Author: Liam

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BMW

Official: BMW Concept M4 previewed

BMW Concept M4

BMW has previewed its all-new and highly anticipated F82 M4. Officially, you’re looking at the Concept M4 and we know it’s only a sneak peek because they’ve teased us with photos only. There’s no engine specs available just yet.

Indeed, the only specifications of any kind that have been revealed by BMW are that the Concept M4 runs on 20″M light alloy wheels and the roof, front and rear splitter are all made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic. Oh and that paint colour is called “Aurum Dust”, which is not quite the name we’d come up with, but there you go.

Overall the look of the new M4 is very pleasing to our eye. It’s got a great mix of aggression and purpose right from the front air intakes in the lower grille right through to its quad tail pipes at the rear. In a decent paint colour it will look amazing.

The Concept M4 will be on display this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. We hope there will more technical detail to follow, but we’re not so sure that will be the case.

[Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]

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Categories
MINI

A better look inside the new MINI

MINI F56 interior

This is probably the best look inside the new MINI you’re going to get until official pics are released. It’s over a year since we got our first peek inside the F56.

Unsurprisingly these photos show a more complete interior, and we can see already that buyers will need to order the Visual Boost package or satellite navigation in order to get the full size screen in the centre of the dash where the speedometer should be. If not the result is U-G-L-Y! Although the ham-fisted radio set up does complement the clichéd and poorly executed carbon fibre patter on the dash inserts.

There are still expected MINI styling cues, there’s no mistaking it for anything else. Yet, the gap between what you expect to see in MINI and a BMW is beginning to close. Fair enough, given the F56 will draw heavily on components to be used in the front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series. And they will both be built on the UKL1 platform.

It won’t be the last time we say this, but after doing such an excellent job of introducing the MINI brand to the 21st century we have grave fears BMW is about to cock it all up.

[Source: CarNewsChina]

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Categories
Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz GLA revealed

Mercedes-Benz GLA

Shortly after releasing a sketch of its GLA compact SUV, Mercedes-Benz has come good with pics and press material prior to its public debut in Frankfurt next month.

As far as pint-sized SUVs go we think this one looks pretty good. In fact we’d go so far as to say this is the best looking model in the A Class family, which already includes hatchback and saloon models.

As such most of the engine range and equipment is already familiar. Although, if you option your GLA with the 4matic all-wheel drive system you get the added bonus of Downhill Speed Regulation and an off-road transmission mode. The leaves on your front yard won’t know what hit them!

We’re not sure what pricing will be when it goes on sale in Australia next year, but we think it’s pretty safe to expect Mercedes will sell a crap load!

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Categories
Honda

Honda Civic Tourer wants to hang with the cool kids

Honda Civic Tourer

Honda has released information for its new Civic Tourer. Given the car is made in Britain it’s pretty much a Euro estate, which generally we love so much. Among others, the Civic Tourer will go head to head with the Volkswagen Golf Variant.

There’s no surprises with the Golf, it’s a perfect example of teutonic reservation. In contrast the Civic Tourer hits you right between the eyes with its dramatic creaselines and flowing curves.

When we first saw the pics of the Civic we thought it was very, very cool. But the more we look at it the more we begin to question our initial judgement.

Mind, if you’re going to buy a wagon based on a volume selling hatchback maybe you don’t really care what it looks like. On that basis the Civic Tourer has more cargo space compared with the Golf Variant.

With the seats up the Honda offers 624 litres against the VW’s 605 litres. Fold the seats down and you’ll have 1668 litres to fill in the Civic, 68 litres more than the Golf.

The question is, are these garden variety Euro estates worthy of cool status, or do they need to be a bit bigger and be stuffed with 400hp or more to be elevated to such lofty heights?

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Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 Lotus

Stuff Red Bull, how about a return to Ferrari?

2013 Spanish Grand Prix

The latest gossip on the Formula 1 rumour mill is a real doozy: Kimi Raikkonen to Ferrari in 2014?

Of course, Kimi won his 2007 world championship with the Scuderia so he knows what he can achieve with the Maranello posse. But it’s also the place he lost his passion for F1. We think a return is unlikely, but when you consider that former Lotus Technical Director, James Allison, has switched camps to Ferrari you do start to think, hmm, “Maybe.”

Then there’s the fact that Fernando Alonso’s manager was seen talking to Red Bull’s Christian Horner in Hungary, followed by Alonso’s wish for someone else’s car. Now you really start to think, “Well stranger things have happened.”

The latest Raikkonen rumour comes from Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat. We’re not sure how solid their information is, but we do expect this will be a cracking off season, now that the recent stability of the top teams has been upset by Mark Webber’s looming departure from Red Bull.

[Source: F1 Pulse]

Categories
Ferrari News

Buy this Ferrari and help save Ferris

Ferris Bueller 1963 Moden Spyder California

This is the actual Ferrari California replica used in the much loved Hollywood hit Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and it’s up for auction this weekend. Well one of them, anyway. A total of three were made by Neil Glassmoyer from Modena Design and Development.

“They gave us four weeks to build the movie cars,” recalls Glassmoyer. “I always say we built two and a half cars; two were interchangeably used as hero and stunt cars and one was a rolling fiberglass shell that was used in the destruction scene. This car was actually intended for the stunt work, but both saw action, and both wound up with broken front suspension bolts because the big jump scene took nine takes between the two cars.”

The 1963 Modena Sypder California has been fully restored by Glassmoyer who is the current owner and will be on hand at the auction to answer any questions. It’s expected the car will fetch over US$250,000. Here’s some more detail about the car:

What started as a very good car has become a truly excellent Grand Tourer with a few key upgrades contribute to that assessment; the original 1963 260 CI Ford V-8 (which allowed the car to be officially titled as a 1963 Modena) has given way to a balanced and blueprinted 351 V-8 bored out to 427 CI and fitted with an Eagle forged steel crank, I-beam connecting rods, forged J&E pistons, Trick Flow twisted wedge aluminum heads and roller rockers. The resulting 500 horsepower launches the 2,650-lb Modena in exhilarating fashion while being kept under control by a refined suspension – comprising independent front A-arms, variable ratio power rack and pinion steering, a 4-link live rear with Panhard rod and Aldan nitrogen-charged adjustable coilovers – and Wilwood power ventilated disc brakes all around.

Oh, and if you want to collect the whole set, quite literally, you can buy Cameron’s house as well.

[Source: Mecum Auctions]

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Categories
BMW

This definitely is the new BMW M4

BMW M4 prototype

Following the leaked image of the BMW M4 Concept comes this spy photo of an M4 prototype. Just stop and look at it, take it in for a moment.

In that all black prototype get up it looks sensational, don’t you think. Thankfully, with minimal disguise, it’s now much easier to appreciate the shape and stance of the M4. Check out the rear guard. Maybe it’s the just the lighting and reflections of the photo, but it just looks phat!

While we hope the new M3/M4 will debut at Frankfurt in a few weeks, don’t be surprised if we have to wait until Detroit at the start of 2014.

[Source: WCF]

Categories
BMW

Is this the new BMW M4?

BMW M4 Concept

You’re looking at a concept version of the all-new BMW M4. At least that’s the claim from Belgian website Auto55 who also says the F82-based M4 Concept will be on show in Frankfurt next month.

If nothing else it is the same colour as the car featured in the official video preview we got from BMW earlier in the week.

There’s no mention of performance specs, so we’re still expecting the new M3/M4 to be powered by an twin-turbo inline six cylinder with around 335kW (450hp).

[Source: Auto55]

Categories
Porsche

Did you buy a Porsche 911 in 1970?

Porsche 911 factory in 1970

If you did can you see it in this photo? This very cool shot was taken in 1970 at Porsche’s 911 factory in Stuttgart.

Do you think the workers knew then what an iconic and much loved model the 911 would become?

[Source: History in Pictures]

Categories
Audi

Audi revives Quattro concept with 600hp punch

Audi sport quattro sketch

Details are emerging of a new Audi Quattro concept which is set to revive the axed Quattro concept first shown at Paris in 2010. Out goes the charming 408hp inline five cylinder and in comes a 600hp twin-turbo V8, coupled to a 7-speed S tronic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive system.

It’s also rumoured this new concept will be a hybrid featuring a boost of electric power as well. At the moment, though, there’s a lot of speculation going on, but adding the etron moniker to this hero model does make sense.

While these sketches show the new concept looks much like the old one, it’s understood the 2013 version has been repackaged and rides on a longer wheelbase, probably based on the A5 or a shortened RS7 chassis.

We’ve heard this before, of course, but the word is this new concept will make it to full production status, with a limited run to be built at the quattro GmbH Neckarsulm plant. It will be the most expensive road-going Audi ever made.

The concept will make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and we can’t wait to bring you more!

[Source: Autocar]

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Categories
Citroen WRC

Rally Australia: Out Dani Sordo, in Kris Meeke

Kris Meeke, Citroen WRT

In a cruel irony former MINI WRC driver Dani Sordo has been cast aside by the Citroën World Rally Team and will be replaced by former MINI WRC driver Kris Meeke.

Meeke and co-driver Chris Patterson will step into Sordo’s car for Rally Australia (13–15 September). An official Citroën WRT statement suggests that Dani can now, “focus on finding form in a less pressurised environment.” Ouch, that’s cutting!

And it gets worse for Sordo, with the team’s appraisal of his Rally Finland performance: “The fastest rally on the calendar proved tricky for Dani Sordo, who was not able to find the right rhythm to make it into the leading places. Sorely lacking in confidence on gravel, the Spanish driver has agreed with Citroën Racing that he will sit out the next round in order to try and take a step back and find some form on the surface away from pressure.”

But it’s all good news for Meeke, who was the first of the MINI drivers to lose his seat, while Sordo carried on until MINI finally pulled the plug. It’s not a bad return for Meeke, who wrote off his Citroën DS3 WRC in his first outing for the team at Rally Finland. He was filling in for regular driver Khalid Al-Qassimi.

“We are really very happy that Citroën has shown faith in us again after our performance at Rally Finland,” Meeke said. “For us, this is an incredible opportunity to take part in the rally as part of the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team alongside Mikko and Jarmo, and we are determined to give our best.”

Meeke says he’s comfortable in his new team and is looking ahead to the future, he reveals more in an interview with Red Bull.

Categories
Accessories & Tech Audi

Audi releases A3 augmented reality user manual

Audi A3 augmented reality user manual

Audi has announced the release of an augmented reality smartphone app for its new 8V A3 which can be used to replace the traditional user manual. It looks pretty cool, simply point your phone to a feature you want explained and before you know it the app provides you with the info. There’s a brief video for you after the break which shows the app in action.

We’re not entirely convinced the app will work as quickly and as smoothly as shown in the video, but we’ll be happy to be proved wrong. Given this release follows the successful rollout of a similar app for the A1, perhaps this 21st century user manual will be better than we anticipate.

[Via engadget]

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