After seeing the Audi R8 GT up close at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne last month we wondered just what it would be like to drive. Well, thanks to Autocar, we can get about the best look we’re ever likely to get.
Remember, there’s just five of these cars coming to Australia and they have all been sold. Well, if you could buy an R8 that’s lost 100kg and is powered by a 412kW V10 you’d probably do it too.
Audi has released two new images of its urban concept. This time, though, it’s in Spyder form. We think it looks fantastic. Aside from the pics there’s not much else to add. Audi has issued another press release, but it’s much the same as before, with the word ‘Spyder’ added in a few times.
You’re looking at the Chevrolet Miray concept. It’s quite spectacular in its own right, let alone for an American car.
The Miray was first revealed at the Seoul Motor Show in March and is relies on carbon fibre body panels to help make its radical styling lightweight. Powered by a pair of electric motors and a 1.5 litre turbocharged four cylinder the Miray should be quite spritely around town as well.
It’s a great looking concept and we’ll be seeing more of it Frankfurt next month.
The master of spin, Ken Block, is back with a new Gymkhana release. It’s the fourth in his well known franchise; we use that term deliberately as this latest video is packed with commercial content. Perhaps this should come as no surprise when the clip is sub-titled ‘The Hollywood Megamercial’.
In GYM4 the driving is pure entertainment. There’s some excellent footage captured as Block negotiates his way around various movie sets. We just hope when the inevitable Gymkhana 5 is produced they go a bit easy on the ads.
The full 9 minutes of ‘hoonigan’ is yours after the break. To recapture the vibe from Ken’s first three installments, click here.
A mysterious press release is announcing a new luxury automotive brand called Eterniti Motors. Here’s the release in full:
The New Luxury Car Brand
A new luxury car brand is coming.
A different kind of luxury car brand.
A luxury car brand from London.
Eterniti Motors.
A quick scan of the interwebz tells us Eterniti will showcase a new $300,000+ SUV—like we need another one of those—at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show. There’s even a video teaser for you after the break to go with the above sketch.
While the ‘Hemera’ will be the company’s first vehicle, we anticipate there’ll be more to follow from the London-based manufacturer. With any luck they’ll sit a bit closer to the ground.
Marcos Ambrose became the first Australian to win a top-tier NASCAR race when he took the chequered flag at the Watkins Glen International on the weekend. The 34-year-old Tasmanian used his circuit racing background to edge out Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski in an exciting finish to the 92 lap Sprint Cup Series meet.
It was the 105th career start for Ambrose in NASCAR events. The 2003 and 2004 V8 Supercar champion made the move to the United States six years ago and success has taken a little longer than he hoped. Looks as though an off-season to switch to the Richard Petty Motorsport team has paid off.
You can watch Marcos talk about his victory in a short video after the break.
According to UK publication Autocar the next-gen BMW M3 will feature a 3.0 litre six cylinder engine with twin-turbochargers. It had previously been expected the new M3 motor would have an innovative tri-turbo setup.
The report says the M3’s new engine will be a new unit that is significantly different from the current N54 and N55 twin-turbo engines, incorporating new internals, intake system and ECU.
Peak power for the F32M is still expected to be around 450hp. The new engine, in a lesser state of tune, will also be used in the replacement for the 1 Series M Coupé (expected to wear an M2 badge).
[Source: Autocar]
We first brought word of the 2,500 hectare Ferrari World theme park opening in Abu Dhabi last November. Three quarters of a year later the tourist attraction’s official YouTube channel has published a new promo clip to entice you to the world’s most expensive sand trap. What do you think, will the long-term future of Ferrari World be boom or bust?
Watch the video for yourself after the break to help you decide. If you’ve been there already, we’d love to hear what you thought.
Plans for Volkswagen to put its five-seat Bulli concept into production are gathering momentum, according to Autocar. Rather than just using electric power, as per the concept shown at Geneva earlier this year, VW wants to sell the Bulli with conventionally powered engines as well.
Pictures can be a little deceiving as the Bulli is only marginally larger than a Polo. However, with retro-inspired MPV-like styling Volkswagen reckon the Bulli would be a sales hit, especially in the US.
“As a designer, I am convinced by this idea,†says Walter de’Silva, Head of Volkswagen Group Design. “We don’t have a space for another conventional MPV, but this one would be desirable on a different level, combining practicality with the heritage appeal.â€
VW believe its history and heritage value give it a unique selling point against increasing competition from Korea and China.
[Source: Autocar]
The Bugatti Veyron Super Sport is a stupidly quick car; we know this. It has a top speed over 431km/h and can reach 100km/h in just 2.5 seconds. Here, in this short teaser video, Chris Harris explains what that speed feels like.
In recent days the intriguing tale of an abandoned BMW dealership in Canada has been making its way around the globe. The story goes Citation Motors in Oakville, Ontario was discarded in 1988 after the dealership was stripped of its license.
It’s unknown why the dealership lost its rights, but the man behind it moved on and opened another car yard called Downtown BMW in Toronto. This business ran until its closure in 2002.
Back to Ontario, then, and the dealership has remained as it was left 23 years ago. It’s an amazing scene with a 635csi taking pride of place on the showroom floor. The workshop rests apparently untouched, as well.
It’s believed the owner is a wealthy German businessman who had no reason or desire to sell up the former business and its stock; leaving us with a museum by happenstance.
[Source: Endras BMW]
The Ring1tv YouTube channel brings us a superb highlights package of the 2011 Nürburgring 24 hour race. We trust you will enjoy the clip above as you relive the journey that saw Manthey Racing return Porsche to the winner’s circle.
[Thanks to Obi for the tip]