In China, it’s common for managers in various levels of the corporate hierarchy to have personal drivers, hence the proliferation of long-wheelbase sedan variants that we don’t see in North America. sells the and there, and now BMW is following up the it currently offers in China with a elongated version of the new 3 Series sedan.
Likely dubbed the 335Li, the long-wheelbase 3 will be produced in China alongside the regular 3 Series. We’re interested in seeing how well the long-wheelbase 335 handles compared to its standard-length sibling.
There’s no end to the perks of being a Formula One racing driver, especially if you happen to drive for Scuderia . As if piloting one of the fastest F1 cars on the grid weren’t enough, Ferrari has gifted each of its gifted drivers his own , and , to name just a few. And something tells us that if either Fernando Alonso or Felipe Massa wanted anything else from the expansive - product range – say, a , for example – that would hardly pose a problem.
That’s exactly what the talented duo got the other day at the Fiorano test track at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello, where the first two examples of the new SRT8 in Europe were delivered to the pair of stars. Certainly, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has plenty to love, what with its 6.4-liter Hemi V8 and 5-second dash to 62 mph, but Fernando And Felipe got more than that.
These two unique examples were decked out in Rosso Corso , with matte black front grille, a black offset racing stripe, black roof, carbon fiber trim and white accents. Ride height was lowered by 1.5 inches on unique forged and painted 20-inch alloys, and the interior has similarly been decked out in red leather accents and top-stitching and even yellow dials on the instruments.
Nice work if you can get it. All you have to do is convince the most victorious team in motorsport that you’ve got what it takes to be world champion, and you can have one too. Otherwise you can for the press release and scope out the high-res images in the gallery above.
Downsizing? What downsizing? While rivals may be replacing cylinders with turbochargers – heck, even itself has done that with the twin-turbo V8 succeeding the V10 in the and such – the new RS4 is reportedly on its way in full-fat 4.2-liter V8 FSI trim.
The report comes courtesy of AMAG, the importer for Audi in Switzerland, which has confirmed that the RS4 Avant (oft spied in prototype guise) is scheduled to debut at the this coming March. Along with it, we’re told to expect a series of new TSFI engines and an upgraded TT-RS with 360 horses.
As for the RS4 Avant, we’re looking at 450 horsepower with all-wheel drive and enough cargo capacity to make any luxury crossover buyer reconsider (much like the pictured above, only more so). That is, buyers in Europe, anyway, as we’re not expecting the RS4 to make the trek across the Atlantic.
BMW M goes Diesel, Ford Focus fleet sales numbers, California 2025 green car mandate
Episode #267 of the is here with Chris, Dan, Zach and Chris Paukert this week. Topics include the addition of diesel-powered BMW M models overseas, the surprisingly high fleet sales figure for the FordFocus, and a new green car mandate coming out of California. Your questions and comments power the end of the ‘cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our , thanks for taking the time. We’ve embedded our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #267:
In the Autoblog Garage
Hosts: , , ,
Runtime: 01:15:33
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is plugging a gap in its model line by adding a T5 AWD model, according to a report from . As it stands, if you want all-wheel drive with your S60 you need $39,325 for the T6 just to get in the game, and only then you can you start throwing options at it. The all-wheel-drive competition is easier on the wallet: an Quattro begins at $34,175 and the xDrive starts at $37,475.
Pricing hasn’t been released, but the expectation is that the S60 T5 AWD will sticker somewhere between the $32,175 front-wheel-drive model and the T6. It is expected to go on sale this summer.
New York City drivers rarely get much to be happy about, but a recent decision by the New York City Council to eliminate the practice of stickering parking violators is bound to be greeted with unanimous joy. Outside of the mayor’s office, that is.
Despite The New York Times reporting a 47-0 vote in favor of prohibiting the city’s sanitation department from applying the stickers to cars parked in the way of its cleaning crews, the Bloomberg administration was steadfast in its support of the “shame” stickers. They date back to 1987, when the sanitation commissioner launched a pilot program to affix stickers on cars that were parked in the way of street sweepers. Since the stickers are so hard to remove from vehicle windows, they provided an additional motivation above and beyond ticketing, and the Sanitation Department has been using them ever since, much to the chagrin of motorists.
City Council members weren’t buying the necessity of continuing to deface residents’ vehicles, however. Even if Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoes the bill, the Times says the unanimous vote effectively makes the decision “vetoproof.” David G. Greenfield, a councilman from Brooklyn, is quoted as saying, “What makes this such a terrible infraction that you have to be punished in such a serious way? It’s not reasonable behavior in the 21st century.”
Good things, they say, come in threes. If that’s the case, for fans of rugged-looking Audi wagons, this must be a good week indeed. Not only did Audi unveil the in Detroit (while confirming the arrival of the production Q3 in the US market), but the new also made its debut at the show. And now the German automaker has released the new Allroad Quattro.
Like the two versions that proceeded it, the latest Allroad takes the A6 Avant wagon (which was just updated for this model year) and adds an extra dose of off-road attitude. That’s taken care of by a six-centimeter (2.36 in) increase in ride height, contrasting lower bodywork, stainless steel underbody plating, flared fenders and roof rails.
Four engine options deliver their power to all four wheels, each displacing three liters and packing turbochargers and direct injection. The sole gasoline engine offers up 310 horsepower and 324 lb-ft of torque, while the three diesel versions range from 204 hp and 332 lb-ft up to 313 hp and 479 lb-ft.
We’ve yet to receive any word on potential US availability, but the fact that Audi chose to release this model the day after we’d all gone home from the Detroit show does not bode well. Looks like we’ll just have to suffice with the details in the press release and the huge gallery of high-resolution images instead.
Press days for the have now officially ended, and a quick survey of our yield reveals more highly anticipated production vehicles and concepts than we’ve seen since the days when The heyday of press conference theatrics may be behind us, but the vehicles themselves have begun to return. Check out the lot of them from this year’s Detroit show below.
Along with introducing its 600-horsepower in partnership with GReddy, Scion has also let all the felines loose from the bag called “First 86.” The program makes it possible for a lucky 86 cravers to be the first to own the rather excellent sports car before it goes on sale to the public.
The process is rather simple, if a little hazy at the moment. On January 12 at 12 p.m. EST, a purchase-request page will go live at , and anyone wanting an FR-S will have eight hours and six minutes to submit a request detailing their desired color and transmission. Within 24 hours the chosen 86 will be notified, and they’ll have 96 hours to take their confirmation number and $500 to a dealer to officially reserve their coupe.
There isn’t much more info to be had at the moment, but that should be enough to get you going until the gun goes off Thursday, January 12. Follow the link to scour the site for more clues, and to everyone who’s going to get in the game, good luck.
has been known for all-wheel drive and wagon rooflines for a lot longer than it has been making crossovers. Before cranking out the , and Q3, the German automaker was making Avant Quattro wagons that carved up alpine mountain passes like nobody’s business. And then came the Allroad.
Bridging the gap between a wagon and an SUV, the Allroad versions of the and take a similar approach to the and , giving the wagon a rougher, go-anywhere image compared to the standard Avant estate. We used to get the Allroad in the North American market, but after a brief hiatus, the is back.
We got a chance to drive the soft-roader just last month, but couldn’t resist the temptation to snap it again for the Ingolstadt aficionados among us as it made its official North American debut alongside the new A4 and S4 here at the . Click the thumbnails above to check it out in high resolution.
The Hyundai Veloster got off to a solid commercial and critical start in 2011, and while the eccentric hatchback has only been on the market for a few months, it’s already found its fair share of friends, outselling competitors like the and straight away.
We can see why – offers a unique mix of cut-price mix of funkiness, utility, connectivity and efficiency. However, it’s also fair to say that its direct-injected 1.6-liter Gamma four-cylinder skews far more eco than sport. The Veloster’s 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque is enough to have fun on curvy roads if you’re really willing to stick your foot in it, but its performance is hardly neck snapping.
Given the three-door’s sporty styling, some have suggested that there’s a bit of a disconnect between the way the Veloster accelerates and the way it looks. has apparently heard those barbs, and they’ve turned to forced induction for the answer. Enter the 2013 Veloster Turbo seen here, which rings up 201 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 194 pound-feet of torque from 1,750 rpm thanks to the addition of a twin-scroll turbo and a unique motor-actuated wastegate. Those power figures put it in the thick of the hunt with pricier performers like the , not to mention the Honda Civic Si and Mini Cooper S, with a better weight-to-power ratio than any of them.
Visually, there will be no mistaking the Veloster Turbo for its normally aspirated kin – the new front end should make sure of that. While the Turbo retains the same headlamps and a similar overall form, Hyundai has replaced the standard car’s modest chrome-edged grille slot and lower fascia with a massive hexagonal opening for better breathing and rearview mirror intimidation. The gaping maw extends both above and below the bumper, and it’s bookmarked by a new set of foglights.
The concept has been longer than most Detroit-bound reveals, but that doesn’t make the 2+2 coupe any less stunning. The concept clearly shows the design progression that started with the and made real strides with the .
The hot-looking coupe was penned by Lexus’ Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California. It comes as no surprise to us that this rolling design study also packs hybrid power, but claims that the sleek sports car will also deliver cutting-edge driving dynamics.
We’re all for a Lexus with track aspirations, but this coupe is a design study that promises to further reveal the future of Lexus design. The LF-LC boldly displays Lexus’ new spindle grill, while also mixing in sharp angles and elegant curves. The LF-LC also suggests to us that the may not be a one-and-done foray into the exotic sports coupe segment, but at the same time Lexus promises that the LF-LC could “remain within reach for premium buyers.”
Outside of audacious LED headlamps and about two inches of ground clearance the exterior of the LF-LC looks production ready. The same cannot be said for the futuristic but still very cool cabin. the cabin is dominated by rich leather, tons of suede, thin yet elegant seats and more polished wood than a bowling alley. Actually, the center stack looks like it could spit out a 14-pound ball with three holes, and that’s not a bad thing.
The tech story is equally impressive, as a pair of 12.3-inch screens that pull information and navigation duties, respectively. The impressive screen dominating the center stack is of the touch-sensitive variety, and it also controls audio, climate and navigation. The LF-LC also features a keyboard that helps the driver with more complex entries… hopefully for when this high-end Lexus remains in park. Lexus has gone further still with the touch tech, as doors, windows, mirrors, seats and entertainment systems are all manipulated through similar controls on the doors.
The LF-LC is clearly a concept vehicle, but it’s definitely sexy enough to help improve the design forecast for the (still) visually underwhelming Lexus lineup. We’re hoping to get more information on what the LF-LC has under the hood when it is officially unveiled at the momentarily. to read over the Lexus press release and feel free to click through the high-resolution image gallery above.
It’s the eve of the , and officially kicked things off tonight by unveiling its at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies. Why CCS? Many of the college’s graduates go on to work in areas of automotive design, and as Ed Welburn, ‘ Vice President of Global Design, tols us, over 170 CCS graduates currently work within the larger GM design team, 20 of which directly worked on the ATS project. After getting our first impressions of the ATS in the flesh, we must indeed applaud those designers.
The ATS rides on an all-new rear-wheel-drive platform, and the end result is car that’s about eight inches shorter in length than the larger sedan. Cadillac’s Art & Science design language has been updated for the smaller sedan, with angular lines and flat surfaces found throughout the four-door’s styling. Sure, Cadillac is quite proud of the way the ATS looks, but what’s most important about this car is its performance. After all, the ATS will go head-to-head with the likes of the and , so on the road, it has to be good.
The ATS is around 100 pounds lighter than a comparable Audi A4, while packing a more powerful engine lineup.
A key factor to the ATS’ development was lightness, and GM’s North American President, Mark Reuss, stated that the new sedan will be “the most mass-efficient car in the segment.” Weighing in at less than 3,400 pounds, the ATS is around 100 pounds lighter than a comparable Audi A4, while packing a more powerful engine lineup. The base engine is a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four, putting out 200 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque, which should be good for over 30 miles per gallon on the highway. The real points of interest are the new turbocharged 2.0-liter four and 3.6-liter V6. The up-level turbo four should be good for around 270 horsepower, and the larger direct-injected V6 will send 318 hp to the ground. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox, and both rear- and all-wheel drive will be available.
The ATS will get a diesel engine in its first life-cycle.
During the presentation, Reuss also confirmed that the ATS will get a diesel engine in its first life-cycle, though specific details are unavailable as of this writing. We know that GM is already working on a small diesel mill for the Cruze sedan, so the new oil-burning ATS could use a version of this engine, if not the same exact one.
As for how the ATS will perform on the road, we’ll have to wait until we get our first stint behind the wheel later this year, but things do indeed look promising. In addition to a 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, the ATS will use GM’s Magnetic Ride Control, and will have “the best steering I’ve ever tested,” as Reuss stated. Vice President of Cadillac Marketing, Don Butler, says the ATS’ key development themes were to make it “nimble, quick, [and] fun.”
It certainly sounds promising, and if all this goodness comes to live out on the pavement, we only have one thing to say: Bring on the V.
Today in a New York City prior to the start of press days at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Volkswagen of America Inc. President and CEO Jonathan Browning laid out the ambitious plans the VW Group and Volkswagen brands have for the United States.
After a stellar sales year in 2011 that saw VW brand sales in the U.S. go up over 26 percent and TDI (diesel) sales jump 33 percent, the 2012 sales year promises more climbing up the sales and market share ladders.
Citing a wild up-and-down past in the U.S., Browning pointed at the numbers for the dark year of 1993 and reminded one and all that VW sold less than 50,000 units. Nowadays with over 320,000 brand sales the bad times seem far behind as VW Group in Wolfsburg, Germany has invested well over $1 billion in its revived presence on U.S. shores. The current improved 2.5% it possesses of the U.S. total market is a percentage last seen way back in 1981.
CEO Rupert Stadler slipped up while talking to Bloomberg, telling the financial pub that in addition to the and , a small crossover concept will debut at the next week.
Stadler didn’t give up anything in the way of details, but the concept will be dubbed the “Vail” and could be a way to gauge reception of a smaller Audi CUV in the States.
If we had to guess, the Vail will feature an Allroad-like treatment on the Euro-only Q3, likely involving a higher ride height, plastic body treatments and a more go-anywhere attitude. We’ll know for sure in a few days, but we hope that’s not all Audi has planned.
There’s just no getting around the fact that, despite technological advances and a host of regulations aimed at improving safety, organized racing is a dangerous occupation. We saw it last year with the deaths of Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli – pushing the limits on either two or four wheels is sometimes life threatening.
The Dakar Rally is one of the most dangerous races of all, with more than 58 deaths – 25 competitors plus at least 33 spectators, though official spectator fatalities aren’t kept – recorded in 31 races since 1979. Though the 2012 edition has only just begun, it has already suffered its first fatality.
Argentinian rider Jorge Martínez Boero, age 38, died on the very first stage of the 15-day race of cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. Boero suffered head and chest injuries after crashing his motorcycle. This was his second Dakar Rally.
A demonstration of how quickly things can go bad can be seen in the video . Quin Cody, a racer for the Factory Honda team, crashed out of the event on January 3, suffering a concussion and broken collarbone. Thankfully, some other competitors stopped for assistance, and Cody ought to make a full recovery.
Ford has officially unveiled the EcoSport ahead of the Delhi Auto Expo. The vehicle wears a CUV version of the company’s Kinetic design language with a large octagonal grille and discreet headlights. Despite its concept looks, says the vehicle could be in production in as little as six months.
Under the hood, the EcoSport boasts the smallest Ecoboost engine ever created. The turbocharged 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine is good for around 118 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque, though a small-displacement diesel option may bow in the future.
The EcoSport will be built in India and Brazil and is likely to play a large role in growing the Ford presence worldwide. The vehicle will head to 100 markets globally and is slated to be the second of eight new Ford products headed to India by 2015. That doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing the CUV on our soil anytime soon, however.
A Standalone Sleeper Sport Sedan That Still Keeps Us Awake At Night
The always-bustling stand at next month’s figures to be cluttered with a full range of eighth-generation models, all of which arrive in the States sometime between June and July. The line’s real marquee model is, of course, the RS4, but that Rennsport ingredient will not be seen on the stand in Cobo just yet. (So let’s change that to almost full range, and some sources are saying that there will not even be an RS4 this go-round.) The sauciest A4 present will be this model, the new S4, considered by many – this reviewer included – to be the real gem of the range, especially in comparison to the seriously costly RS4.
It’s best to call this the “latest” S4, because it is definitely not all-new. However, it does partake of the mid-cycle changes to the “B8″ eighth-generation, some of which we recently addressed in a first drive of the and . For now, though, we really don’t need big changes – we’ll be happy if the S4 remains our lower-volume secret.
We’re just a week away from the official reveal of the 2013 Cadillac ATS, but the crew is continuing to work through the winter to hone its fighter.
These latest shots of the ATS show a production-spec fascia (albeit obscured by camo), along with road-ready headlamps, tail lamps and a pair of vertical LED fog lamps set low in the front bumper. You can also catch a glimpse of the inset dual exhausts, which we’re assuming will be available on both the V6 and four-pot variants.
The overall exterior effect comes off as a more modern mixed with the subtle refinement of the recently revealed XTS – a good thing to our eyes. Even better is the inclusion of that’s sure to give the revamped a run for its money in the performance and fuel efficiency department. Check the pics above to see a few more details and get ready to see the ATS uncovered and in the buff at next week’s .
It looks as if may be hard at work on a new turbocharged prototype. Motor Trend nabbed a quick video of what appears to be a forced-induction version of the coupe darting around Laguna Seca. With its tall wing and sideways antics, the vehicle is likely being put through its paces by the Sciondrift team, which has had to rely on specially modified models until now. It makes sense for the drift team to strap a turbo onto the vehicle’s 2.0-liter flat four for a little extra grunt, but it’s unclear if a forced-induction version of the FR-S will make its way to production.
If a hotter version of the coupe is coming down the pike, we’ll have to wait for it. The first production FR-S models won’t show up until summer, and any variations would trail along after that. Either way, it appears we should be able to catch a glimpse of high-performance FR-S on the Formula D circuit in no time. to watch the quick video for yourself.
