Tag: Hybrid

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Audi

Audi allroad shooting brake concept revealed

Audi allroad shooting brake concept

Last month Audi previewed what we now know is the allroad shooting brake concept, which is what you see here. Then, and now, it’s clear this show car is a real-world preview of the next-gen TT coupé.

Certainly, if you look inside the cabin, the dash of this shooting brake concept matches the new TT interior revealed in Las Vegas last week.

On the outside the production TT may not match this concept panel for panel, but you can expect the front grille, headlight treatment and general shape of the TT to be directly descended from the shooting brake concept.

Indeed, Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s Technical Development boss, has said as much: “We are offering very concrete glimpses of the near future in this show car.”

The design language previewed here will likely carry across other future models as well. The next A4, for example.

For what it’s worth the allroad shooting brake is powered by a 300kW/650Nm petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain. The bulk of that power comes from a 2.0 TFSI petrol engine producing 215kW/380Nm. While two electric motors provide the rest: 40kW at the front axle and a separate motor for the rear axle offering 85kW. They say both motors can operate together with the petrol engine, so that makes 340kW to us. Never mind.

Despite the use of aluminium and CFRP for the body panels the concept still tips the scales at a not so moderate 1600kg, but with all hands on deck in the drivetrain department and a ubiquitous double-clutch gearbox the allroad shooting brake can reach 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

Oh, and, don’t you just love the way car makers post-rationalise their concept models. Audi’s explanation for this concept model is a bit like a tampon commercial:

The versatility and functionality of the Audi allroad shooting brake is ideal for young, sporty and active people. In the winter in California, for example, they could drive the car from Los Angeles to the San Gabriel Mountains for snowboarding in the morning, and then head out to at Venice Beach for some kite surfing in the afternoon.

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Audi

Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept revealed

Audi Sport quattro laserlight concept

Audi is showing off the third iteration of its Sport quattro concept, following previous examples from 2010 and 2013. This example will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week and is heavily based on the 2013 concept.

That means its V8 petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain produces 515kW/800Nm and can propel the 1850kg concept to 100km/h in 3.7 seconds. What makes this concept different and relevant to the CES audience is the “laserlight” headlights.

According to Audi the laser diodes are much smaller than the soon-to-be passé LED diodes. Despite being only a few microns in diameter Audi confidently states they can light the road 500m ahead with double the range and three times the luminosity of LED high beams. We’ll get a chance to see the technology in action later this year when the 2014 R18 e-tron quattro hits the racetrack.

The front grille also offers a preview of what to expect future sporty models from Ingolstadt will look like; including the next TT perhaps?

There’s new bells and whistles inside as well. First there’s the main TFT dash display, which allows the driver to choose from a selection of modes, including a traditional speedo, navigation display and media lists. Audi insists the large display responds quickly thanks to its Tegra 30 processor from Nvidia.

“The new show car demonstrates technical ‘Vorsprung’ on many levels,” says Prof Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi’s head of Technical Development. “On-board this car we have e-tron technology with 515 kW of power and 2.5l/100 km fuel economy; laser headlights that leave all previous systems in the dark with its higher performance as well as new display and operating systems with cutting-edge electronic performance. We are showing the future of Audi here.”

That’s great Ulrich, but can you please just make sure you guys build the thing instead of constantly teasing us with these stunning concepts!

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Porsche

Autocar drives the Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spdyer

UK mag Autocar is one of the first to drive and post a video review of the Porsche 918 Spyder. It’s a track only review but you still get a sense of how seamlessly the electric motors and the 4.6 litre V8 interact.

The review is very positive and as the first of the hybrid hypercar triumverate we can’t wait to see how well the 918 will stack up when its been driven back-to-back against the LaFerrari and the McLaren P1.

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Porsche

Porsche 918 under promises and over delivers

Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package

On paper the Porsche 918 Spyder is the least impressive of the three hybrid hypercars, which also includes the LaFerrari and McLaren P1. Yet, Porsche is playing it smart by making claims it can back up and letting the results do the talking.

The headline act for the 918 is its sub-7 minute Nürburgring lap time, which as a marketing exercise has worked wonders for Stuttgart. As opposed to the PR disaster witnessed by Woking.

Back in May we saw Porsche update the claimed performance numbers for the 918 Spyder fitted with the go-faster Wiessach Package. They did it again when the car was officially revealed in Frankfurt. And now, once more, Porsche is dropping us a quick presser to let us know the 918 is even faster than first thought.

0–100km/h: 2.6s (down from 2.8s)
0–200km/h: 7.5s (down from 7.7s)
0–300km/h: 19.9s (down from 22.0s)

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Audi

100,000 reasons to build the Audi Sport quattro

Audi Sport quattro

While not all of our readers were impressed with the 515kW V8 petrol-electric hybrid Audi Sport quattro revealed at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, we thought it was pretty bloody special. So too does Audi Communications who have released a new video featuring the car.

The reason for the video? In the six months since Audi AG launched its Facebook page it has attracted 100,000 likes. Enough to persuade Audi to build the car this time?

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McLaren

McLaren confirms P1 performance figures

McLaren P1

The first McLaren P1 was driven away by its proud owner at the end of September. Now, McLaren figures it’s time to publish the claimed performance stats for its latest and greatest hybrid hypercar.

If they chose, instead of a heap of numbers, McLaren could have simply said, “It’s bloody fast!”

Try these numbers on for size: the standing quarter mile is done in just 9.8 seconds and the P1 crosses the line at a staggering 245km/h. The 100km/h dash is dispensed with in a paltry 2.8 seconds, 200km/h in 6.8 seconds and 300 clicks will whiz by in 16.5 seconds—that’s 5.5 seconds faster than the legendary McLaren F1 road car.

When you’ve got 903hp to play with you may as well use it!

Production of the P1 will eventually max out at one car per day and the last of the 375 brutal sounding hypercars is scheduled to depart the McLaren Technology Centre in the middle of 2015.

The P1 looks like it will redefine a whole bunch of numbers. Although, given the recent sightings, a Nürburgring lap time is conspicuous by its absence in the press release below. Saving it for later, or is it not quite as quick as the Porsche 918?

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Audi

Please Audi, just build it this time

Audi sport quattro concept

Word going into the Frankfurt Motor Show said Audi could very well make its new sport quattro concept a production reality. And the word coming out of Frankfurt only heightens that expectation.

Audi boss Rupert Stadler said Ingolstadt could sign off on production plans for the sport quattro and that he would like to see that happen. “But we have to fix some numbers first,” Stadler added. “I think the car is really terrific and it’s worthwhile to think about.”

Wolfgang Egger, head of Audi design, gave a more sterile answer, “With every design concept we do we are thinking about everything becoming reality.”

Interestingly, Egger, hasn’t ruled out reviving the original 2010 quattro concept as the one to be sent down the production line. “We have done one (designed for MQB platform) and now we have done the other (on larger MLB platform) so now we need to make a decision.”

A choice between a 300kW turbocharged inline five cylinder, or a 515kW petrol-electric hybrid with a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8? Remember the 2010 model was seriously looked at for production before being ruled out.

Egger also reminded us that whatever happens, the latest concept will influence future Audi designs, including, “The C-pillar, the sexy blisters on the wheelarches and the interesting front.“We wanted to clean up the interior by removing buttons and functions. It is a complete reduction, designed to make it feel lightweight.”

[Source: Auto Express & CarAdvice]

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Motor Shows Porsche

Frankfurt 2013: Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spyder

At last the wraps have come off the production version of the Porsche 918 Spyder. The petrol electric hybrid sportscar has had a long gestation, first gracing the floor of the Geneva Motor Show in early 2010. It then trasnformed into the 918 RSR for the Detroit Auto Show in 2011, with the order book for the 918 Spyder officially opening in March of that year.

And now, at last, the real deal is here. In all of its 652kW glory. It tips the scales at 1634kg and with a 7-speed PDK and will see off 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. The double ton is gone in 7.7 seconds and the triple in 22 flat. Its top speed is 345km/h. Oh yes, it’s mighty quick!

It rides on specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, 265/35/20 at the front and 325/30/21 at the back. A special ‘Weissach’ package will shed 35kg from the car and can be optioned in a number of race-inspired liveries.

Built around a CFRP monocoque, power for the 918 comes from a mid-mounted 4.6 litre V8 which sends 447kW to the rear wheels. A pair of electric motors completes the deal and sends 210kW to the front axle, which is decoupled at speeds in excess of 235km/h.

It’s very fruity and very frugal as well. The rated fuel consumption is as low as 3.0l/100km and less than 80g/km of exhaust emissions escape from the high-mount exhaust pipes.

Of course, we can’t end this precis without reminding you the 918 Spyder can lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes 14 seconds.

UPDATE: Porsche has just confirmed, or at least claimed, the 918 Spyder has become the first production-based road car to break the 7 minute barrier at the Nürburgring. The lap time claimed is 6:57 and was set last week. We’ll bring you more detail regarding this new record soon.

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Audi

Audi Sport quattro concept revealed

Audi Sport quattro concept

Wow!

Here is the Audi Sport quattro concept. We knew it was coming, but it’s still amazing to see it in this handful of computer-generated pics.

Based on the 2010 quattro concept we loved so dearly and honouring the Ur-quattro, this 2013 concept model is powered by 4.0 litre twin turbo V8 and a single electric motor placed between engine and transmission. All up there’s 515kW (700hp) and 800Nm for you to play with.

Unusually for Audi in this day and age the concept features an 8-speed tiptronic transmission (ie. not double clutch). There is, of course, a quattro all-wheel drive system sending power to the road. Put it all together and mashing tour right foot will send you to 100km/h in only 3.7 seconds.

Drive like good citizen and you’ll sip fuel at the miserly rate of just 2.5l/100km and emit only 59g/km of nasty stuff from the exhaust. In full electric mode you have up to 100kW/400Nm at your disposal and can travel around 50km on a single charge.

We don’t care too much for the Energy Yellow paint colour, but we do love, absolutely love, the look of this Sport quattro concept. From the front, the back, the side, it doesn’t matter, we cannot get enough of this car. Even the inside looks fantastic.

Practically speaking you can expect to see more of the hexagonal single-frame grille, which Audi says “provides a first glimpse at the future design of the sporty production models”.

We just hope that this concept does become reality and we can’t wait to see more when the car makes an appearance at the Frankfurt show next week.

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Porsche

Porsche confirms 918 Spyder for Frankfurt

Porsche 918 Spyder

It seems the Porsche 918 Spyder has had more announcements and reveals than a Hollywood wannabe, but it’s about to have its final and complete unveiling at Frankfurt next week.

We’ll bring you more then, but first here’s what Porsche has to say:

The 918 Spyder is the continuation of the traditional Porsche DNA in a ground-breaking sportscar concept. Designed from the start to be a high-performance hybrid, the 918 Spyder boasts an unprecedented combination of performance (offering the 887-bhp output of a super sportscar) and the virtually silent locomotion of an electric vehicle. The vehicle is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds and offers an average standard fuel consumption of between 3.0 and 3.3 litres/100 km. The 918 Spyder concept also allows a combustion engine to be combined with an electric motor-based drive to further optimise the dynamic performance of the vehicle.

Joining the 918 Spyder in Frankfurt will be the new Panamera, the 50 years 911, and the 911 Turbo.

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Green Machines Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes ready to send AMG down hybrid path

Mercedes-Benz AMG

Word from Autocar tells us that Mercedes is ready to join Porsche in the performance hybrid market. Herbert Kohler, Daimler’s future mobility and advanced engineering guru, said, “In the future AMG will still offer high performance models but there will be hybrids there. AMG needs to reduce fuel consumption.”

Interestingly, where Porsche has used hybrid technology to add power, AMG will be taking a different approach. “Hybrids can boost, but AMGs will use stop-start and recuperation technology,” said Kohler.

No timeline has been given on the likely introduction of hybrid AMGs, so let’s take a guess at 2-3 years from now.

[Source: Autocar]

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Motor Shows Porsche

Detroit 2011: Porsche 918 RSR

Porsche 918 RSR

The Porsche 918 RSR has just been revealed at the Detroit Auto Show. Its body is based on the 918 Spyder, its power inspired by the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

Here’s some headline stats for the 918 RSR. It has a petrol powered V8 engine, which produces 560hp at a massive 10,300rpm. This is joined by a pair of electric motors powering the front wheels. Each engine offers 102hp each. Those quick with their sums will have already worked out that’s a combined total of 767hp.

In addition to the beautiful shape and profile of this car, we can probably expect it to be earning its stripes at the Nürburgring 24 hour race in June this year. It will no doubt compete in other events, too, as more categories welcome hybrid powered entries. Perhaps, more excitingly, though, is the expectation that a road going 918 Coupé will be produced in the near future, as well.

The official press release is now available after the break, along with a selection of screen grabs captured during the live webcast. Also now available are 12 wallpaper-friendly 2000px super images and a couple of official promo clips.

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