Re: Alfa SUV (Kamal) specs & pics up

[Gary Stark <redbakstark@domain.elided>]

Here's some more from the press release:

"A love of driving, a love of travelling. If the first
has always been one of Alfa's strengths, the second
becomes an obligatory choice when, in addition to the
Alfa temperament, the car also has to have the comfort
of a saloon. For this reason, Kamal was designed with
double wishbone suspension all round. 

This layout makes driving extremely enjoyable,
combining the complete control typical of front wheel
drive with exceptional responses and pinpoint
accuracy, exploited in full on mixed roads. What is
more Kamal's suspension has height adjustable air
springs which are lowered
automatically when a certain speed is reached: the
effect is that of a car that really grips the road.
That is not all. The driver can adjust the suspension
height according to the type of use: higher off the
road, lower
on the road."


And more ...


"The power output is 250 bhp at 6200 rpm, with peak
torque of 300 Nm (30.6 kgm) at 4800 rpm. Which is
sufficient to guarantee exciting performance, and a
torque curve that reaches very high levels even at low
speeds, allowing you to travel in 6th gear at less
than 2000 rpm and to slip rapidly away without needing
to change gear.

The gearbox is the famous Selespeed unit with an
operating logic derived from Formula 1, which makes
for faster gear changes at low and high speeds."


A couple more images ...

http://photos.redbacksweb.com/Alfa_Karmal_01.jpg

http://photos.redbacksweb.com/Alfa_Karmal_02.jpg

There are some interesting touches in the facilities
and styling; the rear doors open from the front, and
the roof is transparent. 

I'll hold my judgement until I see one in the flesh,
but remember too that this is not Alfa's first such
vehicle either. My Quattro is so named because it's a
4WD, and a  wagon, and was the car that, IIRC, Subaru
copied the concept of for many of its past vehicles,
which has eventually led to its current range.


g.
Gary Stark
gstark@domain.elided
http://redbacksWeb.com
Back down under in Sydney, Oz.

79 Alfetta Sedan
74 2000 GTV
69 1750 GTV (restoring)
85 Alfa 33 Quattro
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