Month: April 2009

Categories
Volkswagen

Haldex extends AWD partnership with Volkswagen

Volkswagen Tiguan testing Haldex AWD system on snow/ice

Swedish all-wheel drive manufacturer Haldex has secured an AU$740M contract to supply AWD components for Volkswagen’s new modular platform concept due in 2012. Essentially this will mark the production of the fifth-generation of the Haldex system.

This extension of the partnership with the Volkswagen Group marks the largest agreement for Haldex and as you can imagine they’re pretty chuffed about the news.

“It is a success for Haldex that VW has named Haldex as its choice of long-term partner in connection with VW’s plans to expand its four-wheel drive offering”, says Joakim Olsson, President and CEO of Haldex. “The order from VW must be viewed in the light of Haldex’s leadership in terms of function, performance and competitiveness in the market for four-wheel-drive systems that match ever-stronger demand trends in respect of safety, low energy consumption and costs.”

Haldex has a strong history with Volkswagen which has employed Generation I, II and IV Haldex systems across the Volkswagen Group portfolio, which includes Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Bugatti and Lamborghini.

The full press statement from Haldex is available below.

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Categories
Formula 1

Mark Webber claims best GP result in Shanghai

Mark Webber

Australia’s Mark Webber has finished second at the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai today. In a big day for Webber’s Red Bull Racing team, he finished behind teammate, and pole sitter, 22-year-old Sebastien Vettel. The second place marks a great comeback to fitness for Webber who badly broke his leg last November. It is his best ever finish in an F1 race, after twice finishing in third place (Monaco 2005, Williams; and Nürburgring 2007, Red Bull Racing).

The win is Red Bull Racing’s first Formula One success, and the 1-2 podium finish is a stunning result for Christian Horner’s team.

Championship leader Jenson Button, BrawnGP, finished the race in third position. Comments from all three drivers given at the post race press conference can be read at Formula1.com.

[Picture: Rick Guest via Red Bull Racing]

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear Series 13 return date

Top Gear series 13 return date

Through a few cobbled together pieces of information our friends at finalgear.com reckon the lighter and brighter season of Top Gear (Series 13) will return to UK screens on 21 June.

It looks like Clarkson, Hammond and May are locked in for a 7 episode run, with a further 7 episodes for Series 14 to close out the year.

According to Top Gear‘s Transmission blog, there is a chance the start date for season 13 could be pushed back to 28 June due to a last minute schedule change by the BBC. Stay tuned to AUSmotive for the latest.

Australian readers will see Series 2 of Top Gear Australia on SBS TV from 11 May. It would be nice if SBS ran Series 13 of the proper Top Gear straight after the Aussie series.

[Source: finalgear]

Categories
Seat

2009 Seat Ibiza FR

2009 Seat Ibiza FR

More Spanish flair that we will never see in Australia. This time, the new Ibiza FR. In Seat-speak the FR range sits below the Cupra name. This Ibiza FR, then, sits in the mild section of the spice rack.

I’m not sure that the twin side crease lines work as well as the flowing curves of the Leon, but there is no denying that this car makes a bold statement. Overall, it is a great looking hatch. Even if Seat interiors do lack some of the polish from their Volkswagen and Audi cousins. Just see the crudely mounted aftermarket-style sat nav screen in the images below for an example.

The Ibiza FR is powered by a 110kW 1.4 TSI, and is based on the new Volkswagen Polo, which Australian readers will see down under early next year.

More goodness after the jump.

Continue reading “2009 Seat Ibiza FR”
Categories
Seat

2009 Seat Leon Cupra

2009 Seat Leon Cupra

Seat UK has released images and preliminary details of the Seat Leon Cupra to be revealed in full at the Barcelona Motor Show (9-17 May). Just look at the drama of that side crease line. It is simply stunning!

Of course, the Seat range is based on Volkswagen underpinnings and this Seat takes a bunch of good stuff from the Mk6 Golf GTI. Although, with the car’s 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder pumping out an impressive 176kW that has been given a lot more Spanish spice compared to the GTI (155kW). The XDS, an electronic diff thingy, is all Golf, however.

There is no mention in this early release of Dynamic Chassis Control, a system able to change suspension characteritics at the push of  a button.

More pics and Seat press statement after the jump.

Continue reading “2009 Seat Leon Cupra”
Categories
Motorsports Subaru

Subaru STi set for Nürburgring challenge

Subaru STi to race at Nurburgring 24 hour race

Subaru is taking a factory team to the Nürburgring 24 hour race this year (21-24 May). They will be entering a single Impreza WRX STi and have stated they are chasing a class win (SP3T).

Check out AUSringers.com for more detail.

Categories
Motorsports Volkswagen

Its a gas gas gas

Volkswagen Scirocco GT24 CNG

Volkswagen will be sending a pair of natural gas powered Scirocco GT24s to race at the Nürburgring 24 hour race in May this year. They will be joining a trio of petrol powered GT24s.

The 130 RON compressed natural gas race fuel suits the turbo engines in the Scirocco and the cars are good for a smidge under 300bhp. The CNG powered cars will be headed by German touring car ace Klaus Niedzwiedz.

For more detail, check the full story at AUSringers.com.

Categories
Skoda

One in seven million

Skoda Superb

It is now 18 years since Volkswagen and Å koda merged and the Czech icon recently sold its seven millionth car since 1991.

Å koda returned to Australia in 2007 and with the strength of the Volkswagen dealer network behind the brand things are looking up Down Under. Sales, while modest, are up 11.7% on 2008 figures, year to date.

Continue reading “One in seven million”
Categories
Formula 1

Ron Dennis quits Formula One

Ron Dennis quits F1

A restructure of the McLaren Group, lead by Ron Dennis, has seen the 61-year-old walk away from F1 completely. This follows January’s news that Dennis handed over the running of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team to Martin Whitmarsh.

In his role as Executive Chairman of McLaren Automotive, Dennis will lead the the new sports car business. Effective immediately, Dennis has handed his responsibility as Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Racing to Martin Whitmarsh. This is in addition to Whitmarsh’s role of Team Principal of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.

Dennis, pictured above, at the McLaren Technology Centre with Richard Lapthorne, Non-Executive Chairman of McLaren Group, reflected on his F1 career at a press conference earlier today, “I admit I’m not always easy to get on with. I admit I’ve always fought hard for McLaren in Formula 1. I doubt if Max Mosley or Bernie Ecclestone will be displeased by my decision. But no-one asked me to do it. It was my decision.

“Equally, I was the architect of today’s restructure of the McLaren Group. Again, no-one asked me to do it. It was my decision.

“I feel enormously enthused about the prospects for the McLaren Group and for McLaren Automotive, and have no qualms about leaving Martin to report to the board regarding matters connected with Formula 1.”

[Source: BBC & McLaren.com]

Categories
Audi Bentley Bugatti Lamborghini Seat Skoda Volkswagen

Autostadt counts 18 millionth visitor

Autostadt, Wolfsburg, Germany

Car enthusiast heaven, otherwise known as the Autostadt, in Wolfsburg, Germany, recently saw its 18 millionth visitor through the turnstiles. Visitor numbers are nine years ahead of schedule. The Autostadt opened its doors on 1 June 2000, with predictions of 1 million visitors per annum. A figure which, in reality, has turned out to be 2 million visitors each year.

The Volkswagen Auto Group theme park has unique pavilions for all of the marques in its stable. That’s Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda and, of course, Volkswagen. Also included is general auto museum featuring notable cars from outside the VAG history books, as well.

It’s a pretty amazing place, dominated by the twin glass car towers where buyers can collect their new cars from. You can get a taste of that experience from this previous AUSmotive article. If you get the opportunity I highly recommend a visit. Volkswagen’s press release can be read after the jump, along with a few happy snaps of my own from my visit in 2006.

Further information can be read at autostadt.de and volkswagen.com.

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Categories
Nissan

Nissan GT-R claims new Ring record

Nissan GT-R claims new Nurburgring record

Hot off the presses, Nissan is claiming a new Nürburgring Nordschleife record for the GT-R. The new time is 7 minutes 27.56 seconds. And there could be more tomorrow. Nissan’s statement is available at AUSringers.com.

Categories
News Top Gear

‘World of Top Gear’ to open in June

World of Top Gear to open in June

No these are not three wax dummys, they are in fact the three well known Top Gear presenters, Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson. But, they might very will find themselves stuffed and propped up when their very own exhibition opens in June.

BBC Worldwide and the National Motor Museum (UK) have signed an agreement for a ‘World of Top Gear’ exhibition to be housed at the Beaulieu tourist attraction.

The exhibition will feature actual vehicles from the show’s ambitious, and generally foolhardy, challenges over the last 12 series. Included will be their amphibious cars and their attempts at creating unique limousines. Behind the scenes action and interactive highlights will also feature.

A financially responsible version of Top Gear is due to return to UK screens soon, with Series 13 scheduled for June.

A press statement on the ‘World of Top Gear’ exhibition can be read after the jump.

Continue reading “‘World of Top Gear’ to open in June”