Month: November 2010

Categories
Audi

Audi RS3 due in April 2011?

Audi RS3 - due in April 2011?

Some new information regarding the greatly anticipated Audi RS3 has found its way on to the German Car Forum. Accordingly we can expect the RS3, in Sportback form only, to be released in April next year. Assuming this is the case, then a public debut for the RS3 at next year’s Geneva Motor Show in March has most likely been locked in by Audi’s top brass.

There has previously been some confusion over the peak power figure of the RS3; rumours in September suggested the 2.5 litre inline five cylinder in the RS3 could get as much as 10bhp more than the TT RS, with the TT RS to receive a similar power upgrade as part of a mid-cycle refresh. However, those numbers could possibly be explained by conversion from bhp to PS to kW, or variations thereof. If the above document is correct, then 340PS = 250kW, which is the same as the TT RS.

The info appears to be some form of internal dealer communication (click on the image above for the full version you check out the full version on the German Car Forum link below), so there is cause to give some credence to the data shown. All we need to do now is keep waiting.

[Source: German Car Forum | Thanks to Wayne for the tip]

Categories
Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake given green light

Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept

Mercedes has just announced its very cool CLS Shooting Brake concept will become a production reality in 2012. The concept was first shown in April this year in Beijing at the Auto China show.

Now that the four-door coupé is set for production Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars is a bit excited, “In 2004, Mercedes-Benz established a new vehicle segment with the four-door Coupé CLS and created a design icon. 170,000 customers around the globe show how enthusiastic this car has been received by the market. The decision to build the CLS Shooting Brake underscores the leading role of Mercedes-Benz in regards of innovative passenger car concepts and design – and that is exactly what the customers expect from us.”

The Shooting Brake will be built on the same production line as the CLS and the E-Class sedan at Sindelfingen.

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Categories
Aston Martin

Aston Martin makes a Top Gear video

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N420

Aston Martin has gone all Top Gear on us with this new video of the V8 Vantage N420. It’s very much in the theme of the closing piece Jeremy did on the V12 Vantage to close out Series 13. This version from Aston is a perfectly brilliant way to start the day, so crank up the volume and enjoy!

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Categories
BMW Green Machines

BMW turns vision into reality

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics

BMW has recently announced it will be turning its Vision EfficientDynamics concept into a full production model. The concept version first saw the light of day at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The road going version will be headlined by BMW’s ActiveHybrid technology, which in this instance translates to a 3 cylinder turbo diesel with a hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a full-hybrid engine fitted at the rear. All those bits add up to a peak power figure of 241kW (328bhp).

Other numbers of note are the claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds, a supposed fuel consumption figure of just 3.76 litres per 100km and CO2 emission rating of 99g/km. The car is fitted with a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery that can be charged in two and a half hours. This is a good thing, too, because the total range available in full electric mode is only 50km. However, the total range of the car, including 24 litres of diesel, is around 700km.

Those following more closely will have been kept up to date on this model at the dontblogaboutthis website, where more info can be found. After the break you read BMW’s press release along with some more pics and a repeat performance of the company’s explanation of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept.

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Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

2010 Brazilian GP – Post-race press conference

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix

So it was another Red Bull Racing one-two in Brazil this morning, with the young German Sebastian Vettel taking the win to keep his title hopes well and truly alive. Australia’s Mark Webber came home second and is still the closest man to Ferrari’s Fernando, some eight points behind. Alonso, third, simply needs to finish second or better at next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to become the youngest man to be crowned a triple World Champion.

The Constructors’ Championship was decided in Sao Paulo with the maximum points haul for Red Bull enough for the Milton Keynes based outfit to deny the chances of McLaren. Cast your mind back to the bits and pieces that were left over from the old Jaguar team at the end of 2004 and consider their reincarnation as Red Bull Racing is now the best team in F1; very impressive given the resources and history of their closest opponents. As Team Principal it is fair and reasonable that Christian Horner was on the podium to claim the team’s trophy, perhaps, though, it should have been Adrian Newey; without him the RB6 may not have been the dominant car in season 2010.

Clearly Fernando Alonso is the odd man out in the picture above, will it be him, or one of the Red Bull men with the broadest smile after the season finale?

You can gauge the thoughts of all three contenders with the full transcript from the post-race press conference below.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Categories
Formula 1

Incredible performance puts The Hulk on pole in Brazil

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg, pole position

A genuinely good news story emerged in the world of Formula One at the Brazilian Grand Prix early this morning when Williams driver Nico Hülkenberg claimed an incredible maiden pole position. It is the first time since the 2005 European Grand Prix at the Nürburging, exactly 100 races ago, that a Williams has started from first on the grid.

While all three qualifying sessions were affected by wet weather it was the final session that gave Hülkenberg the opportunity to shine. With around four and half minutes left in Q3 the Interlagos track was finally ready for slick tyres and all 10 participating drivers came in to change. Initially, the grip provided by the slicks left the drivers on a knife edge. But with each lap the line became drier and the times began to tumble.

So much so that with just 13 seconds of qualifying remaining it was Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso who held provisional pole (1:15.989). In the end his time was only good enough to secure fifth place on the grid, as Lewis Hamilton (McLaren – 1:15.747), Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing – 1:15.637), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing – 1:15.519) and Hülkenberg all went quicker.

Hülkenberg, though, timed his run to perfection and effectively had one more lap than the rest of the field. With only four seconds left in the final session the young German posted the quickest time. A time unable to be beaten by the two Red Bulls following close behind. And with the track conditions on the improve The Hulk improved on his provisional pole time to register his best time of 1:14.470 to lead the field by over one second.

It’s great for F1 to see the emergence of a new talent and it must be remembered that Hülkenberg is in his rookie season fighting to secure a drive in 2011. Meanwhile, the potential unpredictability of having a first-timer on pole with five men behind him still in the hunt for the World Championship means this will be one race worth getting up at 3am for!

A press release from AT&T Williams can be read after the jump, along with the full text from the official FIA post-qualifying press conference.

[Pics: Williams/LAT]

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Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear’s new Stig looks just like the old one

Top Gear - New Stig

According to a new Top Gear video the picture above is the new Stig. He looks just like the old one; a marketing/merchandising decision, it would seem.

The latest Stig incarnation was revealed due to Top Gear Live commitments and, so far, the television show is remaining coy about the future of the new Stig making an appearance in Season 16.

Who are they kidding?

After the break you can see the video which was filmed on location at the Stig Farm, where the New Stig was supposedly created. It includes some not so subtle, and rather childish, digs at Ben Collins.

[Source: TopGear.com]

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Categories
Volkswagen

Volkswagen Jetta R on the cards

Volkswagen Jetta

Last week Volkswagen held the European launch of its latest Jetta saloon in Munich. Same old fare, really. That was until you realised there was a Jetta R on display with everything to show except the official R badging.

Well, that might be stretching the truth a little, but according to Autocar there was Jetta present fitted with a 3.6-litre V6 with an undisclosed power rating. Also featured in this Jetta R-in-hiding was a 6-speed DSG and 4motion all-wheel drive.

The chances of the R’s future appear to lie with consumer demand, “If there are customers asking for it, we will do it,” claims Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen R&D boss, “It wouldn’t be a problem for us. The Jetta’s platform can take four-wheel drive.”

It would seem, then, that this is America’s best chance to jump on the R performance bandwagon, which currently misses out on the Golf R and Scirocco R.

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Lamborghini

Lamborghini LP700-4 details emerge

Lamborghini Jota prototype

The above Lamborghini development mule was spied at the Ring in September. Back then it was widely accepted the new Murcielago replacement would be wearing a Jota name plate. Now, though, it seems the Jota badge is out and the big Lambo will be called the LP700-4.

That 700 figure is an obvious reference to the car’s expected peak horsepower (around 520kW), which will be delivered by a 6.5 litre V12. Add to that around 680Nm of torque and all-wheel drive and it should be enough to propel this raging bull to 100km/h in less than 3 seconds, before reaching a v-max of 350km/h.

Clearly, then, Lamborghini aren’t mucking about with this new model. The LP700-4 is expected to shed over 220kg from the weight of the Murci, with a reliance on a carbon fibre body monocoque and light weight body panels to help achieve that aim. Suspension components will be inspired by F1. And, to cap things off, the car will have a 7-speed box that can punch out shifts in around 50 milliseconds.

Well, this is the deal from a supposedly hooked up FerrariChat member anyway. According to him, we’ll find out for sure in March 2011 when the Jota/LP700-4 is revealed for the first time.

[Source: Autoblog | Pic: Pistonspy]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Mark Webber: “It’s crunch time”

Mark Webber

It’s no surprise that the pressure on Mark Webber will be huge this weekend. But, as a new post on his website testifies, he’s ready and willing for the challenge, “It’s crunch time: we have two races in the space of eight days, at the end of which we’ll know the identity of the 2010 world champion.

“It doesn’t get bigger than this and I feel 110 percent ready for the fight.”

Crucially, and partly on the back of last year’s victory in Brazil, Mark goes into the race full of confidence, “I’ve never been outqualified by a team-mate at Interlagos,” he said.

“I can think of no better time to take another victory than now; you can be sure that I’ll do everything in my power to achieve that.”

[Source: MarkWebber.com | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Porsche

New 991 Porsche 911 spy shots

Porsche 991 911 spy shot

Autoblog brings us a great gallery of images of the 991 Porsche 911 coupé and convertible. Based on these pics, which show development cars mostly free of camouflage, the next-generation 911 is going to be a very nice looking car. A better looking 997, really. Which is just what we have come to expect from Porsche.

With any luck we’ll see the 991 revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show (3–13 March).

[Source: Autoblog | Pic: KGP Photography]

Categories
Ford Motorsports WRC

Brendan Reeves and Molly Taylor earn WRC Academy drives

First filed 26 October 2010

Brendan Reeves & Molly Taylor

26 October 2010: Young Australian drivers Brendan Reeves and Molly Taylor have just been awarded €500,000 WRC Academy scholarships for the 2011 season. Both drivers were selected for the Academy following a successful showing in the recent Pirelli Star Driver Shootout.

The WRC Academy replaces the JWRC category and is a one-make series using Ford Fiesta R2s. There will be 20 competitors taking place in the Academy next year, but only six scholarships were up for grabs.

In addition to the six rounds of racing competition Academy participants will be given expert training for a future WRC career, including diet and mental preparation.

After being told of her success Taylor said, “My focus has always been working towards the WRC, so to be sitting here today knowing that this is actually a reality is surreal. This is just the beginning and the hard work starts now, I’m buzzing!”

Meanwhile, Reeves is also happy and grateful for the opportunities ahead, “This is a dream come true for me. I would really like to thank Pirelli and the FIA for giving junior drivers the opportunity to compete for such a fantastic prize. There is nothing else like it in rallying and for them to give young drivers like myself the chance to become a WRC driver, is awesome.”

Well done to Reeves and Taylor and here’s hoping both have a great 2011. Follow the source link below to see a brief video explaining the WRC Academy.

[Source: WRC]

UPDATE 4 November: The WRC Academy video from the source link has been added to YouTube and you can now watch the clip right here after the jump. Thanks to Chris for the tip.

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