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Driving the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Tour

Stealing a scene from the Jetsons, our little fluorescent green sedan zooms down the Autobahn at triple-digit speeds, puffing little white plumes of water vapor in its turbulent wake. While this animated family of the future cruised in a bubble-top “capsule car” (it folded conveniently into a briefcase, if you recall), we are whisking through Europe in a hydrogen-powered B-Class F-Cell.

The prime-time Jetsons sitcom was penned by artists in a Hanna-Barbera animation studio in the early 1960s. Not so our transport. The compact F-Cell was engineered and built by the team at Mercedes-Benz – the same German company credited with building the world’s first combustion-powered automobile 125 years ago. This morning, the automaker is leading the charge to introduce the world to hydrogen as it feels the clean technology is finally mature enough for widespread use. Engaging the media to drive its point home, the company has launched an around-the-globe excursion called, appropriately enough, the “Mercedes-Benz F-Cell World Tour.” We’ve been invited to take the wheel during the first leg to Paris, starting at the company’s headquarters in Germany.

Continue reading How the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell left us both stranded and impressed…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Michael Harley / AOL and Mercedes-Benz

Continue reading How the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell left us both stranded and impressed

How the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell left us both stranded and impressed

Chrysler has been mighty busy these past few months. The Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker has launched all-new versions of the Dodge Durango and Charger, the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. That’s a very full product onslaught, yet Team Pentastar also found the time to give thorough (if overdue) refreshes to most of the other vehicles in its lineup. One vehicle missing from that long list of re-dos is the Jeep Liberty, but a report from Kicking Tires suggests that may change for 2012.

KT cites a Securities and Exchange Commission filing submitted by Chrysler that shows that the Liberty will be remade next year. We’re not sure if the Liberty will be refreshed or if Chrysler is planning a more comprehensive makeover, but we do know that any and all changes are welcome. The second-generation Liberty went on sale in the 2008 model year.

The Liberty’s fraternal twin, the Dodge Nitro is in need of some refresh love itself, but interestingly enough, the slow-selling vehicle wasn’t mentioned in the report. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne mentioned during the Detroit Auto Show that the Nitro “needs to be replaced,” adding that the midsize SUV is “the most significant hole in our product portfolio.”

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Sources: Toledo Blade via Kicking Tires]

Report: New Jeep Liberty on the way in 2012; Dodge Nitro replacement uncertain

Chrysler has been mighty busy these past few months. The Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker has launched all-new versions of the Dodge Durango and Charger, the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. That’s a very full product onslaught, yet Team Pentastar also found the time to give thorough (if overdue) refreshes to most of the other vehicles in its lineup. One vehicle missing from that long list of re-dos is the Jeep Liberty, but a report from Kicking Tires suggests that may change for 2012.

KT cites a Securities and Exchange Commission filing submitted by Chrysler that shows that the Liberty will be remade next year. We’re not sure if the Liberty will be refreshed or if Chrysler is planning a more comprehensive makeover, but we do know that any and all changes are welcome. The second-generation Liberty went on sale in the 2008 model year.

The Liberty’s fraternal twin, the Dodge Nitro is in need of some refresh love itself, but interestingly enough, the slow-selling vehicle wasn’t mentioned in the report. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne mentioned during the Detroit Auto Show that the Nitro “needs to be replaced,” adding that the midsize SUV is “the most significant hole in our product portfolio.”

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Report: New Jeep Liberty on the way in 2012; Didge Nitro replacement uncertain

Famed coachbuilder and industrial design studio Italdesign Guigiaro has released a free app for the Apple iPad that tracks the history of this famous design house since its founding by Giorgetto Giuguaro in 1968.

The app features a brief introduction that runs along the timeline from 1968 to 2030, showing key moments in Italdesign’s past and future. You’ll see Giugiaro with the Bizzarini Manta, the Alfa Romeo Alfasud and the Fiat Punto as the intro sequence plays out.

The iPad app’s release follows Italdesign’s new website launch last July, and its Geneva Motor Show-specific page for last year’s show. If you’re looking to download it, the Italdesign Giugiaro app is now available in App Stores worldwide. Click here to download it now from the iTunes Store or follow the jump for more details if you’re still on the fence.

[Source: Italdesign Giugiaro]

Continue reading Italdesign Giugiaro launches free iPad app

Italdesign Giugiaro launches free iPad app

Way in the back of the Fiat booth at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, behind all of the shiny modern machinery with their tiny, fuel-sipping engines, sat a car that looks like one of those wood-carved models you see at every knick-knack store. Curious though it was, we knew right off the bat there is something far more significant to this car than met the eye. And indeed there is.

Nicknamed “Mephistoles” by the French public in the 1920s, this 1908 Fiat SB4 racer was, at the time, the fastest car in the world. Sir Ernest Eldridge bought it on the cheap after it crashed in a race at Brooklands in the UK, thereafter setting about turning it into a land speed record car. To get there, Sir Ernest and company replaced the engine with a 22-liter(!) inline six-cylinder aircraft engine that delivered 320 horsepower to the rear wheels via chain drive – a combination (hardly) kept in check by a single brake on the rear differential.

Mephistoles set a top speed of 143.26 miles per hour over a flying kilometer in Arpajob, France in 1924, but was later disqualified because the regulations stipulated the necessity of a reverse gear, which the Fiat lacked. Sir Ernest developed a system and came back, regulations satisfied, just days later to set a new record of 146 mph… the last such record achieved on a public road. To this day, according to the lore, nobody knows how Eldridge got the thing to go in reverse, but after over three years of restoration, Fiat is proudly exhibiting Mephistoles in Geneva, and we snapped a few photos to help you ponder the mystery and majesty for yourself.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

Geneva 2011: 1908 Fiat SB4 “Mephistoles” land speed record car baffles the mind

Customized Mercedes-Benz cars have been in the spotlight at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Mansory, Fab Design and Brabus have all fallen in love with the SLS AMG, but Carlsson continues its affair with the SL65 AMG. At last year’s show, Carlsson unveiled its C25 super grand tourer. For 2011, Carlsson has come back with another iteration of the frighteningly fast two-door, this time called the C25 Royale.

What’s the difference between last year’s C25 and the 2011 C25 Royale? Both pack the same bone-crushingly powerful V12 under the hood, here producing 753 horsepower and 848 pound-feet of torque. The C25 Royale goes for a few extra steps in the weight savings department by utilizing a carbon fiber roof.

Just like last year, however, the C25 Royale will be limited to just 25 units. Also, to further increase the likelyhood that your neighbor will never have the same car as you, Carlsson says it will sell just one per country. Starting price on a Carlsson C25 Royale is €429,000, or just shy of $600,000 USD. Add in German VAT and the price rises to €510,510 (around $713,000 USD). As we said, that is the starting price. The options list is packed with further piggy bank busting features, which you see for yourself by reading the press release waiting after the jump.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Carlsson]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Carlsson C25 Royale makes large quantities of money magically disappear

Geneva 2011: Carlsson C25 Royale makes large quantities of money magically disappear

Top Gear as we know it now is in its 16th season of automotive mischief, hoonage and – somewhere in there – journalism. What we tune in for now, though, is a reborn version of a show that soldiered on from 1977 to 2001 before being cancelled and once again exhumed.

The original show only resembles the current version in two ways: the theme song is Dickey Betts’ Jessica and Jeremy Clarkson is one of the hosts. Beyond that, it’s a whole different animal. Looking at these videos, it’s a wonderful thing that TG rose from the ashes of its former self into the show it is today. Looking at clips of the original series, it’s a wonder it lasted as long as it did.

For the most part, there a batch of dour presenters with bad hair and worse suits giving us the goods on the latest version of cars like the Lancia Beta or Rover 216. In some places, the future lunacy of the show pokes through, but for the most part it’s a very tame, and, yes, boring show.

Still, the clips of historic TG are entertaining, if for no other reason than Clarkson’s hair and denim jacket collection. Here’s hoping that Top Gear USA will itself enjoy enough time to metamorphosize into something bolder, funnier and harder-hitting as well. Thanks for the tip, Ryan!

[Source: BBC via YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: Rewind – Old Top Gear looks back at even older Top Gear

Videos: Rewind – Old Top Gear looks back at even older Top Gear

It’s become quite clear that Mansory and Fab Design should leave SLS-tuning to the experts. Brabus has pulled back the wraps on its 700 Biturbo, and the results are pants-tightening impressive.

Brabus has taken the 6.2-liter SLS AMG V8 and attached a pair of turbochargers to the already-excellent mill. Output has gone from 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, up to 700-hp and 626 lb-ft of torque. Brabus has also gone ahead and changed the intake and exhaust manifolds, engine mapping and exhaust system on the Mercedes-Benz flagship.

In fact, Brabus has gotten down to the nitty-gritty with its 700 Biturbo at the Geneva Motor Show. Traditionally, twin-turbocharged engines have a pair of turbos both spinning in the same direction. Brabus has fitted a right-turning and left-turning exhaust to the respective sides of the engine, and this allows for optimal air flow into the engine.

All of this work has produced a luxurious grand tourer that hits 0-62 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, and can run on to top speed of 213 mph. Brabus has managed to do all of this without slapping on eye-searing paint an ill-advised body kit (though obviously there’s an extensive bit of aero-tweakery present), and for that, we thank them. (Next time, though, maybe we can find someone around to close the hood…)

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Brabus]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Brabus 700 Biturbo is SLS AMG turned up to 11

Geneva 2011: Brabus 700 Biturbo is SLS AMG turned up to 11

AC Schnitzer has showed up at the Geneva Motor Show with not one, but two fresh-off-the-press upgrade packages for 2011.

Not wanting to look completely unfriendly to Mother Earth, AC Schnitzer has taken their expertise to the Z4 and BMW’s EfficientDynamics system, working over a 320d mill to go under the Z4’s hood. The 2011 AC Schnitzer 99d gets a 70-hp boost to 190, hits 60 in 6.9 seconds, releases a scant 99g of C02 per mile and returns a handsome 63 mpg in the European cycle. That, according to Schnitzer, is better than any BMW on the market. Unfortunately, the 99d is just a concept, and won’t be available to the public any time soon.

For the family minded executives attending the show, AC Schnitzer started with the 2011 BMW 550i, bumping the car from 407 to 540 horsepower. According to Schnitzer, the result is a 4.5-second 0-60 sprint and a whopping 198 mph top end. The engine exhales through a new set of the tuner’s own mufflers capped with chrome surrounds. The resulting executive express has been dubbed the ACS5 Sport S.

Hauling all that energy to a stop is a revised set of brakes sporting eight-piston calipers. Outside, Schnitzer went all-out to ensure that the car would be stable at its newfound velocity. The laundry list of exterior mods includes a front spoiler, carbon ducts for the brakes, new engine bay vents and, of course, your choice of 20 or 21-inch AC Schnitzer custom wheels.

Check out the official videos and press releases after the jump.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: AC Schnitzer]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

There’s a reason tow truck drivers charge so much money for their talents. Extricating a vehicle from a sticky situation is an art that requires more skill than simply knowing where to hook the cables and what lever to pull. If you aren’t extremely careful, you can easily turn a bad situation worse just by applying too much force in the wrong area at the wrong time. Need proof? Have a look at the video after the jump. The clip shows a poor GMC Sierra capsized on a frozen lake and the ensuing attempt to get it back on its feet.

Rather than enlist the assistance of a qualified tow truck operator, the helpful hands on scene apparently decided to take matters into their own hands with a little boost from a piece of heavy equipment. Unfortunately, the truck had other ideas. Hit the jump to see what happens for yourself. Just be warned, there’s a lot of swearing on the video that’s completely NSFW.

[Source: Streetfire]

Continue reading Video: How not to rescue your truck from a frozen lake

Video: How not to rescue your truck from a frozen lake

Chrysler Tries Harder

Among the most famous advertising slogans of all time is the Avis classic: “We try harder.” Conceived of in the early ’60s, when Avis was the number two rental car company behind Hertz, the tagline made a virtue out of second place. With its mid-lifecycle refresh of its minivan line, including both the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country, Chrysler is making a similar case.

But wait a minute here, isn’t Chrysler the long-time industry leader in minivans? Well, that depends. The Honda Odyssey took the minivan sales crown in 2008 and 2009, while the Town & Country triumphed last year. Honda would contend that’s only because its rival sells so many minivans to fleets, while Chrysler might point out that if you add sales of its nearly identical Grand Caravan to the numbers, it’s the minivan leader by a Reagan-esque landslide.

No matter which side of this argument you’re inclined to believe, the fact remains that Chrysler no longer has a lock on minivan mindshare. In fact, among a certain slice of the status-conscious, import-loving populace, Chrysler minivans don’t even rate second – more like a distant third or even fourth, behind the Odyssey, the recently redesigned Toyota Sienna and the brand-new Nissan Quest.

Chrysler finally seems to have adjusted to this reality, making some major upgrades to its minivan lineup for 2011, including a complete overhaul of the engine, suspension and interior. After a week behind the wheel, we can enthusiastically endorse the new engine and suspension, and we liked the new interior a lot. The end result might not be quite as polished as the all-new models from its three main competitors, but the Grand Caravan has been changed dramatically since its 2007 debut, receiving as close to a complete overhaul as you’ll see in this business without starting from scratch.

Continue reading Review: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan…

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan

Review: 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan

The Detroit News is reporting that Ford and The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have announced the recall of over 30,000 vehicles. A total of 23,688 Ranger pickups are being brought back to dealers to inspect fuel lines for potential chafing. The problem may result in a gasoline odor or a fuel leak, but is only present on 2010 vehicles equipped with the company’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. Additionally, Ford is also re-inspecting certain 2011 F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Edge and Flex models that were covered under a previous recall last December.

Those 14,737 vehicles were originally recalled for body control modules that could short out and lead to a fire. The first time around, Ford used a software program to read the serial numbers on the defective parts to correctly identify the pieces that were likely to fail. Unfortunately, the program was apparently reading the wrong set of characters. As a result, some of the faulty modules may not have been replaced. As a result, Ford will take a second look at the parts in hopes of finding those that could be a problem later down the line.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Ford announces two recalls, more than 30,000 vehicles affected

Jamie Hresko, head of General Motors Powertrain since June 2010, is stepping away in pursuit of other opportunities. While that’s often code for “I was forced out, but we’re keeping it quiet,” the Detroit Free Press reports that a source close to the situation asserts that Hresko is leaving of his own accord. Hresko has been at GM for 28 years, spending time in roles ranging from managing the Orion Township assembly plant to overseeing global quality.

Report: GM powertrain head Hresko resigns after 28 years

The fuel economy wars have heated up in the hotly contested C-Segment. The latest salvo from Ford comes in the form of the Focus SE SFE (Super Fuel Economy) capable of 40 miles of highway travel on a single gallon of petrol. That ties the similarly new 2011 2011 Hyundai Elantra (40 mpg) and it’s close to the 42 mpg from the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze ECO. But like its competitor from Chevrolet, most Focus models won’t be able to keep pace with the big four-oh.

According to Kicking Tires, the rest of the Focus lineup will return a slightly less exciting 38 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg around town (31 mpg combined) when equipped with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The manual transmission Focus will hit 36 mpg on the highway and 26 mpg in city driving (30 mpg combined). Not best-in-class, but not too shabby, either.

It would have been a big win for the Focus if it could best the Elantra at the pump. On the other hand, the Focus does pack 12 more horsepower than the Hyundai and we’re thinking it looks every bit as good. It’s a good time to be in the market for a compact car.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Rest of 2012 Ford Focus line tops out at 38 MPG

We’re up to 62. That’s 62 cars we’ve covered at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. And no, we’re not done. Our all time record is 72 vehicles covered in one auto show, thanks to a bountiful Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. Will we beat our record tomorrow? Um… absolutely, because we’ve still got a lot more cool cars from Switzerland to show you. See you tomorrow morning when the fun continues. Until then, check out our updated batch of Geneva cars below.

Lamborghini Aventador	2012 Ferrari FF	Pagani Huayra
2012 Jaguar XKR-S	2012 MB C-Class Coupe	Porsche Panamera S Hybrid
MB C63 AMG Estate	Saab 9-5 SportCombi	Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring
Koenigsegg Agera R	Aston Martin Virage	Gumpert Tornante
Toyota Prius+	Chevy Cruze Hatchback	Lancia Ypsilon
De Tomaso Deauville	Morgan Threewheeler	Porsche Boxster S Black
Maserati GranCabrio Sport	Ford B-Max	Ford Ranger Wildtrak
VW Golf Cabriolet	VW Tiguan	Hyundai i40 Wagon
Opel Ampera	Mansory Cormeum	Fab Design SLS AMG
ABT R8 GTS	MTM R8 Biturbo	Lexus LFA Nurburgring
Audi RS3 Sportback	GTA Spano	Bentley Supersports ICR
2012 Kia Rio	Fiat 500 by Gucci

Toyota FT-86 II	Alfa Romeo 4C	Volkswagen Bulli
Audi A3 Sedan	Wiesmann Spyder	Fiat 500 Zagato Coupe
Saab PhoeniX	Volkswagen Giugiaro Go	Volkswagen Giugiaro Tex
Mitsubishi Global Small	BMW Vision ConnectedDrive	Mazda Minagi
Nissan Esflow	Renault R-Space	Smart ForSpeed
Rinspeed BamBoo	Infiniti Etherea	Mini Rocketman
Renault Captur	RR Sport diesel PHEV	Rolls-Royce 102EX
Bertone Jaguar B99	Suzuki Swift S-Concept	Tata Pixel
IED Abarth Scorp-ion	Ssangyong SUT-1	SEAT IBX

Peugeot 908 Hyrbrid4

2011 Geneva Motor Show: Day 2 – 62 cars and counting

The parents of a Mazda worker who killed himself in 2007 have reached a second settlement with the company worth $770,000. The latest settlement brings the parents’ total to just over $1.3 million from Mazda.

According to The Daily Mail, the auto company was found liable in the worker’s death because he killed himself after being chronically overworked. According to the parents’ suit, the employee was ridiculed publicly by his managers for, among other accusations taking “needless” overtime.

Mazda paid the young man’s parents a separate condolence settlement in 2009. Work-related suicide is becoming a real problem in Japan, where the culture favors a workaholic mentality. In addition, many chronic overworkers suffer stress-related heart attacks and strokes.

These sorts of deaths have become common enough that the Japanese have coined a term, “karoshi,” which means “exhaustion death” to describe the phenomenon. Courts have ruled that the employer can be held liable in karoshi cases, as has apparently happened with Mazda.

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Report: Mazda to pay $770k to parents of overworked employee who committed suicide

The Suzuki Swift is a genuinely good car, standing as something of an exception in Suzuki’s lineup until recent additions like the SX4 and Kizashi came along. But calling it “swift” might be a bit of wishful thinking, if not a huge exaggeration. Enter the Swift S-Concept, which Suzuki has just presented at the Geneva Motor Show.

Few details have been released as to what has gone into the S-Concept and where it’s going, but anyone can tell straight off the bat that it’s a Swift taken to the extreme. In fact, it looks as close to an S2000-spec racer for the street as we’ve seen in some time, sporting 18-inch wheels, aerodynamic upgrades, Recaro racing buckets… the works.

The result looks good. Seriously good. Which is sadly probably more than we can say for its production prospects. But for the company behind such an eclipsing Pikes Peak campaign, with the right mechanical upgrades to match the sporting pretensions of its own styling, a hotter Swift could be just the ticket to inject some much-needed excitement into its range.

Check it out in the gallery of live images from the show floor below, and the stock shots in the gallery below that.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Suzuki Swift S-Concept puts its money where its name is

Geneva 2011: Suzuki Swift S-Concept puts its money where its name is

Finally, the moment is upon us. Lexus has released the most-exclusive version of its already hyper-exclusive LFA supercar. Behold, in person, the 2012 Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition. For those who need reminding, the LFA is Lexus’ $375,000 supercar. There will only be 500 LFAs built worldwide, and of those, a scant 50 will have the Nürburgring package bestowed on them.

The package takes the standard LFA, which is certainly no slouch on a racetrack, and makes it even harder core. To start with, Lexus added 10 horsepower to the LFA’s 4.8-liter V10 (for a total of 562), and has dropped gearshift times from .20 seconds to .15.

Helping out the reworked go-bits is a track-tuned suspension calling the shots for Nürburgring Edition-specific basketweave wheels shod with very sticky, very expensive rubber. The bodywork on the LFA Nürburgring gets some upgrades, too, most notably a unique front splitter and a huge fixed rear wing. According to Lexus, the extra 10 ponies are to overcome the increased aerodynamic drag from the aero bits, not to make the car any quicker.

The car can be had in white, gloss or matte black or screaming orange as seen here. If you’re lucky enough to be in line for one, you’ll need to have an extra 70 large in your hand for the package. Add another $20k if you want it matte black. For all that, Lexus will let you choose between an all-black interior, a black and red interior or a black and purple interior – and if you’re European, you can have an all-carbon fiber interior.

Of course, as part of the Nürburgring package, you’ll also get access to the legendary German racetrack itself. Buyers get driving lessons with a special instructor, a branded jacket, and a one-year pass to the Nordschleife and to its related themepark. Ye-haw.

Press release after the jump.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package is an orange crush

Geneva 2011: Lexus LFA Nürburgring Package is an orange crush

Volkswagen’s Darth Vader Super Bowl ad has all the trimmings of an all-time classic. It involves kids and the most famous Star Wars character of all time. Who doesn’t love kids and Star Wars? And, perhaps most importantly, the big game spot was hugely funny. Beyond that, from the moment we first laid eyes on the ad we were certain that this clever spot would spawn a raft of Vader spoofs. We haven’t been disappointed.

Beyond the jump is the latest Vader spoof. This time, the mini Jedi trades in his 2011 Passat for a previous-generation Toyota Corolla. But while the original spot was fun and playful, this spoof takes a turn for the Dark Side. Junior Vader chokes his mom, throws his dad and even uses his Jedi mind to lift the toilet seat. But in the end, the edgier Vader meets a force more powerful than the Dark Side. Hit the jump to watch the Violent Broccoli creation – the ending is a bit predictable, but it’s still worth checking out. Thanks to all for the tips!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: VW Darth Vader Super Bowl ad gets the Toyota spoof treatment

Video: VW Darth Vader Super Bowl ad gets the Toyota spoof treatment

In the land of Four Rings, anything with an ‘A’ at the start of its model name means it’s a fairly standard model. Should you see an ‘S,’ get excited, because that means the fun factor has been ratcheted up a notch. However, if the alpahnumeric starts with ‘RS,’ then it’s time to put on your best steel-eyed gaze, because that particular Audi means business. The RS moniker has been used throughout the German automaker’s family, and now it is landing on the A3’s hatch lid, transforming the mild-mannered five-door into the 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback.

Audi has taken its 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five engine and forced it to work a little harder. Adding more boost (now running over 17 psi, in fact), the mill in the RS3 pumps out 340 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. That power is routed through a seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission and out to all four wheels, which helps pull the 2012 Audi RS3 from 0-62 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds. If you feel like 60 mph is too slow for your liking, then hold down the gas and you’ll eventually bump against 155 mph.

There’s no word yet on whether this juiced-up hot hatch will make its way Stateside, but we won’t be holding our breath, as the bog-standard A3 is already plenty expensive for U.S. tastes. Either way, the RS3 goes on sale in Europe sometime during the first half of 2011.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback; R S is begging for seat time

Geneva 2011: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback; R S is begging for seat time