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Audi

2013 Audi RS6 Avant gets unexpected unveiling

2013 Audi RS6 Avant

Audi’s latest and rather impressive looking RS6 Avant has been given an early preview thanks to Russian website autowp. A series of eight photos have been revealed showing the latest in RS styling.

No technical details have been revealed, but it appears as though the RS6 starts with the same 4.0 litre V8 used in the current S6 range. In the comparatively lowly S6 the twin-turbo V8 produces only 309kW. We say only because the old RS6 and its 5.0 litre V10 gave us 426 of the most wonderful kilowatts we’ve ever experienced.

Predictions for the new RS6 are around the same mark, with 420kW being the number offered up. That’s a healthy 563hp in the old money. Enough to let it reach 100km/h in around 3.9 seconds.

Back to the styling, then, and the image above shows the classic flared guards we love to see on Audi’s RS models. The front-end treatment is more aggressive than we’ve seen on the RS4 or RS5. It looks pretty good, too. Although, the quattro lettering in the lower part of the main grille is a bit twee, don’t you think.

Overall, though, the new RS6 looks hot. It’s expected to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March. Let’s see if the emergence of these images forces Audi’s habnd into releasing official details earlier than planned.

[Source: autowp.ru]

UPDATE: Well that didn’t take long! Official stats for the RS6 have now been published by Audi. It gets 412kW/700Nm from its 4.0 TFSI engine. Full details coming soon.

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Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing basks in own glory

Red Bull Racing story

Red Bull Racing has sent out this teaser for a self-made documentary which will tell us all about how great they are. And actually, when you think about it, they might have a point.

The team came to being in 2005, picking up the pieces left by Jaguar and Stewart GP. In the years that have followed they’ve collected three constructors’ titles and three drivers’ championships. Those results have been achieved through the collection of 34 race wins, 46 pole positions and 29 fastest laps. It’s an impressive haul, by any team’s standards.

And yet, there’s something about these new kids on the block that doesn’t sit right for many F1 fans. Is it the lack of history? Is it that they seem too cocky and brash? Or is it more to do with Sebastian Vettel’s bloody finger?!

Indeed, were it not for the presence of Mark Webber, who joined the team in 2007, we think most Australians would have less cause to enjoy the success of the team.

Check out the brief preview after the break and tell us what you think of Red Bull Racing and their recent unstoppable success.

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Categories
Ford WRC

WRC test opportunity awaits Brendan Reeves

Brendan Reeves

Young Aussie rally ace Brendan Reeves has been plying his trade overseas for the last two years in the WRC Academy. His fourth placing in 2012 has earned him a test in an M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

“I’m stoked to be given this chance to drive a Fiesta World Rally Car,” Brendan said. “It is a nice reward for our efforts this year and driving the WRC car will give me a real taste of the next level of the sport.

“I had the chance to sit beside Ken Block in his Fiesta World Rally Car just prior to Rally Finland this year and it was a great experience. To now have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a similar car myself is fantastic.

“Testing the WRC car is a great opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully it leads to more similar opportunities in the future.”

Brendan won’t have long to impress. He’ll be given just one hour in the car and will be joined at the test with other WRC Academy hopefuls Elfyn Evans, John MacCrone, Jose Suarez and Pontus Tidemand.

Reeves, who enjoys the company of his sister Rhianon Smyth in the co-driver’s seat, still has an open diary for next year. With any luck an impressive performance in the Fiesta RS WRC may lead to new opportunities.

“We haven’t confirmed our program for 2013 just yet. We learnt so much in 2012 and competing in the Academy again has been really important for our careers and we’d love to be able to continue competing in the World Rally Championship again in 2013.

“I’d really like to thank M-Sport for the amazing efforts they put into the WRC Academy this year and also for giving me the chance to take part in the test drive.”

[Source: brendanreeves.com.au | Pic: wrc.com]

Categories
BMW

BMW 3 Series GT spied uncovered

BMW 3 Series GT spied

Spied during a video shoot, here’s your first undisguised look at the BMW 3 Series GT. We know most of you won’t like what you see, but we dig it. Sure it’s a bit daft looking around the hip area, beneath the Hofmeister kink—itself a bit awkward—but, overall, we think it works.

In a world of pointless SUVs the BMW GT range gives buyers what they actually want from a “4WD” without pretending to be one. It’s just a shame most people seem too scared to recognise that.

The model above is fitted with the M Sport package and as such features a more aggressive body kit. The surprisingly functional looking vent behind the front wheel also indicates the model line.

In the metallic brown, sorry, Havana/Mojave metallic F34 GT you see after the break you’ll notice a softer look as well as getting a better view of the car’s side profile. Go on, admit it, it looks pretty good doesn’t it.

Follow the source link below for more pics, just make sure nobody notices the admiring grin on your face.

[Source: F30post]

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Categories
Motorsports

Vote for the 10 best Le Mans cars of all-time

Ford GT40

Next year marks the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Race organiser, Automobile Club de l’Ouest (the ACO), is running a poll allowing people to vote for their favourite cars from each decade, starting with the 1920s and running right through to the current day.

You get a choice of three cars from each decade and for your troubles you’ll be in with a chance to win the major prize, which includes a pair of pitwalk passes to the 2013 race and more.

Follow the source links below for full details and to cast your votes.

[Source: LeMans.org | Facebook]

Categories
Formula 1

Bruno Senna hopes to extend F1 career

2012 Brazilian Grand Prix

Dumped Williams driver Bruno Senna is hoping either Caterham or Force India will provide him with a future in F1. Speaking to Autosport the likeable Brazilian says he hopes to have an answer by the end of the year.

“You’re never relaxed until you have a nice signed contract, but we’re working very hard. Chris [Goodwin, manager] is a busy little bee. He’s been doing his job very well.

“Hopefully before the end of the year we’ll have a nice clear path to follow.”

Senna finished 16th in this year’s world championship, surprisingly only 14 points behind teammate and Spanish Grand Prix winner Pastor Maldonado. However, the 29-year-old feels his performance was compromised by giving up so many practice sessions to his eventual replacement, Valtteri Bottas.

“It’s a tough world championship. This has probably been the toughest Formula 1 world championship in many years. I think that coming into it as my first real year in Formula 1 was already a challenge,” Senna explained.

“And then missing practice sessions all over the season, probably missing about 30 per cent of all the practice sessions of the year, is a lot of practice missed.

“It’s made my year much more difficult. But still I’ve learned a lot. It’s been a very big learning curve for me, and a very good one.”

[Source: Autosport | Pic: Williams F1/LAT Photographic]

Categories
Porsche

Put your hand up if you’d like a Cayman Turbo

981 Porsche Cayman S

Porsche has just revealed it’s new 981 Cayman, but already we’ve heard a rather appealing rumour. Remember the news that Porsche will be making a four-cylinder boxer engine? Well, the 2.5 litre turbocharged four-pot and its expected 350hp (260kW) will find its way into the Cayman’s heart.

Word is the Cayman Turbo could debut at the next Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013.

The prediction of 350hp would be a 25hp increase on the normally aspirated 3.4 litre flat-six used in the new Cayman S. Peak torque could be as high as 500Nm, a very healthy boost of 130Nm compared with the current Cayman S.

Perhaps the only downside to this rumour is the expectation the Cayman Turbo would only be offered with a PDK transmission.

A force-fed four-cylinder is being adopted for its lower fuel consumption and fewer CO2 emissions. We wouldn’t rule out a normally aspirated four-clyinder finding its way into entry-level Boxster/Cayman offerings either.

Let’s hope Porsche makes the internals of the new turbo four nice and strong so all those aftermarket tuners can try to be the first to reach 400hp and beyond!

[Source: 0-100.it | translated]

Categories
Motorsports Porsche

Porsche to race 991-based 911 RSR in 2013

Porsche back at Le Mans in 2013

Just a few weeks after telling us we’d need to wait until 2014 to see a new Porsche 911 RSR, Stuttgart has announced they’ll be racing two new factory-backed 991-based 911 RSR machines in the 2013 World Endurance Championship. Of course, this also includes the 2013 Le Mans 24 hour race (22–23 June).

It will be the first time a Porsche works team has raced at La Sarthe since 1998.

Olaf Manthey will head the Porsche team. He’ll no doubt use his extensive experience gained from racking up an impressive total of five outright victories in the Nürburgring 24 hour race, all with Porsche.

“The new 911 RSR is currently being developed by our engineers and tested by our works drivers,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “What better time could there be to introduce the new car than the Porsche 911’s 50th anniversary.”

We suspect the 2013 effort will be a silent introduction for many of those who will be back at Le Mans in 2014, when Porsche will be racing for outright success in the LMP1 category. Who knows the driving talent may even be led by our own Mark Webber.

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Categories
Jaguar Motor Shows

LA 2012: Jaguar XFR-S

2013 Jaguar XFR-S

This mean looking mutha is the Jaguar XFR-S. It was recently revealed for the first time at the LA Auto Show and is Blighty’s answer to the German letters AMG, M and RS.

The XFR-S is powered by Jaguar’s well-proven supercharged 5.0 litre V8. Given a bit of a once over by Jag’s men in white, the snarling V8 produces 404kW (550PS) and 680Nm. Coupled to an 8-speed ‘Quickshift’ auto it’ll rev you up and spit you out to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. Keep that right foot buried and you’ll top out at 300km/h.

With those 20″ ‘Varuna’ lightweight forged alloy wheels, the French Racing Blue paint and model-specific body kit, finished off by that purposeful fixed rear wing, we reckon the XFR-S looks the duck’s guts. It’s only the XF’s try-hard daytime LEDs that let it down.

Jaguar’s Australian arm says it’s still working out if it should bring this model down under. We’d like to think it’s a pretty simple answer, beginning with Y.

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Categories
Motor Shows Volkswagen

LA 2012: Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet

Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet

Volkswagen has lifted the lid off its latest Beetle and given the new Cabriolet version a world premiere at the LA Auto Show.

It’s the third time they’ve made a ragtop Beetle and this new model can take you from covered roof to open sky in 9.5 seconds. The roof can be opened at speeds up to 50km/h. Closing the roof takes a little longer, at 11.0 seconds.

Well over 500,000 Beetle Cabrios have been made in the past, including nearly a quarter of a million of the previous-gen New Beetle Cabriolet. Volkswagen will be hoping their latest model will achieve similar success.

The Beetle Cabriolet is on sale in the United States now and will launch in Europe early next year. It will be coming to Australia, with an official launch date still to be scheduled. We reckon it’ll be here before the end of 2013.

For the LA show Volkswagen has created three special themed examples of the Beetle Cabriolet, based on the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. They’re pretty cool, too, you can check them out, and more, after the break.

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Categories
BMW Green Machines Motor Shows

LA 2012: BMW i3 Concept Coupé

BMW i3 Concept Coupe

BMW unveiled this i3 Concept Coupé at the LA Auto Show and if this is the city car of the future, sign us up. It’s stylish, simple and has a fresh design that is unlike any current BMW on sale. The interior has a pleasing simplicity with a high-quality look. The 20″ wheels of the show car set it off very well too.

The i3 will be the first of BMW’s all-electric i generation models to hit the showroom floor. It’s due for release next year and Australia is on the list of countries to have the i3 on its books. Whether we’ll get the five-door hatch or the coupé you see here is uncertain at this stage.

Like the i3 five-door the coupé version has 125kW/250Nm thanks to its eDrive electric motor. No performance figures have been published for the coupé, but the five-door can reach 100km/h in a tidy 7.9 seconds. The ‘everyday range’ of the i3 is up to 160km from a single charge. The engine can be recharged to 80% in as little as one hour, while a full recharge will take up to six hours.

On-board infotainment capabilities are as 21st century as you could hope for. The ConnectedDrive system offers real-world estimates on available range and battery status as well as mobile phone integration with the BMW i app. This enables the driver to quickly and easily locate the nearest charging station, among other things.

We like it and look forward to its market launch here in Australia.

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Categories
Formula 1

FIA announces 2013 F1 entry list

2012 Indian Grand Prix

The FIA has announced the official entry list for the 2013 F1 season. The first casualty, of course, is the HRT F1 Team, which means a full grid next year will contain 22 cars instead of 24.

You’ll also notice several teams have TBA listed alongside their driver names, although only Caterham, Force India, Lotus and Marussia are yet to confirm their full lineup for 2013.

Sauber has signed Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez. Toro Rosso will continue with Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.

Caterham has confirmed Charles Pic as one of their drivers, with the other seat still up for grabs. Similarly, Force India is expected to keep Paul di Resta, with his teammate to be confirmed. Timo Glock will keep his seat with Marussia and is expected to be joined by Max Chilton.

Romain Grosjean is expected to keep his job with Lotus, despite a sometimes rocky ride in 2012. Although, the team is yet to confirm his position.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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