, what is truly extraordinary is the amount of torque available while still maintaining high levels of power at low revs.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which increases performance whilst providing very smooth shifts even at full throttle. The engineers have developed specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves of the new V8, guaranteeing high torque even at lower engine speeds and allowing the car to reach its maximum speed in top gear.
With the Ferrari 458 Italia, Maranello has brought a highly distinctive new car to its 8-cylinder range. The company now offers two models that share a common, race-derived DNA, both exceptionally sporty and fun to drive in true Ferrari tradition, but aimed at two very different kinds of client. While the Ferrari California was created for owners requiring a more versatile sports car with a practical edge, the Ferrari 458 Italia is designed for owners for whom the priority is uncompromising on-road performance with occasional track day capability, but who still demand a car that is useable in day-to-day driving like all Ferrari's recent models.