Archive for October, 2010

2013 Audi A3 sedan rendering

// Posted in Audi

Word on the street says Audi is developing a sedan version of its A3 hatch. It would be launched as part of the third generation A3 platform and French publication L’Automobile reckon it will look like this. It is now expected the next gen A3 hatch and Sportback will be launched in 2012. The sedan [...]

2010 MINI Challenge – Round 5, Phillip Island

Apologies for the lateness of this update. In short, Chris Alajajian didn’t manage a race win, but he still pocketed enough points to take the Round win at Phillip Island and maintained his MINI Challenge series lead. Defending champion Paul Stokell had his share of dramas and followed victory in Race 1 by missing all [...]

Saab gives 9-4X early preview

// Posted in Saab

Saab’s resurgence shows further signs of progression with these new images of their upcoming 9-4X SUV. It will have a full reveal at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November. For now, though, we’ve got these six pics to look at. Once you get past the initial protestations that the world doesn’t really need a [...]

Nissan GT-R – MY11 specs released

// Posted in Nissan

Nissan has just confirmed details of the MY11 changes made to its all-conquering GT-R. No car can show its face these days without LED daytime running lights, you see. Of course, Nissan’s engineers went further than that, also trimming 10kg from the GT-R’s portly weight. Fuel consumption has been improved, along with a reduction in [...]

AIMS 2010: Photo gallery

Here is the AUSmotive photo gallery from the Australian International Motor Show industry day. There are 128 photos in all and you can simply click on each thumbnail to access a 2000px super image. Highlights include a couple of track specials in the form of the awesome Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and the rear-engined V6 [...]

AIMS 2010: Audi A8 L

Hidden away on a mezzanine level at the Audi motor show stand is an imposing W12 powered A8 L. It’s Audi’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. A long luxo cruiser designed with opulence and luxury in mind, and not much else. The huge lattice grille introduces a commanding presence, one which is complemented by the [...]

AIMS 2010: Audi A1

Audi launched its new A1 model at the Australian International Motor Show. They say it is the next big thing. Small in size, big on features is the theory. Does the A1 deliver on its promise? We’ll need a drive before we can give a definitive answer on that, but after putting our grubby little [...]

AIMS 2010: Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Australia drove the new Polo GTI from underneath its red cover at AIMS yesterday to mark its Australian debut. A neat trick that easily got the gong for the most innovative way to remove a cover from a car. After sitting inside the car and pushing all of its buttons it’s clear the new [...]

AIMS 2010: Volkswagen Amarok

The reveal of the Volkswagen Amarok was one of the better executed unveilings at AIMS yesterday. Three different scenarios were presented, with a family beach holiday the most plausible. The other themes were a Dakar Rally inspired motorsport reveal and a suburban couple on their way to a romantic dinner, presumably. Although this was, perhaps, [...]

AIMS 2010: Mercedes-Benz G-Class

If you ask any true car enthusiast to compile a list of the world’s coolest cars you should expect to see the Mercedes-Benz G-Class appear somewhere on that list. It’s the fact that it simply makes no sense for Benz to keep making a car like the G-Class that makes it so right. That they [...]

AIMS 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Here at AUSmotive we are unashamed fans of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. It’s such a great looking car, it has a superb sounding engine and it references the 300 SL Gullwing—a car so beautiful and perfect in its proportions it has rarely been equalled since. So when we saw the 21st century Gullwing under its [...]

AIMS 2010: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG ‘Concept 358’

Mercedes-Benz provided a couple of world firsts at the Australian International Motor show yesterday. This fantastically bright orange C63 AMG was one of them. It was made specifically to Mercedes-Benz Australia’s specifications and in addition to the designo Pearl Orange paint it has been fitted with an AMG Performance Package Plus. These performance goodies, including [...]

AUSmotive at the Australian International Motor Show

AUSmotive will be at the 2010 Australian International Motor Show tomorrow. We should have a few updates from the floor via twitter, so keep an eye on that. This will be followed by a steady stream of new information over the course of the weekend. If you have any questions you’d like asked, or any [...]

Raeder Motorsport Audi TT RS

This is one of the most extreme Audi TT RS examples we have seen yet. And for very good reason. It has been prepared by German outfit Raeder Motorsport and will be competing in a couple of VLN rounds at the Nürburgring later this month, starting this weekend in fact. There’s not a lot of [...]