German tuner has released word (and pictures) of the first tuned we know about, the AS8. ABT freely admits that the new A8 is pretty sporty on its own. Therefore, the AS8 package seeks to “underline” what Audi’s already done in terms of huge, sporting luxo-bargeness. To wit, “[ABT] has not changed the elegant glider into a racing car, but carefully into a confident and sporty automobile.”
Naturally, ABT started with a version of the A8 we can’t get here in the States, the diesel. In stock form, Audi’s 4.2-liter TDI V8 produces a healthy 350 horsepower and a yacht-towing 590 pound-feet of torque. In ABT trim however, the sparkless mill churns out 385 hp and a foundation-shifting 649 lb-ft of torque. The car’s 0-60 time falls from the factory’s 5.5 seconds to around five flat. Quite good for a 4,300+ pound oil burner, no?
Of course it would be in very bad form to just hop up the engine and leave the rest of the car stock — how would anyone know you’re driving a tuner? To that end, ABT has gone on and designed a body kit for the AS8. This kit primarily consists of a front spoiler with a splitter, side sills and a rear-end apron enclosing new tail pipes. There’s also a three-piece rear spoiler and 21-inch wheels. We’ve never been totally sold on the looks of the 2011 A8, so while the ABT treatment helps in some respects (the rear looks excellent), it doesn’t help much in others. Specifically the droopy looking sides and over-sized schnoz. But hey, at least they’re trying.
To the victor go the spoils. It’s an age-old adage, and with good reason. But after winning the world championship last year, Jenson Button had another battle on his hands.
In negotiating his contract with Brawn GP for last season, Button reportedly agreed to a salary cut given the team’s drastically reduced budget compared to the well-funded years. A clause, however improbable it may have seemed at the time, was included in the contract that stipulated that, should Button win the championship, he’d be entitled to keep one of the cars with which he won it.
After the season was done, Button moved to McLaren and bought the Brawn team, the chassis wasn’t delivered. Offering instead to build Button a replica, the team reportedly claimed there weren’t enough chassis to go around, so Button’s company took the team to court.
The parties have reportedly since settled out of court and Button is due to take possession of his championship-winning car. But if you thought he had an easy ride to the title, claiming the prize apparently proved anything but.
There’s a whole lot of technology built into the , and some upcoming advertising for the plug-in hybrid looks to be just as futuristic (unlike ‘ ). Case in point: Chevrolet and Microsoft Advertising have announced that its new hands-free Xbox 360 Kinect accessory used with a new game called , will let you virtually test drive the Volt. In case you were wondering, this isn’t about you figuring out if a real Volt is right for you; the Kinect is really about providing advertisers “an innovative way to connect with consumers by enabling them to physically explore and engage with a brand through voice and gesture.” Microsoft is also showing off the Kinect technology with but Chevy is the first ad partner for the device (the Kinect, not the Xbox, which ).
In order to drive the Volt in the game, players will first need to unlock the car and watch a Chevy Volt ad either on Xbox Live or on the web. Microsoft also demoed a huge potential Chevrolet Volt campaign at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival today that includes being able to:
“…add a local Chevrolet promotion event to their calendar to go test-drive a Volt or use voice-enabled search on Bing to find locations near them. Chevrolet will be the first auto marketer to incorporate a branded advertising experience for the new Windows Phone 7.”
There may also be Microsoft Surface tables and and Kinect kiosks at future Volt promotional events. There’s a video interview with Paul Edwards, executive director of marketing strategy with General Motors, talking about the ad deal .
Not quite sure what it is that you’re looking at above? Fret not, neither does anyone else… save some engineering types at , of course. Sure, we can all recognize the shape of the beautiful , but what’s with the large rear spoiler? And, even more puzzlingly, why does this GT have twin exhaust outlets poking out high up on the rear fascia in lieu of the normal quad pipes at the corners?
Back in April, Fiat unleashed its , and the Italian automaker promised to “maintain and sustain” its GranTurismo. At the time, we could only assume that meant more variants, but these spy photos only serve to muddy the waters further. What’s more, this machine doesn’t appear to be the shown earlier this year in Geneva. That said, we’re just going to assume this is an updated GranTurismo with a slightly hotter powertrain borrowed from corporate partner . See for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery
“Anything you can do, I can do better” might be playing on the loudspeakers in Korea right now, as is apparently set to introduce a bored out version of the formerly 4.6-liter Tau V8 for action in the and Equus. More interestingly, this new 5.0 may do duty in the as well. This new 5.0-liter V8 was mentioned during a media event at Hyundai R&D and if the claimed numbers are legit, this Mustang-challenger will produce a few more ponies than the Blue Oval bruiser. Where is getting 412 horsepower from its five-point-oh in the , Hyundai says its 5.0-liter V8 will be packing 429 hp when it reaches production.
No official word from the South Korean automaker yet, but this new direct-injection 5.0 in sure to be fitted to the Genesis Sedan for 2011, reportedly backed by a new eight-speed automatic transmission developed by Hyundai. Chances are it will eventually find its way under the hood of the Genesis Coupe, possibly backed by a proper stick. Hyundai is apparently launching the Equus with the 4.6-liter Tau, but the new flagship sedan will get the upgraded mill soon after, right about the time the upgraded 2011 Genesis Sedan appears. The output figures being reported are 429 hp at 6,500 rpm and 376 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm, with an 11.5:1 compression ratio – a healthy jump above the 385 hp, 333 ft-lb for the 4.6 liter V8 currently found in the Genesis Sedan.
If the 5.0 does show up in the Coupe, we will definitely have to revisit our from last month. These arms races can start so innocently, but never end well, so don’t be surprised to see Ford’s 5.0 get a bump if this comes to fruition.
2010 BMW 335i Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery
We like to think of ourselves as a voice of the people – a place for the proletariat of the interwebs who clamor for an honest take on the latest automotive hardware. To that end, we’ve always viewed the constant stream of fawning over with something of a jaundice eye. We get it. The company builds good products, but does it really deserve wave after wave of gushing prose in every car magazine? Even more troubling, does the deserve its honored position as the benchmark against which all other mid-sized sports sedans must be measured?
In a word, yes. We say that almost against our plebeian nature, but if you’ve come searching for a scathing tear-down of the bread-and-butter 3, best point your clickers elsewhere. After a full week with the 2010 BMW 335i sedan, we’ve come to understand why the bastions of auto-journodom have spent the last 10 years drinking the BMW Kool-Aid. It’s just that good. to find out why the latest 3 Series continues the tradition.
Gallery:
Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
It looks like could file its first paperwork for an initial public stock offering as soon as next week. The IPO registration is the first step in the process of getting approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to become a publicly traded company again. A stock sale could come as soon as November and probably no later than early 2011.
At this point it appears that most of the shares to be sold will come from the block held by the United States Treasury, which accounts for 60.8 percent of the automaker. The Treasury would like to start unloading its stake as soon as possible and preferably before this year’s election. Roughly one third of the government’s holdings are expected to be sold in what may well be the biggest IPO of all time. Depending on the IPO price, the sale could bring in anywhere from $10-20 billion for what would be about 20 percent of the company. At the time of its bankruptcy last year, GM’s market capitalization was barely $700 million.
Hennessey VelociRaptor 600 – Click above to watch the video
Well of course they did. If is known for anything, it’s strictly adhering to the “Needs more power!” motif. This guy could watch a shuttle launch and return to his lab plotting a third booster. So yes, Hennessey has slapped two turbochargers onto Ford’s batty-yet-burly F150-mutant and produced the VelociRaptor 600 and 800, two products that will nicely compliment the existing , a supercharged version of the Raptor 5.4.
Through the magic of forced induction, power grows from the 6.2-liter V8 Raptor’s stock 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque to a slightly-goofy 602 hp and 622 lb-ft of twist in the V-Rap 600. Not enough for you? Hennessey either, which is why he’s also selling the VelociRaptor 800. Get all the liquids out of your mouth now, as the engine stonks it up to the Texas-sized tune of 810 hp and 745 lb-ft of torque. Can we borrow an exclamation point?
We know what you’re thinking — the twin-turbo V8 makes 752 pound-feet of torque, besting the Hennessey 800 by seven pounds of twisting force. However, the Hennessey VelociRaptor 800 makes 305 more ponies than the British thoroughbred, weighs less (what doesn’t?) and can keep up with the hounds no matter the fox hunt. That said, the Muslanne has a nicer interior. Think we’re being silly? We are, because engines like this bend our minds a bit. Remember, 810 hp is nearly 100 hp more than a Ferrari 599XX.
But what if you already have a Raptor 6.2, want more power but don’t want two turbochargers? Again, no problem, as Hennessey is also announcing the VelociRaptor 475, that through better breathing and some reprogramming, ups the big V8’s output to 475 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque. Dang. Watch the video .
Perhaps you’ve heard the one about Audi taking the top three slots at a little race called Le Mans? Well, Audi would like you to make sure that the rest of the world hears about it, and as enticement the Quattro-meisters are offering a chance to win a trip to the Audi Sportscar Experience at Infineon Raceway and a seat in a brand-spanking-new R8.
You’ll need a twitter account and a knowledge of pointing-and-clicking. Once you get that sorted, head to the and follow the absurdly simple instruction of sending a tweet. If you’re really into it, you can re-enter the contest up to 25 more times (for 26 in total), which would make Audi – and maybe your Piloti racing shoes – really happy. Best hurry, though – the contest ends today. After that you’ll have to buy your own R8…
PorscheCayman S – Click above for high-res image gallery
If you salivated at the but longed for something with a fixed roof, the rumor mill has something tantalizing in store for you. According to reports, is preparing to give a similar treatment to the .
Tentatively called the Cayman Clubsport, the hardcore coupe is tipped to get a 20-30 horsepower boost over the 300 hp offered from the 3.4-liter flat-six in the existing Cayman S. Couple that with a weight reduction scheme and similar chassis mods as those carried out on the Spyder and you’re looking at a mid-engined Porsche with a 0-60 time in the high fours.
A host of visual enhancements are likely to set it apart from the standard model. But at this point we’re looking largely at speculation – the such rumors have rounded the mill – so don’t go canceling your 911 GT3 order just yet.
Mini vs. Porsche at the starting line – Click above to watch the video
The race is over, the hype can now officially simmer down… right? Not so much, apparently. has uploaded yet another video from its challenge event, complete with a guest appearance from Joe Rogan.
Since we’ve brought you all the updates up to this point, why not conclude with this bookend video. Here you’ll see each driver give a pre-race interview, followed by the course designer, who gives a kinda-sorta-ridiculous explanation as to why the track was set up in a certain way (hint: it wasn’t to favor Porsche).
There are the obligatory cheerleaders rooting for Mini and a suitably buxom flag girl… and finally a full video of the race. Oh, and a congratulatory note from Mini to Porsche, along with an ending that leaves the event open for a sequel. You saw that one coming, didn’t you? Full video .
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This week’s podcast team is Sam Abuelsamid, Alex Nunez and Dan Roth. We dive right in after a quick garage overview and take on the 2011 Honda Odyssey, JD Power’s Initial Quality Study results, action suggested by the new United Auto Workers president, and a whole bunch of first drives. The 2011 Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-Z and Cadillac CTS Coupe were all sampled by our wheelmen, and we discuss. We work in your feedback and wrap up with a question at the 80-minute mark. See you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #183 – Odyssey, IQS, UAW, CR-Z, CTS Coupe and Grand Cherokee
In the Autoblog Garage:
News:
redefines the Tipping Point
Coupe is audacity in motion
Hosts:
, ,
Runtime: 54:32
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2010 Nissan GT-R – Click above for high-res image gallery
Rumors of a next-generation Nissan GT-R have been floating around since . And given CEO Carlos Ghosn’s wholesale commitment to electric vehicles, it should come as no surprise that the automaker is seriously considering adding some form of battery power to the next iteration of its sports car. Speaking at an event in Australia, chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno confirmed that an alternative powertrain will be a necessity to keep the GT-R relevant and meet future emissions and fuel economy standards.
Both and have already announced plans to build electric versions of the and respectively. According to Mizuno, Nissan is considering a straight battery variant, a hybrid or even a diesel version, although the latter is unlikely. A battery version is certainly possible, but Mizuno also says a hybrid would be easy to do thanks to the GT-R’s front engine/rear transaxle layout. The and other EVs will give Nissan some breathing room on regulations, so a new GT-R is still a ways off. At this point work has yet to start on the new model and no decision has been made on the powertrain.
In the between the and the , a victor has been crowned, and as you’d expect, the blokes from had their bumpers handed to them.
Despite designed to maximize the potential and neuter the high-speed prowess of the , the Cooper still lost the battle by a full two seconds. Naturally, Mini likes to point out that the difference was $38,000 a second, but to anyone paying attention, the additional $76k is money well spent… particularly on a real track. Maybe Mini should’ve reconsidered …
for the race and two introductory videos, including a thoroughly comical explanation about why Mini opted for an autocross track and not the full course at Road Atlanta.
2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R teaser – Click above to enlarge
In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a new crop of superbikes terrorizing the roadways and racetracks of the United States. And more than any other point in recent history, the Big Four Japanese brands aren’t leading the way. Instead, it’s the European brands – Specifically , BMW, and – that are encroaching on , Kawasaki, and Yamaha’s territory.
Team Green isn’t likely to let the newest challengers turn its flagship Ninja into an also-ran, and the latest evidence of such can be seen in a new teaser of the 2011 ZX-10R. Expect a completely new motorcycle for next year, including a new engine, frame and suspension package. In order to compete with the latest from Europe, we’d also imagine the literbike to get an upgraded electronics package.
While we don’t have any details on those hard bits, we do have one rendering that shows an aggressive new look with a gaping ram air scoop front and center. Want more? Check out an enlarged version of the teaser image above and be sure to for the accompanying video.
We came away from the with the feeling that anything was possible. The season had settled into a blistering pace and drama had definitely begun to unfold. Departure from Mugello left many heads spinning as we saw defending champ Valentino Rossi following a nasty get-off and the subsequent end of Yamaha’s ownership of the top spot on the podium. We have a feeling that did not sit too well with the boys in blue, as Jorge Lorenzo showed up at Silverstone to put a punctuation on his championship points lead… a 6.743 second punctuation to be exact!
The race launch gave birth to a hungry pack of racers, and although Lorenzo held the top honors, there would be no runaway (at least not at first) as Repsol Honda’s Dani Pedrosa gave early chase with the lead swapping between riders as early as lap one. As the laps ticked off though, Jorge had found his way to a comfortable lead, leaving the real battles behind him. Andrea Dovisioso and Randy de Puniet pushed hard to round out the podium, while a pair of patient young Americans named Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies lay in wait just outside the top three.
As the rubber boiled in and the laps wound down to just three, Dovisioso made his move pulling away from the battle with de Puniet. Just as this was happening, Spies also found his speed and was able to make another pass stick on the Frenchman, riding inside the top three for the first time this year. Nicky Hayden also managed to put his Ducati in front of de Puniet and would pass the checkers in the number four spot for the fourth time since . After suffering an extremely poor start and having to work his way up the ranks from the very last position, Casey Stoner pulled up the caboose of the train that would pass de Puniet prior to the finish line and round out the top five.
So there we have it folks, Jorge Lorenzo is taking care of business, both for Yamaha and for his championship hopes. Andrea Dovisioso is quickly becoming a solid runner up, and all the while Ben Spies finally found his groove and got a bottle of champagne in the process. We can only hope Hayden can break his fourth place curse one of these rounds. As for his teammate Casey Stoner… well, his results remain marginal at best this season, and it remains to be seen if that is going to change.
Next stop: the Netherlands. We can only imagine that it is still anyone’s game at Catalunya! Click past the break for the top ten results.
In any form of motorsport, manufacturers come and go, but the sport continues to be shaped by the teams and the major players that lead them. So when , you knew it was only a matter of time before David Richards and his company Prodrive would be back on stage. Now it looks like that opportunity could come from .
Richards has made no secret of his desire to bring Prodrive back to the WRC, but rather than re-enter as a privateer, he’s indicated that the new outfit will be fielded under the auspices of a major manufacturer. Given the ties which Richards has fostered with Toyota – particularly over the Cygnet/iQ deal which be brokered with the Japanese auto giant in his capacity as chairman of – and the reported presence of Toyota scouts at several rallies recently, the signs are pointing towards Toyota’s involvement.
It’s been over a decade since the Japanese automaker has competed in the WRC, but recently trimmed a significant drain on its motorsport budget by . A top-tier rally team is tipped to cost around 8% of what Toyota had been pouring into its over-funded F1 program. And speaking of F1, Richards has for the time being abandoned aspirations to return to grand prix racing, having run both the Benetton and BAR- teams in the past. But he leaves F1 with an intriguing suggestion to replace the current qualifying system with a computerized grid that would rotate the starting order with each race, thereby mixing up the outcome of each race. Interesting, but the Toyota reports seem more plausible.
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Yep, that’s right. It’s time once again to ask our podcast crew anything you want to know. Don’t forget to vote on which questions deserve our attention the most, though we’ll try to get to as many as we can. Discussion topics for Autoblog Podcast #183, which we’ll record tonight, can be found below. Finally, subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #181
redefines the Tipping Point
prepares to rock your sippy cups [w/video]
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2012 Hyundai Veloster – Click above for high-res image gallery
At a media breakfast in Los Angeles this morning, Motor America president John Krafcik let slip that the Korean automaker expects to breach the 40 miles-per-gallon barrier with its forthcoming small sports coupe. Conveniently, if they can reach that performance target, that would best the new , which, despite its hybrid powertrain, achieves just 36/39 city/highway when equipped with a CVT and 31/37 with a manual gearbox. The as-yet-unnamed Hyundai coupe (the nameplates and Tiburon are still up for discussion) will achieve those figures with a conventional four-cylinder engine, eschewing the added cost, complexity and weight of a gas-electric system.
Likening the forthcoming model to a long-distance runner, Krafcik promises that not only will this Hyundai best the in fuel economy, it will also deliver better performance as well as added utility (read: rear seats and better access). Given that it won’t have the cost penalty of a hybrid drivetrain (a ), we’d be surprised if it doesn’t come in at a lower price-point, as well.
In addition to sipping gas, Krafcik emphasized to Autoblog that a key mission for the affordable coupe will be enticing the world’s young and increasingly auto-ambivalent consumers with additional technology – all Velosters will come with a large screen on the dashboard as standard equipment, presumably to manage connectivity features in addition to more traditional vehicle functions.
With 40 mpg practicality and superior utility, it would appear that the Veloster not only has a shot at taking on Honda’s CR-Z, but also more conventional economy cars like the , perhaps trading a bit of practicality in favor of edgier coupe styling and (hopefully) greater performance.
Tesla future models – Click above for more slides from the road show
The long-delayed initial public offering for is expected to happen as early as next week. Naturally, then, company CEO Elon Musk now has to go out and sell it. One of the last steps before the stock’s on-sale date is the Road Show, where executives go before the mavens of Wall Street to convince them of the value of the company.
Slide #19 of Musk’s Powerpoint gives us the first glimpse of what might come after the Model S, which includes a cabriolet, van and crossover. All will be built on a common platform with the Model S and will mount the battery pack under the floor in a similar manner to the Nissan Leaf. The cabriolet, in particular, is quite the stunner and should provide a real competitor to the Fisker Karma Sunset.
Among the other changes that Musk revealed are liquid-cooled power electronics and motor starting with the Model S. While this will add to the cost and complexity of the powertrain, it should help improve the overall efficiency and overcome some of the limiting factors that were found late in the development of the Roadster. The full and you can watch the .
![f740e motogp silverstone MotoGP 2010: Momentum and surprises from Silverstone [Spoilers]](http://theautoblog.ru/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/f740e_motogp-silverstone.jpg "MotoGP 2010: Momentum and surprises from Silverstone [Spoilers]")
