Year: 2011

Categories
Alfa Romeo Fiat Porsche Volkswagen

VW teases Alfa with promise of Porsche engines

Volkswagen-Alfa Romeo-Fiat

The simmering saga of Volkswagen chasing Alfa Romeo skirt continues with the German giant dangling a big Porsche carrot in front of Alfa Romeo. That carrot takes the form of a rumoured plan for future Volkswagen-owned Alfa Romeos to use Porsche engines.

Although, Alfa’s current owners, Fiat, are still playing hard to get and are clearly not amused with Volkswagen’s latest flirting, telling Autocar, “We shut the door in their faces and now they’re trying to get in the window.”

In reply, VW boss Ferdinand Piech says, “Volkswagen has time.”

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Porsche

New Porsche 911 Turbo spied

Porsche 911 Turbo prototype

US-based website Kilometer Magazine brings us some excellent spy shots of what appears to be the next-gen Porsche 911 Turbo. Earlier 911 test mules have been adorned with Turbo-style side intake stickers—they can’t fool us, the intakes on this prototype are the real deal.

The front end looks similar to the previous 911 Turbo and continues the evolutionary approach so expected from Porsche. At the back it appears Porsche could be offering the new Turbo with a retractable style spolier. Either that, or they’re just leaving the usual Turbo spoiler off to mess with us during the development phase.

[Source: Kilometer Magazine]

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Categories
BMW

BMW M3 ute: What the (green) hell!

BMW M3 ute prototype

Awesome has a new definition. And that comes in the form of this BMW M3 ute prototype lapping the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Maybe BMW has taken inspiration from the equally awesome E39 M5 ute conversion by Australia’s own Stuart Appleby (yes, the pro golfer). Maybe it’s a crazy April Fool’s Day stunt in the making? Or perhaps the M3 ute is heading to the Essen Motor Show?

Whatever the reasons this car exists, it officially gets the biggest AUSmotive tick we’ve ever given to a test mule.

[Source: Autoblog | Pics: KGP Photography]

UPDATE: Jalopnik tell us this M3 ute is a one-off creation produced by an aftermarket tuning company and not an officially sanctioned BMW product.

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Categories
BMW

M5 watch: Snow business

BMW M5 teaser

BMW’s latest M5 teaser clip has hit the tube. Unsurprisingly, not too much is given away, but the frequency of material released does suggest the predicted reveal at Auto Shanghai in late April is looking likely.

So, for the latest look at the 4.4 litre force-fed V8 and 7-speed DCT take the jump and watch the latest clip. There’s a longer video, too, which shows test drivers Bernd Limmer and Frank Lutz discussing the new “F10M”. Just a shame they do that while speaking German.

Thankfully, the chaps at 5Post.com have added an English translation. The engineers run through specific aspects of the M5’s development; it’s worth watching.

[Source: 5Post]

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Categories
Porsche

Walter Röhrl drives the legendary Porsche 904

Porsche 904

Walter Röhrl, Porsche luminary and Targa Tasmania competitor, has taken to the track in a beautifully restored 904 GTS. The car is part of the excellent rolling Porsche Museum which makes sure its car go as well as they show.

With Röhrl at the wheel, the sleek coupé still has the ability to powerslide through corners, all while looking as stunning today as it did when it made its racing debut back in 1963.

Enjoy the footage after the break. Oh, we’re disappointed the Autoblog footage of Walter spinning the 904 didn’t make the final edit.

[Thanks to Wayne for the tip]

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Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing target Vettel and Newey inspired dynasty

Sebastian Vettel and Adrian Newey

Red Bull Racing could be heading for a new Formula One dynasty with two of the sport’s hottest properties agreeing to extend their contracts. Vettel, the youngest man to win an F1 world championship, has been re-signed until 2014. While Newey, designer of three championship winning cars at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, has also agreed new terms.

In a short statement released by RBR Vettel said, “The reason why I’ll stay until 2014 with Red Bull Racing is that I feel very comfortable in the team. I am proud to be part of the team, and I am proud of what we have archived so far and will achieve together in the future.”

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Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

VIDEO: Vettel & Webber talk rear wings and KERS

RBR inner secrets video

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel is on hand here to give a brief rundown on the introduction of moveable rear wings and KERS. Both have been thrown into the mix for the 2011 Formula One season. We’ve spoken about these new regulations during the off-season already and it will be very interesting to see how the projected theories pan out during the cut and thrust of racing.

Take the jump to watch the clip.

UPDATE: If you prefer the sound of Mark Webber’s voice you can watch the new YouTube clip added below.

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Categories
Formula 1

Unofficial 2011 Formula One posters

Unofficial Australian Grand Prix poster

Hats off to young PJTierney who has created 19 striking new designs for each of the races on the 2011 Formula One calendar. The Irish design graduate completed the posters over 19 days, allowing himself one day per poster. They’re simple, effective and it would be great if you could find them in a store near you. Follow the source link below for more.

[Source: PJTierney.net]

Categories
McLaren

Evo takes another look at McLaren MP4-12C GT3

McLaren MP4-12C GT3

When the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 was taken for its first test run the other day, the chaps from Evo magazine were on hand. They filmed this short, but sweet, clip of the GT3 car being driven around Silverstone.

There’s something so right about the brutal efficiency of a purpose-built racecar. The mechanical noises they make are perfect. The video is available after the break, check it out now.

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Categories
BMW

BMW reveals the new 6 Series Coupé

BMW 6 Series Coupe

Yesterday BMW lifted the covers from its new 6 Series Coupé, well, in an online internet way at least. But, let’s go back a model first. Here at AUSmotive we generally supported the theory behind Chris Bangle’s flame surfacing. His 5 Series and Z4 were easily the most successful executions of his controversial design language. The worst example? For us, it was, far and away, the former 6 Series Coupé. It was just plain horrible (take a look for yourself after the break).

So, what of this new model, then, has BMW redeemed itself? It’s better, that’s true, but we’re still not entirely convinced. The nose is still a bit droopy and, in profile view, the long bonnet is almost comic book like. Perhaps seeing the car in the metal will be an improvement. It’s also true that one’s views on styling can change over time, so let’s call the new 6 a qualified pass for now.

Powering the 6 Coupé from initial launch will be a 4.4 litre V8 graced with the undeniable beauty of twin turbos and resulting in a healthy 300kW/600Nm. It can sprint to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. The entry level model features a 3.0 litre inline six, also with a pair of turbos, and makes 235kW/450Nm. It does the 100 dash in 5.4 seconds.

We’ll be back a bit later to add some more pics. For now, there’s a further 10 images available as well as BMW’s full press release. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the car, so please leave a few words in the comments section below.

UPDATE: 19 new pics and a BMW promo video have now been added below.

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Categories
Porsche

Porsche shows love for “The Beast”

Porsche 911 GT2 RS

Porsche has just commenced deliveries of the awesome 911 GT2 RS to its North American customers. There were 20 cars waiting for their owners at the El Toro airfield in California. That’s a combined total of 12,400hp, or around 9,300kW.

They’re some pretty big numbers, which sit well alongside the 80,000 engineering hours and almost 700,000kms of testing undertaken by Porsche during the development of “The Beast”, their most powerful road car to date.

Andreas Preuninger, High Performance Cars manager, was on hand to file this video interview. It’s compelling viewing, too, not because of the driving footage displayed, but more for what he says.

Perhaps there is now only one thing left for Porsche to do with the GT2 RS; release video footage of their claimed 7:18 Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time set by Walter Röhrl.

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Categories
Aston Martin

2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

First filed 26 January.

Aston Martin has fiddled about with its seemingly timeless V8 Vantage and created a new S model. The Vantage is still such a great looking car. And now it’s just that little bit better, too.

With 321kW and 490Nm from the 4.7 litre V8, plus the addition of a new 7-speed Sportshift II transmission, Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez reckons, “The Vantage S epitomises every attribute of the V8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before.

“It combines dynamic exhilaration with all the charming finesse, beauty and practicality already associated with the Vantage range.”

More after the break.

UPDATE 14 March: Over 25 news pics added, as well as a ripping video of the V8 Vantage S driving around the wonderful Ascari Race Resort.

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