Tuesday, November 30, 2010

New 2012 Audi A6 first official pictures leaked

0 comments



After spyshots and a vague teaser we have here, one day before the old media embargo ends - the official pictures for you. This is the new Audi A6.

As expected, the new A6 model range within a revolution, but is quietly builds upon the family face as we already know from the new A7 and A8. Especially the interior is reminiscent of that of the A7, which is definitely not a punishment.

The appearance is no big surprise. In fact, you need to look like the Audi you can distinguish it from its predecessor. Especially the new LED headlights and taillights, grille and bumpers slightly different which you can recognize him. Even here some info already known: the new A6 is in an MLB-platform for a portion (20%) of aluminum. So they put on weight.

The engine range will consist of a plurality of TDI and TFSI blocks can be combined with quattro drive. This will not entail major surprises, but we will hear more tomorrow no doubt about it, if the rest of the Audi releases info. In the pictures is actually a 3.0 liter V6 TDI image. At the Geneva Motor Show, the new A6 will be in the flesh for the first time to really admire.



Click for Full Size


Click the title for the source

Monday, November 29, 2010

Video: Audi RS3 Sportback Details

0 comments

Porsche Cajun confirmed for 2014

0 comments



Porsche has officially confirmed what's been rumored for at least three years – the German automaker will build a small (2 door) SUV to slot in below its highly successful Cayenne. With the working name "Cajun," Porsche wants the mini SUV to provide younger customers another point of entry into the brand.

Designer Walter da Silva has apparently taken the lead on the project, which is expected to be loosely based on the Audi Q5, and claims that the Cajun will have "typical Porsche features such as light weight, ease of handling and agility."



Click the title for the source

9ff Speed9 Porsche 911 Cabrio

0 comments



For years Porsche tuner 9ff has been making insane versions of the 911 Cabrio, and with this last one they seem to have reached their peak. The 9ff Speed9 presented at Essen Motor Show is one helluva beast! Check out these figures: 650 HP, 890 Nm, 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, and top speed 330 km/h. 330 in a convertible, that won’t mess your hairdo, it will take your head off! 9ff Speed9 is priced at around 240,000 Euro which is not much really for something this awesome.



650 HP / 478 kW, 890 Nm (656 lb-ft)
• 9ff sport-exhaust system
• 100cell sport metal catalytic converter
• 9ff exhaust manifolds
• 9ff intercoolers
• 9ff 650 VTG Turbochargers
• Sport air filter
• 9ff ECU Upgrade

Exterior
• 9ff „Speed9″ Design
• 9ff „Speed9 Aerodynamic” consists of:
• 9ff frontspoiler
• 9ff sideskirts
• 9ff rearspoiler

Interior
• complete 9ff Alcantara / Leather Interior design
• 9ff steering wheel (Paddle Shift with Tiptronic)
• 9ff Speed9 design seats
• Alcantara dash board
• Alcantara / Leather door trim
• 9ff „Speed9″ roll cage
• 9ff design instruments with 400km/h display Wheels
• 9ff 19″ center-lock wheels
• front 8,5″ x 19″ – 235/35-ZR 19
• rear 11,0 x 19″ – 295/30-ZR 19

Gearbox
• 6 shift Porsche PDK transmission or
• Tiptronic available

Brakes
• 2 FR Compound discs 380×32mm
• 2 FR 6-pistons callipers
• 1 special set braking pads
• 2 Rear Compound discs 380mm x 28mm Chassis
• adjustable PASH shock absorbers
• coil over springs with adaptors
• aluminium spring plates

Roof
• Softtop and Hardtop available



Click the title for the source

Video: 2012 Audi A6 Teaser

0 comments

Audi TT GT4 concept revealed for club sport racing

0 comments



Audi is making a full assault in sports car racing with yet another customer program. Just weeks ago Audi presented the TT-RS SP4T prototype for endurance racing and now on the occassion of the DTM race in Shanghai have unveiled a club sport TT for the GT4 series. Five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela did some demo laps in the new TT on the street circuit.

Developed by in-house sports division quattro GmbH, the TT GT4 is targeted as a base option for affordable motorsports and features a reinforced TT body, roll cage, reinforced fuel tank amongst other required modifications.

Audi doesn't give engine specs but tells us it is a TFSI engine producing 340 PS (250 kW / 335 bhp). The TT GT4 is fitted with a S-tronic transmission with a differential lock, a modified production suspension with adjustable dampers, plus 9.5 x 18 inch light alloy wheels.

The exterior adopts the front bumper, rear bumper and rear wing from the production Audi TT-RS model. To save weight the hood, doors and trunk lid are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic in addition to plastic windows.

Although Audi is calling it a concept, the TT GT4 will be targeted to the European and Asian markets with a price of 120,000 euros.

Click for Full Size


Click the title for the source

Friday, November 26, 2010



Details of the all-new A6 will be unveiled next week (Dec 1) before the car is unveiled in the metal at the Detroit motor show in early January.

The Audi A6 will likely feature many of the styling cues found on the current A8, while also taking some design highlights from the more dramatic A7. Most probably, next-gen 2012 Audi A6 will have a 50% lighter chassis thanks to the use of aluminum ASF II spaceframe. It will consist of a conventional steel chassis.

However, the traditional steel coil springs will continue to be used in the standard suspension. Moreover, an optional air suspension is also likely to be available.

Expect to see a completely revamped powertrain lineup. This powertrain lineup is likely to consist of all forced induction engines. The base engine of the vehicle would be a 2.0L 4 cylinder engine.

Click the title for the source

Video: Audi quattro Concept Overview

0 comments

Volkswagen Brightens up Golf with New LED Front Lights

0 comments



Those of you with a good memory probably remember that back in late 2009, Volkswagen developed a new set of LED tail lights for the sportiest variants of the Golf VI. Now it's time for the German carmaker to introduce the same option for the Golf's headlights - at least for the European market. The new optional LEDs for the headlamps are similar in design to those found on the facelifted Eos hardtop convertible.

Within the housings of the bi-xenon headlamps, 15 LEDs form the daytime running lights offering improved visibility in all weather conditions over the standard lamps. The package, which combines the Bi-Xenon headlamps with the LEDs is priced in Germany at €1,310

Click for Full Size


Click the title for the source

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Audi RS7 Rendering

0 comments



This latest rendering has surfaced recently based on what we know about the upcoming RS7 model. We also hear the car will likely make use of an even hotter version of the upcoming 4.0T that will be used in milder tune in the S6, S7 and S8.
Enjoy!



Click the title for the source

Senner Tuning Audi TT RS Roadster with 430HP

0 comments



Based on the Audi TT RS roadster, Senner Tuning's POWER TT certainly lives up to its name boasting a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 430 ponies. The German tuning firm's package also include interior and exterior appointments, alongside new alloy wheels and suspensions tweaks.

The TT RS' 5-cylinder powerplant, which is also found in the new Audi RS3, was upgraded with a customized ECU, a sport air filters and a high performance exhaust system. The latter can be ordered for all TT models and features dual tailpipes.



The standard alloys were ditched in favor of 7-spoke 20-inch Varianza T1S rims, shod in 255/30 tires, while the car now rides lower thanks to a new sports suspension.

Senner applied various carbon fiber parts to the body, such as the mirror housings and the rear wing, while the tuner also used the same material inside on the steering wheel, door handles and center console.



Click the title for the source

Audi bringing plug-in hybrid in 2014

0 comments



By the year 2020, Audi hopes to be the "leading premium seller of electric vehicles," Franciscus van Meel, the automaker's manager for electric mobility, stated during a recent technical workshop at the company's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. In addition to launching a number of hybrid vehicles (including the A8 and Q5) over the next few years, Audi plans to debut a plug-in hybrid in 2014.

Exactly what sort of plug-in hybrid we'll actually see hasn't been disclosed just yet, but the whole business is part of Audi's e-tron division – the folks that gave us beauties like the R8-based e-tron supercar (pictured above) that debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Furthermore, Audi's board member for technology, Michael Dick, says that by 2020, he wants to see the automaker's internal combustion engines improve efficiency by 30 percent, with 5 percent of the brand's lineup to be purely electric. That's a tall order, indeed, but with parent company Volkswagen AG aiming to be the number one producer of hybrid and electric cars before the end of the next decade, the four-ringed automaker's quest for electrification isn't as far-fetched as you might think.

Click the title for the source

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Video: Porsche Cayenne Turbo vs Audi Q7 V12 TDI

0 comments

Video: Audi Q5 hybrid quattro

0 comments

Porsche in new joint venture with Bentley for 928 return

0 comments



In a recent interview, the president Matthias Muller said it was studying a joint venture between Porsche and Bentley. The two car manufacturers should share the task of purchasing and the platform of the Panamera, in order to increase synergies, economies of scale and reduce costs of design and production.

The joint venture between Porsche and Bentley will lead to the creation of new variants of bodywork for the Panamera, including a two-door coupe 928, which we have a new rendering above. Additionally, Muller has announced that they are studying other variants of the Porsche Panamera, as the long wheelbase version provide a good platform for a station wagon or crossover.

Click the title for the source

Porsche Panamera diesel confirmed for production

0 comments



Porsche CEO Matthias Müller has confirmed the company will launch a diesel-powered Panamera in the second half of 2011.

Speaking with Germany's Westfalen-Blatt, Müller cited the success of the Cayenne diesel as one of the key reasons for launching the new Panamera variant.

While he declined to specify what engine would be used, there is little doubt it will be the 3.0-liter TDI with 176 kW (240 PS / 236 hp) and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of torque. It will be mounted to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which should allow the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in a little over seven seconds.

Besides talking about the Panamera, Müller stated the company has grown fond of the Cajan name - for their entry-level crossover - and is exploring its legal availability.

Click the title for the source

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Video: Porsche Cayenne Turbo track test

0 comments

Audi RS3 with Black Optics Package

0 comments



The Black Optics styling package gives your Audi RS3 a sporty, exclusive appearance: The front grille, grille frame, front license plate holder and the tailpipes of the exhaust system are a highly polished black. The Matte Aluminum styling package includes matte aluminum finish on the front spoiler, the mounts of the front lower
air intakes, trim on the door handles, lateral fins, underside of the roof spoiler
and the upper edge of the rear diffuser.

Click the title for the source

Audi Quattro is set for production with photos in public

0 comments



We've seen the Audi Quattro concept under auto show lights, but a recent Audi fan in California caught the car out in Malibu on Monday. Its minders let slip what's been rumored so far: the Quattro will get a limited production build.

The concept was complete with its design-studio license plate and one-off interior — on the Pacific Coast Highway, escorted by the California Highway Patrol. Along for the ride to a photo shoot was a classic red Quattro.

Given Volkswagen's desire to surpass Toyota as the world's largest automaker, and its vow to spend $72 billion (yes, billion) by 2015, finding a few million to reignite the dreams of Quattro lovers around the world seems as easy as Malibu in November.

Enjoy the pictures!

Click for Full Size



Click the title for the source

VW Scirocco and Passat CC Get BlueMotion

0 comments



Volkswagen’s BlueMotion Technology is the cleanest and most fuel efficient to come out of Germany. Unveiled recently; the Scirocco and Passat CC will soon come with the BlueMotion option.

The Scirocco and Passat CC will have the option of: 2.0-liter 140 PS, 2.0-liter TDI 170 PS, or 2.0-liter TDI 140 PS. Both models will come with Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems.



Click the title for the source

Porsche Upgrades Weissach R&D Center

0 comments



Porsche announced today they’re upgrading their research and development center in Weissach by investing 150 million euros, which will result in a new high-tech wind tunnel, design centre and electronics integration centre. They also released this picture of the clay model of the 918 Spyder, so one can think those upgrades were necessary for producing such a high-end car!

Porsche hopes with the new design studios and equipments and all the extra space they’re giving to the designers, result in more creative projects. They also confirm that the increased capacities were urgently required in the Weissach centre of competence for sports car construction. As you know Porsche will introduce a couple of all-new cars over the next few years, including some hybrid models.

“The new system will help us to maintain Porsche’s top position in the fields of aerodynamics and design and to further extend our lead. Outstanding design with optimal aerodynamic efficiency have always been classic Porsche strongholds”, says Wolfgang Dürheimer, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Research and Development. As the system will not only be used for Porsche’s internal developments, but will also be extensively available for Porsche customer development, it offers direct access from the adjacent design studio, and separate entrances for the discrete completion of customer development projects.

Sub-areas which were previously scattered throughout several buildings at Porsche’s Weissach site can be bundled in the future electronics integration centre. Dürheimer: “This spatial proximity is a major advantage. The close interaction of our suppliers’ various electrical system/electronics experts and colleagues from related specialist fields during development will contribute significantly to the success of our work, particularly in the case of electronics, which now play a role in virtually every vehicle component.” Besides investing in systems and buildings, Porsche is also increasing its staffing levels. Around 100 engineers are to be recruited in the first stage alone.

Click the title for the source

Monday, November 22, 2010

Video: Fifth Gear testing the Porsche 911 GT2 RS

0 comments

2012 VW Beetle silhouette revealed with some new intel

0 comments



Oprah Winfrey is going out in style by giving each member of her studio audience keys to the as-yet-unseen 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. The promotion is part of Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things giveaway, in which audience members are lavished with pricey surprise gifts of all descriptions.

Jonathan Browning, President and CEO of Volkswagen of America, confirmed that Winfrey reached out to the German automaker about the giveaway, saying that as an owner of the current VW New Beetle, the icon has long been one of her Favorite Things. The show, saw Oprah making the surprise announcement in front of a silhouette of the forthcoming model, and a current model New Beetle was featured on stage. While Browning admits that Oprah has been given a sneak peek at the completed car, her 275 lucky audience members will be in the dark about their new rides look until VW reveals it at a date to be determined this Spring. Audience members will receive their cars next Fall when VW's Puebla, Mexico plant begins production.

While VW officials declined to talk in detail about the 2012 Beetle, Browning did confirm that the new model will feature technologies like Bluetooth integration and a touchscreen stereo display, along with branded audio systems and ambient lighting. More importantly, Browning insists that the new model will have a decidedly sportier bent than previous iterations. The 2012 Beetle will feature available performance-minded items like a stiffer suspension, sport seats, 19-inch wheels and dual exhausts.

This more sporting attitude is interesting, in part because VW officials have previously indicated that they hope to 'degender' the new model (the New Beetle's image and ownership base has long skewed heavily female). Given this positioning, the decision to launch a major promotion with Oprah Winfrey may seem a bit curious, but VW knows that it will still need to woo the current New Beetle's core audience in order for the 2012 model to be a success.

It has been confirmed that not only will VW's TDI engines figure in to the model's plans, but clean diesel technology will even be available in the Cabriolet model. The company's venerable 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine will also be available, but there's no word yet about a dedicated high-performance model or a possible hybrid variant.

Click the title for the source